Connells has once again come under scrutiny following fresh allegations of conditional selling uncovered in a Panorama undercover investigation.
Meanwhile, the BBC investigative show did little to enhance Purplebricks’ reputation and, in doing so, risked undermining trust in the wider estate agency industry.
Connells was accused of dubious sales tactics that prioritise company profits over clients’ best interests, and not for the first time.
Following a story published by EYE almost two years ago, alleging that a purchaser had their offer resubmitted after they apparently changed their mind about using Connells’ mortgage service, the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency team was quick to issue a statement, implying that the case may possibly be looked at by Trading Standards.
Despite last night’s episode of Panorama — in which reporter Lucy Vallance uncovered evidence suggesting that Connells prioritises buyers who use its in-house mortgage services over others — Trading Standards has so far remained silent.
Apart from a broad selection of comments posted on EYE yesterday, the wider property industry, including leading representative bodies such as NAEA Propertymark, RICS, TPO, Safeagent, the Guild of Property Professionals, Relocation Agent Network, and even the HomeOwners Alliance, have also also failed to respond.
It remains to be seen whether any will issue a statement today.
For those who missed it, the episode is currently available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Panorama exposes conditional selling by estate agents
