ASA Adjudication on SpicerHaart Group Ltd

Ad

A regional press ad, for an estate agent, was headlined “To achieve the BEST PRICE you need the BEST TEAM”. It also included text that stated “ … Come and visit us in our new offices at XXX to see how we can help you. We’ve got you covered from 8am to 10pm weekdays: … ”; a list of areas appeared below, each with different e-mail addresses and telephone numbers but with the same local dialling code. Further text appeared below an image of members of staff, which stated “Your local property experts … ”. Each page included the slogan “ … the nation’s local agent” and included text that stated “Coverage … ” followed by a list of areas, each shown with a different telephone number.

Issue

Taylors Estate Agents challenged whether the ad misleadingly implied Haart Estate Agents had branches in each of the locations listed, because they believed they had only one branch in the area.

CAP Code (Edition 11)

Response

Haart Estate Agents (Haart) said innovative estate agencies were increasingly using the internet to expand the reach of retail branches. That meant that although they might not have a physical branch in certain locations, the relevant central office instead had staff members dedicated to particular geographic areas.  They said those dedicated teams spent a significant amount of time in their area and had the same, or greater, specialist local knowledge as other agents who happened to have offices located in the area.  Haart pointed out that the ad repeatedly referred to "teams" rather than offices.  They said although each team had their own telephone number, each had the same local dialling code in common and only one office address was listed; that was accompanied by text that stated "Come and visit us in our new offices at XXX ... ".  Haart believed the ad was not misleading.

Assessment

Not upheld

The ASA noted Haarts service covered the areas listed.  We noted the ad referred to "teams" and did not state that they had offices in each area.  We considered that, in conjunction with text that stated "coverage" before listing the areas the service covered as well as the inclusion of a single address preceded by "Come and visit us in our new offices at XXX ... ", meant the overall impression of the ad was such that it did not imply Haart had branches in each of the locations listed.  We concluded that the ad was unlikely to mislead.

We investigated the ad under CAP Code clauses 7.1 and 7.2 (Truthfulness) but did not find it in breach.

Action

No further action necessary.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Non-broadcast)