SOVE7GN
Material information for estate agents: what a UK listing reel must show or link
Updated 25 October 2026 · Written by Reyansh Juneja and Naman Dhiman, the co-founders of SOVE7GN, who run the campaigns and review the clips
A UK listing reel that shows a property and its price is an "invitation to purchase", so it must give the material information a buyer needs, in the reel or caption or one clear step away. For property, that always means the asking price, the council tax band (or domestic rates) and the tenure, including any service charge or ground rent that comes with it.
Short answer: put the price, tenure and council tax band in the caption of every listing reel, because the CMA says space limits will rarely justify leaving price out. Link the full listing for the rest: property type, construction, rooms, utilities, broadband, mobile signal, parking, and any flood, building safety or planning issue. TPO members also need the seller's permission, an EPC and the photographer's permission before the reel goes up. Checked 25 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Is an Instagram reel an invitation to purchase?
Usually, yes. The CMA's guidance on the unfair commercial practices rules in the DMCC Act, which apply to practices from 6 April 2025, says that when a trader gives information about a product and its price, that is normally an invitation to purchase, and lists "an advertisement of a product on TV, radio or in a social media post" as an example (CMA207). It does not need a "buy" button: an advert with a price and a description is enough. Immovable property, such as the sale or lease of land, counts as a product.
A reel with no price, such as a general "life as an agent" clip, is not an invitation to purchase. But CMA207 says a trader may still have to give information consumers need, and leaving it out can be a misleading omission. A tour of a named property with the price left out does not escape the rules; it only moves them.
The seller can share the responsibility. CMA207 says that when a product is marketed on the seller's behalf, the seller may also be responsible if the invitation to purchase falls short.
What must the reel state, and what can sit behind a link?
National Trading Standards' estate and letting agency team (NTSELAT) sorts material information into three parts (NTSELAT quick guide, November 2023). Its guidance says the "transactional decision" includes deciding to enquire further or to view, which is exactly what a reel asks for.
| NTSELAT part | What it covers | Where it goes for a reel |
|---|---|---|
| Part A: always material | Council tax band or domestic rates; asking price (or rent); tenure, including inescapable costs such as service charges, ground rent and estate rent charges | In the caption, every time. It fits in one line. |
| Part B: must be established for every property | Property type, construction, number and types of rooms, electricity, water, sewerage, heating, broadband, mobile signal, parking | The full listing, linked from the post. Mention anything unusual on screen. |
| Part C: only if the property is affected | Building safety, restrictions, rights and easements, flood risk, coastal erosion, planning permission, accessibility adaptations, coalfield or mining area | If it applies, flag it in the caption ("flood risk: see details") and explain it in the linked listing |
CMA207 explains when a link is acceptable. Limits of space or time can be taken into account, and the trader can then provide information "by another means", such as a hyperlink or QR code. But the CMA says these limits "will generally be unlikely to justify omitting required pricing information", because a single price fits on any device, and the other means must make it likely consumers actually see the information. In practice: price in the caption, never only behind the link.
What does The Property Ombudsman code add?
If you are a member of The Property Ombudsman, its Code of Practice for Residential Estate Agents adds these to any reel:
- 7a: no marketing without the seller's permission and a valid EPC, or evidence one has been commissioned.
- 7j: particulars agreed with the seller before marketing starts, or marked "draft" or "subject to approval".
- 7k: for leasehold homes, material information includes the years left on the lease and the ground rent, among other items.
- 7n: ads follow the ASA codes. Relisting to make a property look new to the market, listing a property that is no longer available, or claiming a sale another agent made, is misleading.
- 7o: material produced by a third party, such as a photographer's video or drone footage, needs that party's permission before marketing starts.
- 3b: using a recently sold and completed property in canvassing material needs the new owner's prior written permission. Our reading: a "just sold" reel aimed at winning instructions is canvassing.
Which listing reels pass, and which do not?
| Reel | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 40-second tour, caption: "£1,250,000. Freehold. Council tax band G. 4 bed detached. Full details and material information at the link." | Pass | Part A in the caption, Parts B and C one step away |
| Leasehold flat tour, caption gives price and "leasehold" only | Fix | Tenure includes inescapable costs; add the service charge and ground rent, and the lease length in the listing (TPO 7k) |
| "Price on application" luxury tour | Risky | Asking price is Part A material information for every property |
| "Back on the market!" on a home that never left | Fail | TPO 7n: making a property look new to the market is misleading |
| "Just sold on Elm Road" about a sale another agent made | Fail | TPO 7n: claiming another agent's sale |
| Drone reveal cut from the developer's footage, no permission | Fail | TPO 7o: third-party material needs permission before marketing |
| Riverside cottage tour that skips a known flood history | Fail | Part C applies when the property is affected; say it and link the detail |
The checklist before a listing reel goes up
- Seller's permission to market, and an EPC in place or commissioned.
- Particulars agreed with the seller, or the listing marked as draft.
- Price, tenure and council tax band in the caption.
- Service charge and ground rent in the caption for leasehold; lease length in the listing.
- Any Part C issue flagged in the caption and explained in the listing.
- A link to the full listing that the viewer can open from the post.
- Written permission for any photographer's, drone or developer footage.
- Agency name clear, so viewers know who is advertising.
When we cut listing reels for agents, the agent approves every clip and caption before it posts; we do not check clips for legal compliance. The US, Canada and wider UK rules are on realtor social media rules, what to film is on real estate reel ideas, and the service is on clipping for real estate. Other founder-led niches are on our founders page, or book a 30-minute call.
Questions people ask
What is material information in property listings?
The information an average buyer or tenant needs to decide whether to enquire, view or buy. NTSELAT lists price, council tax and tenure as always material (Part A), physical features and utilities as information to establish for every property (Part B), and risks such as flooding or building safety where they apply (Part C).
Do estate agents have to show the council tax band?
Yes. Council tax band (or domestic rates) is Part A material information in the NTSELAT guidance, so it belongs in every listing and in the caption of a listing reel.
Does material information apply to social media posts?
Yes. The CMA lists a social media post that gives a product and its price as an invitation to purchase, and property counts as a product. A listing reel must give the material information or point clearly to it.
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