A major legal claim, estimated to be worth up to £1.5bn, has now been formally filed against Rightmove, marking a significant escalation in the long-running dispute over its fees.
The case, lodged with the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), alleges that the UK’s largest property portal has abused its dominant position by charging estate agents and developers excessive and unfair subscription fees.
For thousands of agents across the UK, this moves the story from speculation to something very real.
What the claim is about
The case centres on a simple argument: that Rightmove’s position as the “must-have” platform for estate agents has allowed it to charge excessively high fees year after year.
The claim argues that Rightmove has been able to:
- Increase subscription fees significantly over time
- Charge prices that don’t reflect fair competition
- Leave agents with little realistic alternative.
Some agents say their fees have more than doubled in recent years, while others report paying thousands each month just to maintain a basic presence.
Those behind the action say this amounts to an abuse of market dominance under competition law.
Back in late 2025, Rightmove confirmed it had received notice of a potential legal challenge.
Now, that challenge has been formally filed. The claim is being brought by Jeremy Newman, a former Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) panel member, on behalf of estate agents who have paid fees to Rightmove in recent years.
Rightmove intends to defend against the claim. In a statement, the company said it is:
- Confident in the value it provides to agents and consumers
- A key part of the UK housing market infrastructure
- Continuing to invest in products and features that support transparency and efficiency.
It has also described the claim as being “without merit”.
How the collective action will work
The case is being run as an opt-out collective action. This means eligible estate agents are automatically included in the claim unless they opt out. If the case succeeds, they would usually need to come forward to claim any compensation.
Estate agents have long complained about rising portal fees, but this is one of the largest challenges of its kind in the property sector. If the action succeeds it could:
- Return significant sums to agents
- Set limits on how dominant platforms price essential services
- Trigger similar actions in other concentrated digital markets.
For many agents, it may feel like a long-overdue reckoning.
What happens now?
Filing the claim is a key step, but it’s not the end of the process.
The case must now go through the Competition Appeal Tribunal, which will decide whether it can proceed as a collective action. That includes reviewing whether the claim is suitable to be brought on behalf of a wider group.
If it moves forward, it could take several years to resolve.
We’ll continue to provide more information on the Rightmove lawsuit as the situation develops.
Join the Claim connects consumers with SRA-regulated lawyers. Keep an eye out for updates on any potential claim and possible eligibility checks/registration opportunities.
