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Rightmove to hike lettings fees

Rightmove plans to hike fees for a number of its lettings agency members next year.

One agent, who says they have been informed that their tariff will increase by 22% per office per month from January 1 2010, says: "It is extremely regrettable that the biggest property portal in the market chooses a time of recession and difficulty to increase fees by 20%."

On whether they will remain on Rightmove, they add: "You have no alternative because they're by far and away the biggest site. But agents will be annoyed and won't forget this, and when agents have the opportunity to move to something comparable, they will."

In a statement, Rightmove says: “We have not reviewed pricing since 2007 and there will be no increases in 2009. As all businesses do, we review prices. Any decisions will be communicated to our customers in a timely manner.”

Mile Shipside, Rightmove's commercial director, adds: "It's just lettings fees, but it's not everybody. It depends on when they joined."

Rightmove was last under scrutiny for hiking fees in 2008 – it increased new lettings members' by nearly a third.

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