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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Rightmove boss: ‘I have fantastic relationships with agents’

The outgoing chief executive of Rightmove has claimed he has a good relationship with the portal’s customers.

It was announced this week that Rightmove chief executive Peter Brooks Johnson will leave the property website next year after 16 years with the firm.

An article in The Times yesterday explored whether Rightmove had a “chokehold” on the industry due to its dominance in the portal market and the fees charged to agents.

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Brooks-Johnson said in response: “It’s just language I don’t recognise” and added that he had “some really fantastic relationships” with the company’s customers.

He did, however, acknowledge that Rightmove probably didn’t move fast enough to help the industry at the start of the pandemic.

The portal was criticised in March 2020 for initially only offering to defer agency fees before backtracking and cutting its charges amid restrictions on property viewings and sales.

He said: “We probably didn’t move as fast as we should have done.

“I don’t think we got it spot-on right, frankly.”
 

Brooks-Johnson was initially a product director at Rightmove and took the helm as chief executive five years ago.

A stock market announcement on Monday said Brooks-Johnson will continue as chief executive through to the announcement of Rightmove’s full year results in February 2023.

He will assist with the recruitment of his replacement and a smooth and orderly handover during that period. 

The news dented Rightmove’s share price, which fell from 563p at the close of the markets on Friday to 534p at the opening bell on Monday – a 5.1% drop.

The price fell further during trading to under 530p but closed at 538p.

Its share price reopened again on Tuesday at 547p and closed at 540p.

  • icon

    This man is clearly delusional. Rightmove is one of the most arrogant and uninterested supplier business that I have ever had the mispleasure of dealing with. Most agent I know feel the same. He certainly does not have a ‘fantastic relationship’ with us. “It’s just language I don’t recognise” should read “It’s just language I just ignore because as a monopoly business I don’t have to listen to my customers ”.

    icon

    Spot on comment!!! Absolutely agree

     
  • icon

    Agreed but do you still use rightmove??
    ?

  • Algarve  Investor

    I don't doubt this is the case, but why do many agents stay with them? Better the devil you know? Are the alternatives too risky?

    I guess maybe it's similar to restaurants and Just Eat or hotels and Booking. They don't like having to be on these websites, they have to pay too much commission to them, but the alternative is less business. Would be interested to hear the opinions of agents on this

    Hit Man

    I must disagree with you, consumers look everywhere for property, it's only the brainwashed agents that think they need them, consumers don't give a flying F***

     
    Algarve  Investor

    Don't nearly all consumers use Rightmove and Zoopla?

     
    Hit Man

    Nope consumers look everywhere usually Google to start with, OTM and Zoopla we left RM years ago and never looked back it's laughable the amount of agents that still use them it seems they know no better and are behind the times.

     
  • Glenn Taylor

    As a small one operation Right Move is a critical platform for me. I have tried other portals without success and actually find the team behind Right Move far superior. I dont think it is expensive for what you get and there are credible tools that help the agency if you want to spend a bit more money.
    Thats the good bit, the monopoly through lack of alternatives though is frightening. The way they multi level sell on postcodes is becoming alarming and the consumer is a sitting duck to price hikes. The ability of big money to monopolise areas is a compromise to the industry maintaining professionalism. I have complained that agents working from home have the same status as agents working from offices who have employees and rents to pay but all portals have leveled the playing field in that respect and I think that is the industries real long term problem. By this I mean tumbling commission rates and the inability to govern the industry. Back in the day the NAEA was credible the alternatives today dont seem to be taken seriously nor are there any bodies that sellers respect when choosing an agent. Thats my view.

    Hit Man

    If I set up in your area I wouldn't use Rightmove and would list and sell more property than you. Saying theres a lack alternatives is admitting that you are only a lister not a real agent.

     
  • Hit Man

    Brainwashed Agents believing they still need them judging from some comments.

    icon

    Hitman has a big mouth and hugely inflated opinion of himself - top say you would tale on more than a guy you dont know have never met know nothing about is just ignorant and infantile
    You will be saying soon that your daddy is bigger than his daddy
    Grow up fgs

     
    Hit Man

    At least I can spell

     
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