If the UK portal market were a ballot box, Rightmove would form a majority government, according to Part Two of The Voice of the Agent, the latest research report from consultancy We Are Unchained.
The study found that 75% of agents cite Rightmove as their most effective portal for leads. Its rivals are left gasping in the wings. Zoopla trails at a distant 8%, OnTheMarket musters 5%, and the rest – PrimeLocation, Nestoria, Mouseprice – do not even register a statistical pulse.
But before the champagne corks pop at Rightmove HQ, agents’ feedback suggests the mood is less celebration, more reluctant submission.
While Rightmove remains the undisputed lead generator, pricing perceptions paint a darker picture. Just 31% of agents believe their portal of choice is fairly priced. A combined 65% rate it as “somewhat” or “very” expensive. In other words: effective, yes; affordable, not so much.
Simon Leadbetter, founder of We Are Unchained, comments “Portals are the lifeblood of agent lead flow, but the relationship is turning toxic. Agents value what they get, but not at any price. The danger for portals is that their customers feel less like partners and more like hostages.”
Based on a sample of 411 UK estate and letting agents, the data suggests an industry caught in a digital dependency trap. Agents recognise the return on investment but increasingly question whether the cost reflects the value. According to one respondent, the analogy is “being charged for champagne and served tap water.”
When asked what portals could do to improve, agents’ messages were unambiguous: lower the cost, improve the quality, and unlock the value of data. Lead volume, it turns out, is not the issue. Agents want better leads, including valuation and landlord instructions, not browsing tenants and serial tyre-kickers. One agent called for “less dross, more direction.”
Another recurring theme was usability. Agents criticised clunky interfaces, lack of innovation, and an ecosystem often rewarding pay-to-play prominence over listing merit. The call is for portals to evolve from passive directories to active business partners, more akin to Sprift or Spectre than Craigslist.
The backdrop? Consumer behaviour is fragmenting fast. According to YouGov data cited in the report, over 10 million people use Rightmove exclusively, but millions more are grazing across Zoopla, OnTheMarket and others. Nearly two million users access all three, suggesting consumers are platform promiscuous rather than loyal. The report concludes that agents must optimise for ubiquity, not allegiance.
Part Two of The Voice of the Agent is available to download now at www.weareunchained.co.uk/thevoiceoftheagent.
Part Three, which delves into marketing channels, automation and AI adoption, is now open for agent contributions.
Source: We Are Unchained, The Voice of the Agent, Research Dates 3rd February to 31st March 2025, Sample 411 agents
