Tesco has called upon estate agents who have refused to allow their clients properties to be listed on Tesco Property Market to put their customers’ interests first and list their properties on the site.

The supermarket giant was responding to the decision by many estate agents not to feature their properties on the new Tesco Property website.

Tesco has already signed up its first private sale customers but hundreds of thousands of others have visited the site to view properties for sale by thousands of estate agents around the country.

So far, around 2 million property pages have been viewed by potential buyers, offering potential sales to those estate agents listed on the site.

Managing Director of Tesco Property Market, Mark Davis said: “We knew Tesco Property Market would be popular because consumers are excited by the choice and value it brings. But the initial interest has exceeded even our expectations.

I’ve spent a decade working in the property industry and I can understand why estate agents might view Tesco’s entry into the market with initial scepticism because competition can be tough. But it benefits consumers and makes businesses work harder for them.

I firmly believe that those agents who put the needs of their customers first will see that Tesco Property Market is a way to get their properties in front of hundreds of thousands more potential buyers. It also doesn’t cost them anything so it really is a win-win for them and their sellers. If I were selling my house I would want to know that my agent was doing everything possible to get it in front of buyers.

Private sales are competition for traditional agents but they are a small part of the market and there is plenty of room for everybody who provides a good service for customers.

Agents must believe their services are valued by their customers, so I hope they see the benefit of competition and will use Tesco Property Market to advertise their customers’ properties.”