Listing rules

Last updated 8 October 2026.

These rules apply to every seller and broker. They exist so buyers can trust what they read. They sit alongside our terms of service.

Be accurate

Everything on a listing must be true and something you can support: price, turnover, profit, years trading, staff, premises and reason for sale. Say clearly when a figure is an estimate.

Only list what you can sell

You must own the business or have the owner’s authority to market it. Use your own photographs or images you have the right to use. Do not list the same business more than once.

What is not allowed

We will refuse or remove a listing that:

• is false, misleading or exaggerates performance
• is for something illegal, or for a business that cannot lawfully be sold
• is not a business for sale, such as a job, an investment scheme or an advertisement for something else
• includes personal data about third parties without a lawful reason
• asks buyers for money before any introduction or agreement
• has already been sold and is left live

Keep it current

Mark a listing as under offer or sold as soon as that is true, and update the price or figures when they change. Out-of-date listings waste buyers’ time and can be removed.

Paid promotion is labelled

Sellers and brokers can pay to promote a listing. Promoted listings may appear above other results or in the featured section, and are always marked “Promoted”. Promotion buys visibility only. It does not change our review of a listing and it is not an endorsement.

What happens if rules are broken

We can ask for changes, unpublish a listing, remove it, or close an account. Serious or repeated breaches may be reported to the relevant authorities. Fees paid for a promotion on a listing removed for breaking these rules are not refunded.