Online estate agent House Network has promised to amend its website after intervention from the Advertising Standards Authority.

The case was informally resolved following a complaint.

The complaint revolved around the firm’s 20-point promise. This includes a pledge to customers that if they are let down, House Network will sell their home for free, but the complaint was to do with the claim about no commission being charged.

The ASA told EYE: “A claim on the advertiser’s website for their 20-point customer promise included one which stated that consumers were not charged commission.

“A complainant challenged whether the ad was misleading because they were charged commission for selling their property.

“The advertiser explained that their 20-point customer promise came into effect in February 2018, and so consumers that sold/bought property/properties before then were charged commission.

“House Network showed us a copy of the current contract which stated that no commission is charged.

“House Network agreed to amend its website so that it was clearer for consumers.”

Rumours have been doing the rounds since last week that House Network, first of the online agents, may have hit some kind of glitch.

EYE’s requests for comment and clarification have, however, not received any response.

The firm told EYE last month that it might have to adjust its headcount.

The firm’s latest accounts, for the year to the end of February 2018, were published on Companies House in December.

The accounts show that whilst total equity stood at minus £952,709 in 2018 (compared to plus £493,229 in 2017), the profit and loss reserves went from minus £5.042m to minus £8.602m.

The accounts include an asset value of £2.6m for the business’s computer software.

The accounts said that the directors of House Network “have agreed to support the company to meet its liabilities as they fall due for a period not less than 12 months from the date the accounts are signed”.

The site had stopped tweeting for a few days last week, but has now resumed again with one prominent message declaring: “Always believe something wonderful is about to happen.”

Yesterday, all seemed well at the site, with the live chat function working.

House Network charges either £795 upfront, or a split of £385 upfront plus £600 paid on sale or six months of marketing time, whichever is the sooner.

EYE has again approached House Network for comment.

Yesterday evening, House Network had 826 available properties for sale on Rightmove, including some added and reduced yesterday.