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Rightmove Faces Potential £1 Billion Collective Claim Over ‘Excessive’ Fees

A former CMA panel member plans an opt-out case alleging the market-leading portal used its dominance to overcharge estate agents.

Overview

  • Rightmove said it has received notice of a potential claim and stated it is confident in the value it provides to partners.
  • The matter is at pre-action stage with a letter before action sent, and any case would next be filed at the Competition Appeal Tribunal for certification.
  • The proposed claim is led by Jeremy Newman with law firm Scott+Scott UK and is funded by litigation backer Innsworth Capital.
  • Allegations focus on abuse of a dominant position to impose high subscription fees, with Rightmove’s 2024 profit margin of about 70% cited as evidence.
  • The proposed opt-out class would cover thousands of estate agents seeking to recover alleged overpayments, with total damages estimated at around £1 billion.