There are no plans to produce any sector-specific guidance or define exemptions. The CMA has pointed to the ongoing work on material information by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as the vehicle for resolving sector-specific concerns about property listings. However, the current material information consultation does not explicitly address price transparency, leaving a gap between the CMA’s expectations and the scope of the ongoing review.
Material information and price transparency
Propertymark is gathering evidence from members to feed into the consultation on material information guidance. This is a key opportunity for professionals to educate policymakers on how property marketing works in practice and highlight challenges.
Complete our survey on material information guidance →
We will continue to represent members’ concerns and press for clarity where the CMA’s guidance overlaps with the UK Government’s material information programme. The final rules must be both workable and meaningful for property agents.
What is an ‘invitation to purchase'?
The CMA guidance states that any time a trader gives information to consumers about a product and its price, this will normally be an invitation to purchase.
Understanding this is a vital principle for complying with the DMCC Act, because traders must give consumers transparent price information, so they are able to make good purchasing decisions.
Practical actions to stay compliant
Helping home buyers calculate the total price
Where a total price cannot be given outright, agents must provide the information a consumer needs to work it out. For example:
- Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) guidance – signposting buyers to the applicable bands or an official calculator.
- Any mandatory charges linked to the purchase (for example, reservation fees in new homes marketing).
This sits directly within the CMA’s requirement that invitations to purchase include either the total price or a clear method for consumers to calculate it.
Being transparent about costs in the private rented sector
For lettings, landlords and agents must ensure that pricing information covers:
- The first month’s rent
- The tenancy deposit
- Any holding deposit
- Any other unavoidable fees permitted under legislation
The CMA’s rules explicitly warn against “drip pricing”, where unavoidable charges appear late in the process. All essential costs must be visible from the outset.
What is ‘drip pricing’?
This describes a situation where a trader presents a headline price and then introduces further non-optional charges as a transaction proceeds. Any change which must be paid to complete the transaction must be clearly presented to the consumer upfront.
What is ‘partitioned pricing’?
This is when a trader presents the component parts of a price without giving the overall total. This can mislead consumers and make it more difficult to compare prices.
Support for members
The CMA is running a webinar on 10 December to outline the new price transparency requirements and what traders must and must not do to ensure they are complying with the requirements.
Propertymark has produced an FAQ to help agents understand how the DMCC Act applies to property transactions.
