Finding a home

Rightmove vs Zoopla for renters: what actually differs

Both are shop windows for letting agents, and plenty of homes are in both windows. For a renter, the portal matters far less than the agent behind the listing and the home itself. Here is what to look at instead, and what it means when the two listings disagree.

England · Checked October 2026

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Plain EnglishThe words on this page, explained

Property portal: A website that shows adverts for homes from lots of different agents, such as Rightmove or Zoopla. A portal does not let homes itself, does not show you round, and never holds your money. Think of it as a shop window.
Letting agent (or “agent”): A business a landlord pays to rent out their home. Depending on what the landlord pays for, an agent may advertise the home, show you round, check your references, write the tenancy agreement and take your money. Some also manage the home after you move in, collecting rent and arranging repairs. High-street agents have offices and staff who deal with you. Online agents, such as OpenRent, do most of it through a website and leave more to the landlord.
Private landlord: Someone who owns a home and lets it out. When a guide says you are dealing with a private landlord, it means the landlord, not an agent, is the person you talk to, who shows you round and who you contact about problems.
Complaints scheme (redress scheme): An independent service you can take a complaint about a letting agent to, free of charge, if the agent does not sort it out itself. Every letting agent in England must belong to one, and there are two: The Property Ombudsman and the Property Redress Scheme. An agent has to say which one it belongs to on its website and in its office. These schemes cover agents, not landlords. A complaints service for private landlords is planned but not yet running.
Client money protection: Cover that pays you back if a letting agent holding your rent or deposit goes out of business or loses the money. Any agent in England that holds tenants’ money must have it, and must show the certificate.
Bidding ban: Since 1 May 2026, a landlord or agent in England must advertise one rent and cannot accept or encourage offers above it.
Tenant Fees Act: The 2019 law that stops landlords and agents in England charging renters fees, such as for viewings, referencing or paperwork. The rent, capped deposits and a few specific charges are allowed.

Is there a real difference for renters?

Less than you might expect. Both are property portals: they advertise homes but do not let them. Both take rental listings only from letting agents, not from private landlords directly. And many agents advertise the same home on both. What differs from one home to the next is the agent behind it, not the portal it appears on.

Who can advertise rentals: Rightmove: registered agents belonging to a complaints scheme. Zoopla: letting agents registered with Zoopla.
Private landlords: Neither takes them directly. They appear through agents, including online agents.
Who you deal with: On both: the agent named on the listing, and through them the landlord.
Who holds your money: On both: the agent, never the portal.

Should I search both?

Yes, if you are looking in a busy area. Many agents advertise on both, but not every agent pays for every portal, so a home can be on one and not the other. Setting up alerts on both is the simplest way not to miss it. Expect to see a lot of the same homes twice.

Does either portal check the agent or the home?

They check who can advertise, not what is advertised. Rightmove says an advertiser must be a registered agent belonging to a complaints scheme. Zoopla says landlords must go through a letting agent registered with it. Neither says it checks the individual home, its licence, its safety certificates or its rent. Those are between you and the agent.

A letting agent in England must belong to a government-approved complaints scheme, belong to a client money protection scheme if it holds your money, and publish its fees. Business Companion sets out the rules.

The same home has a different rent on each. What does that mean?

Ask the agent before you go further. Sometimes it is just one listing updated before the other. But two different rents under two different agent names can also be a copied listing, which is a common start to a rental scam. Screenshot both.

Since 1 May 2026, a landlord or agent cannot accept or encourage offers above the advertised rent. If you are told the “real” rent is the higher of the two, the advert is your evidence. GOV.UK explains the ban on rental bidding, and our guide covers how to report it.

An agent on one of them asked for money before a viewing. Is that normal?

No. Rightmove says neither it nor the agents and developers that list with it would ever ask you for money before you have viewed a property, and asks you to report it if anyone does. Viewing fees are banned under the Tenant Fees Act, whoever is letting the home.

Report a suspect Rightmove listing to fraud@rightmove.co.uk, and report the advert to the portal it was on. If you have already paid, contact your bank straight away and report it to Report Fraud.

Can I rent from a private landlord through Rightmove or Zoopla?

Yes, but there will be an agent named on the listing, often an online one. With an online agent, the landlord usually shows you round and runs the tenancy themselves. That is not a problem in itself, but it means more of the checks fall to you.

OpenRent vs Rightmove and OpenRent vs Zoopla explain what changes when the person behind the listing is a private landlord.

What should I check before I pay, whichever site I used?

The same things, because the portal does not change them. Work through these before any money changes hands.

View the home in person, or send someone you trust.
Check the agent belongs to a complaints scheme (The Property Ombudsman or the Property Redress Scheme) and shows its fees.
Pay only through the agent’s own process, to an account in the agent’s name.
Check who owns the home, and that the agent acts for them.
Check whether the home needs a licence from the council, and whether it has one.
Compare the rent with similar homes nearby.

The RenterCheck browser extension shows the area’s average rent, licensing and flood risk on rental listings on both sites. Using a portal’s estimate to judge the rent? What Zoopla and Rightmove estimates tell a renter.

Found a place? Check it before you pay

A free check covers the property and the area. The complete report adds the rent against similar homes nearby, the running costs, who owns it and whether it needs a licence.

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Sources: Rightmove on private listings and paying before a viewing; Zoopla’s help centre on listing a property for rent; Business Companion on letting agents’ duties; and GOV.UK on rental bidding. RenterCheck is not connected with Rightmove or Zoopla, and platforms change how they work, so check their current terms. This guide covers common private tenancies in England and is general information, not legal advice. Different rules apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to lodgers, social housing and some specialist accommodation.

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Seen the same home at two rents? The report compares the rent with similar homes nearby. The free check covers the energy rating, flood zone, crime nearby, conservation area and listed building status, and the sale history. Complete RenterCheck adds the rent comparison, the monthly running costs, licensing, and whether a company or a private individual owns it, and checks your tenancy agreement against the records.