Zoopla Member Criteria

Unless otherwise stated, the defined terms and rules of interpretation in the Member Terms and Conditions shall apply to these Member Criteria. 

Zoopla Member Criteria/Guidelines

We are committed to providing our site users with access to high-quality content and introducing them to property professionals. We only accept advertising from businesses that meet a stringent set of advertising criteria that demonstrate that they are operating as such. All Members are subject to Onboarding Requirements which must be satisfied before Content will be published on our Websites. We periodically review all Members against the Onboarding Requirements and these Member Criteria to ensure they continue to be met.  We review all Members’ agents upon joining and we regularly review our agents and their listings to ensure our criteria are met.

Onboarding Requirements

To be a Zoopla Member you must:

Complete where required and pass the following onboarding checks which may include but are not limited to: 

• Identity checks

• Signee authority checks

• Bank Verification

• Redress membership (see Business requirements)

• Companies House (see Business requirements)

Checks should be completed or passed within two weeks of your Start Date.

Failure to complete the checks will result in a suspension of termination of your Services but will not relieve you of an obligation to pay the Fees.

Compliance Legal Requirements

Comply with all Applicable Law and codes of practice. 

Be registered and maintain registration for redress with an Ombudsman: The TPOS or PRS (Law Society if attached to a solicitor agency in Scotland or Scottish letting Agents Register (LARN) for letting only agents in Scotland). This is required for all Members listing resale properties or rentals even if not legally required.

If you handle deposits you must be registered with a government authorised Tenancy Deposit Scheme, TDS, Tenancy Protection Service or MyDeposits (England). The relevant Tenancy Deposit Scheme details should be available on individual listings.

Business requirements

Trading names, logos and addresses for your Zoopla account should be consistent with the registration you hold with the compliance trading bodies listed above, your Companies House registration and the logos and names displayed on your own website, at your branch (if relevant) and in any promotional material you use. We reserve the right to update the trading name or address on your Zoopla account should it not comply with this requirement.

You must operate an established and professional business with a physical business address (no PO boxes/shared offices), your full address must be displayed if you operate from a business address and a minimum of your postcode if you operate from a residential address. You must have a contactable landline telephone number answering the majority of calls.

You must conduct business in a professional and courteous manner in regards to other Zoopla members, users and staff.

You should only offer advertising on Zoopla as part of your marketing package direct to your vendors and landlords.

Operate as an estate agent or lettings agent

You must operate as an estate agent or lettings agent, in accordance with legislation applicable to estate agencies. You must offer services such as professional photos, access to deposit schemes, floor plans, viewings, reference checks etc.

Our preference is that all Members are part of a reputable industry body such as propertymark/UKALA.

Not provide a ‘listing only’ service or investment services

Zoopla will not display any properties that are offered for free or simply listed with the agent without the above services. In addition, Zoopla will not display any advertisements for investment opportunities which relate to a property for example the opportunity to purchase overage rights.

Property details

All listing details provided must be prepared by you or carefully checked by you before being uploaded to the Website(s). Listing details must be clear, complete, accurate, not misleading and display all relevant information to enable each consumer to make an informed decision about the listing.

We do not allow landlords or vendors to add a listing directly to our Website(s) through any automated online system.

Properties should only be listed under the branch/hub that they are contracted to and should not be duplicated across multiple branches/hubs.

Handling enquiries

Intermediates between calls and emails: all leads and enquiries from our Website(s) must be responded to in the first instance by the Member. Under no circumstances can the lead or enquiry be sent to the landlord or vendor directly.

We will not permit the use of automated systems if they allow interaction directly with the individual making the enquiry.

Zoopla will only allow consumers to be directed to book online for a viewing if they have been vetted/qualified by the agent in advance.

Act as intermediary between the parties during transaction

All Members must be available to help negotiate the rent or sales price and /or contract terms of the property where required.

Zoopla does not accept advertising or Content: 

• From Private vendors or landlords

• Websites or services publishing advertisements or disseminating information on behalf of private vendors or landlords or companies offering a ‘listings only’ service

• Any entity or person reselling services to other agents, i.e., Websites or services publishing advertisements or disseminating information on behalf of other estate agents, letting and/or managing agents (which includes agents who operate their business solely online), new homes developers or housing associations, who are not Zoopla members

• Any business which has been shown to have been involved, whether directly or indirectly, in illegal or unethical activity, fraudulent transactions or disingenuous business practices

• Any listing or Content that does not pertain to the sale or rental of Properties or Land

• Any Listings for Supported Housing HMOs, Non-Commissioned Exempt Accommodation (EA) or similar property types

• Rentals of a duration that is less than one calendar month

Notwithstanding our right to terminate a Contract under the Member Terms and Conditions, failure to adhere to our member criteria and onboarding requirements may result in Zoopla suspending Services until we are satisfied they have been adhered to. This will not relieve you of your obligations under the Contract including the obligation to pay Fees.

Agent Classifications:

Zoopla classifies its agents on the basis of internal criteria which are reviewed and updated from time to time. Services and packages may be tailored by Zoopla on the basis of such criteria. 

Branch based agents 

• Has a physical branch location where clients can visit you

• Operates in a geographical area where 75% of your stock falls within your local territory. This is defined as 1 mile for City centre agents, 5 miles for urban agents and 25 miles for rural agents.

Hybrid / Hub agents

• Has a local ‘branch’ presence and will deal with property enquiries at the local hub level

• Overall operations may be coordinated from a central location

• Offers comparable services to a branch-based agent

Virtual / online agents

• No physical local branch and all listings are centrally dealt with

• Offers comparable services to a branch-based agent, either within the fee or at an additional charge

• Stock can be spread locally, regionally or nationally

• Must have a website

New Homes Builders

• Only deal with newly built or converted properties

• Provide a Warranty with the homes

Guidelines on what your website should include

• A detailed section about your agency

• Pricing and details of available packages, outlining what services are included in each one.

• It must state if the property particulars are checked before they are uploaded to our portal.

• An overview of how the viewing process works confirming whether the viewings are either arranged fully by the agent or handled in the first instance by a member of staff.

• Details of other services provided i.e., EPCs, Floor plan.