Realestate.com.au removes restrictions in contracts with real estate agents after ACCC investigation

REA Group announced on 14 September 2026 that it had entered into a court-enforceable undertaking with the ACCC to resolve concerns about restrictions in its contracts with real estate agency customers. The commitments concern property listings on realestate.com.au and the flexibility agencies have when choosing listing tiers.

In its ASX announcement, REA said it committed not to require agencies to list all or the majority of their properties for sale or rent on realestate.com.au. It also committed to greater flexibility for agents to downgrade listings to lower listing tiers. These changes are relevant to agencies assessing their advertising arrangements and how contractual commitments affect their choice of listing services.

The distinction between an undertaking and a court finding matters. REA stated that the ACCC had not issued legal proceedings against it and that there had been no finding of legal wrongdoing. The undertaking is an enforceable commitment, not a judgment establishing that every exclusivity clause or listing incentive breaches competition law.

The announcement therefore provides a specific example of regulatory scrutiny of platform contract restrictions. It does not mean that all arrangements limiting dealings with competing services are automatically unlawful; the terms, commercial setting and competitive effects remain important.