FAQs
Have a question? Check out the FAQs below, drop us an email at [email protected], or get in touch here.
What is the claim about?
This claim will argue that Rightmove is abusing its dominant position in the UK online property portal market by charging its subscribers excessive and unfair prices via its fees for property portal services.
Put simply, Rightmove is taking unfair advantage of its dominant position in the online property portal market by charging its subscribers excessive and unfair fees for its services.
Who is the claim against?
The claim is against Rightmove. Established in 2000, Rightmove quickly became the dominant player in the market for online property portals.
Who is bringing this claim?
Jeremy Newman will be bringing this claim. For more information about Jeremy and the rest of the team involved in bringing the claim, please see the About Us page (coming soon). Jeremy is not himself a member of the proposed class, having never been a Rightmove subscriber. He has a robust understanding of competition law and believes that the behaviour of Rightmove is unlawful and anti-competitive.
Is my organisation or business included in the proposed class?
If you or your company are based in the UK and paid fees to Rightmove for its online property portal services in the UK within the last six years, you (or your company) are included in the proposed class.
This is a so-called “opt-out” collective action. This means that if you paid subscription fees to Rightmove within the last six years, you are automatically included in the proposed class and, in the event of success, will be eligible for compensation.
Am I still included if my organisation or business is no longer active?
This is a so-called “opt-out” collective action. This means that if you are based in the UK and paid subscription fees to Rightmove in the period since December 2019, you will automatically be included in the proposed class and, in the event of success, will be eligible for compensation.
What if I (or my business) no longer subscribes to Rightmove?
If you have subscribed within the last six years then you will be included in the claim (unless you choose to be excluded).
What do I need to do and what happens if I do nothing?
We encourage you to register for updates on the case. Once the claim is filed, if you fall within the proposed class, we will send you relevant updates.
Jeremy is also aware of the impact of Rightmove’s conduct on the market and is very interested to learn about your experience as members of the proposed class. If you are happy to share details of your experience with Rightmove please get in touch with Jeremy and his team through this form, or by contacting [email protected].
If the claim is successful, to recover your losses you will have to prove that you are a member of the proposed class. Although Rightmove should have records of your subscription, we advise you to keep copies (e.g, invoices) of any documents which show you paid for services from Rightmove. You do not need to register now in order to be eligible for compensation at the end of the case.
What is a collective action?
Collective actions are a form of court procedure introduced to the UK by the Consumer Rights Act 2015, that enable a class representative to bring proceedings on behalf of a group affected by an infringement of competition law. They combine individual claims that raise the same, similar or related issues of fact or law (known as ‘common issues’).
Before a collective action can proceed, the Competition Appeal Tribunal must make a collective proceedings order (‘CPO’) authorising the class representative and certifying the claims as eligible to be included in collective proceedings.
When the CPO has been made, the matter progresses to a trial of the common issues unless the case settles first. After success at trial or settlement, the damages are distributed amongst the class members using a distribution method approved by the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
The proposed claim is an ‘opt-out’ collective action, so anyone based in the UK who is in the proposed class will be automatically included in the proceedings unless they actively choose not to be by opting out. Details on how to opt-out are provided further down this page.
Where are the claims being brought?
The claim will be brought in the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal (known as the “CAT”) which is a specialist tribunal based in London. The CAT hears and decides cases involving competition issues and has expertise in law, economics, business and accountancy. The CAT publishes its Rules and Guidance, together with information about what it does, on its website: www.catribunal.org.uk.
What will it cost me to join the claims?
Nothing. All costs (including all risk of future costs) are met by Jeremy based on financing arrangements he has entered with specialist third party litigation funder, Innsworth Capital Limited (“Innsworth”), to bring and fund the claim.
Third party funding helps claimants bring claims against large, well-resourced companies such as Rightmove. If sanctioned by the Tribunal, the funder will receive a fee, payable only from any recovery made from the defendant(s), in return for its investment.
The funding arrangements will be scrutinised by the Tribunal to ensure that Jeremy has the financial resources to fund the claim and to pay the defendants’ costs if ordered to do so. The Tribunal must also approve any payment to the funder, to ensure that it is fair to class members.
Are there any risks if the claims are unsuccessful?
Not to class members. Jeremy has secured litigation funding from Innsworth. If the claims are unsuccessful, the Competition Appeal Tribunal is likely to order that Innsworth will pay Rightmove’s reasonable legal costs. Proposed class members do not face any personal risk in relation to these proceedings.
How much will I receive and when?
No money is available now and, unfortunately, compensation is not guaranteed. Once Jeremy has filed the claim with the Competition Appeal Tribunal, we anticipate a case management hearing to be scheduled for early 2026 at which stage the timetable for the claim is likely to be clarified.
The precise value of the claim will be based on experts’ analysis of data which Rightmove will provide at a later stage of the claim. Based on preliminary damages estimates by Kairos Economics, who are part of the team supporting Jeremy, total damages are estimated to be in the region of £1 billion, meaning that there could be a meaningful amount of potential compensation for each member of the proposed class if the claim is successful.
Once we know the total loss suffered, we will be able to provide more detailed information on how much individual proposed class members could receive if the claim is successful.
The legal process may take several years. We appreciate your patience. It is possible that the case will settle without going to trial, in which case compensation would be made available sooner.
How can I track the progress of the claims?
Registering for updates is the best way to do so. When you register your interest in this claim, you will receive updates about latest developments in the claim. In addition, you can track the progress of the claim on this website.
We would encourage you to get in touch with Jeremy through the form here, or via the contact email address: [email protected]. Jeremy is aware of the impact of Rightmove’s conduct on the market and is very interested to learn about your experience as a member of the proposed class.
How long will the claims take?
At this stage we cannot be certain. Legal proceedings of this nature can take a long time, and it depends on decisions taken by the Competition Appeal Tribunal. We will update you as the claim is filed and progresses. At this stage, it is estimated it will take a few years for the claim to reach a conclusion. It may be possible to resolve the claim sooner if a settlement can be agreed.
Is anyone excluded from the claims?
The following categories are excluded from being a part of this claim:
- all members of the legal team(s) and expert(s) instructed by the Proposed Defendants (Rightmove) in the Proposed Collective Proceedings;
- all members of the legal team, professional advisors, and experts instructed by Jeremy Newman for the Proposed Collective Proceedings;
- all members of the Tribunal panel assigned to the Proposed Collective Proceedings; and
- any judge hearing any appeal in the Proposed Collective Proceedings.
Legal action against Rightmove.
Rightmove is now facing legal action led by Jeremy Newman, a former panel member at the Competition and Markets Authority.
Jeremy is representing national and local estate agents alike in a case that is fully funded by Innsworth Capital Limited and supported by leading lawyers and experts, including Scott+Scott UK LLP.