As I explained in my email, they have not shown any signs of caring or helping us through Brexit which has been bad enough, now this. I emailed in to give RM notice yesterday and have an account manager calling me today.
This morning OnTheMarket announced a 33% discount to paying agents – see separate story.He added: “These are very difficult times, but it is not too late for Rightmove to do the right thing and I am waiting to hear.” “Rightmove’s lack of empathy is astonishing.” “They, like my staff, are very worried about their families, their health, their jobs and how businesses will get through this. “I spent yesterday, after the EYE story appeared, constantly on the phone to agents from all over the country, reaching out to me to discuss the way forward.
“As I speak, the Prime Minister has just announced the closure of all schools in England, indefinitely from this Friday and the whole of London is moving closer to a full lockdown. “He also said he was very busy but that I would hear from David Anderson, the sales director, and Simon Fielden, the commercial director. He said: “I had an email correspondence with Peter Brooks-Johnson, Rightmove’s CEO, and his view was that coronavirus is a small blip, in what was shaping up to be a good year for the market.
He said that Rightmove is out of touch with the reality of the coronavirus crisis, and how it is already affecting agents’ businesses and the wider industry. It has been on the shelf for a long time.” He said: “This was always a conversation that was going to have to happen. Yesterday evening, Sargent made clear his feelings after an unprecedented day on EYE for comments on the Rightmove stories we carried yesterday. Sargent, who heads up major south-east chain The Acorn Group, made his call shortly before Rightmove announced its controversial deferred payment option. Agent Rob Sargent, who called for Rightmove to give agents a six-month payment holiday, has said it is not too late for the portal to act.