PropTech HouseSimple caught falsifying figures in promo email
UK proptech company HouseSimple has withdrawn claims that it took just 25 days to get a property to completion. The figure appeared in a marketing email. HouseSimple removed the claim from all material after an agent questioned its source. The company added that the data was from January 2016 but has now been updated. Also removed was a claim that the service saved vendors £5,594 ($7,202).

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An online agent has withdrawn claims from a promotional email it sent out only last Thursday.

HouseSimple said in the marketing email that it saved vendors £5,594, and that it took only 25 days to get a property to completion.

It used the same figure, 25 days, to say that is how long it took to get a property to Sold Subject to Contract.

An agent who received the promotional email queried where the information had come from to substantiate the 25-day completion claim.

EYE was told by a spokesperson: “The 25 days figures were based around a Rightmove Index report and HouseSimple’s own reporting system.

“But it appears the data was from January 2016 and the claim was removed from all marketing materials – or should have been – because it needs to be updated with this year’s figures.

“It seems the claim was still in automated emails – which this reader received – and it shouldn’t have been. It has now been removed.”

The claim as to saving sellers £5,594 has also been removed, EYE was told.

However, only a fortnight ago, HouseSimple defending this saving, saying the claim was the same one made in TV advertising which had been cleared by Clearcast.

Below is a screengrab of part of the promotional email sent out last Thursday.