Hollywell Homes takes a Closer Look at the BBC Panorama Investigation Recent findings from the BBC Panorama
You may have seen last night’s Panorama Investigation “Undercover Estate Agent”, which revealed some deeply concerning practices within our industry.
The programme revealed that certain estate agents, including Connells and Purplebricks, allegedly prioritised buyers who used their in-house mortgage or conveyancing services. In one case, a homeowner believes her property was sold for less than it could have achieved—because the agent favoured a buyer who had signed up to in-house services. These add-ons, which can be worth thousands in commission to the agent, may influence how and to whom a property is sold.
These revelations raise concerns about conditional selling—where buyers are pressured to use internal services in order to be "favoured" for a purchase. While this practice goes against the Estate Agents Code of Practice, the BBC’s findings suggest it may still be happening behind the scenes.
We wanted to respond to this, as it is something we feel very passionate about.
Hollywell Homes was born from a desire to provide fair, transparent service to all of our clients. Unlike corporate chains,we are not tied to financial targets or in-house service quotas. Our loyalty lies entirely with our clients. We focus on what matters most: achieving the best sale price, providing transparent communication, and acting in your best interest every step of the way.
We do work with a local mortgage broker, and a panel of solicitors, and we choose to work with them because we believe that they offer a great service at a competitive rate and that this represents a benefit to our clients, however we have never and will never pressurise any of our clients to use these services.
Some larger estate agents may offer slick branding and national reach, but sellers should ask: who is really working for you? When staff are incentivised to sell internal services rather than focus on your sale, your home’s value and visibility could suffer.
Our experienced team lives locally, understands the Worcestershire property market, and is committed to personal service. We build trust, not just transactions. Your home is one of your biggest financial assets, and you deserve an agent who will work hard to get the best outcome for you —not chase internal bonuses. That’s what we deliver at Hollywell Homes.
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