Upad, the new free online rental service that launched in October 2008, has caused a stir with high street estate agents as some have lobbied big portals to refuse listings from Upad, and this has escalated into a bigger debate over whether portals should list private lettings at all.

James Davis, founder and CEO of Upad, said: “In today’s world it should be about choice – for landlords and renters alike. If portals turn away listings sites, this will surely result in the death of the industry. This debate has escalated at a time when the property rentals market has the potential for massive growth.

“The property sector needs to adapt and move with the times and to begin emulating some of the successes of industries such as travel and recruitment – both of which have made the highly beneficial transition from offline to online.”

The Rugg Review, published last month, argues for a policy approach for devising ‘initiatives to grow the business of letting, encouraging smaller, good landlords’. It also highlights that a sizeable proportion of the market does not go through estate agents.

Davis added: “We are trying to ‘professionalise’ the property rentals sector. Far from working against estate agents, we would like them to take an active part in our campaign.

“I strongly believe that in view of the issues highlighted, the industry should look into self-regulation. With this transition, relevant parties will feel empowered and the industry can also make the progress required.”