Zillow Privacy question regarding rental listings

[24Sage]

I have a beef with Zillow. A little over a yr ago I posted a listing for a rental. I reduced the price once. Zillow listed my reduction in price. I asked them to remove it, and they did without question.
Recently I have another rental that I've reduced in price 3 times. (Slow rental market) It was always priced fairly for it's large size, condition, and amenities, as well as perks, such as professional landscaping included. I could have rented it 5 times at the higher rates but there were problems or issues with each applicant (Credit, wanted a fireplace, had cats, house too big, no fence, etc) Zillow has listed all the reductions on the public site and unlike the last time, refuses to remove them. I have had clients say that they thought there was something wrong with the home because of the 3 price reductions. They said they almost skipped seeing our house because of the mis-leading info. Zillow is showing. Zillow claims they are doing this for their home-seeking clients and that they want to be transparent abut housing sale and rental prices. I told them that sale prices are public record, but that rental reduction prices are private information that should remain so. I do not object to the final rental price being shown but I feel they are doing their home-providing clients a disfavor that negatively affects their listings. Without OUR listings, they will have nothing to offer! I think this policy is counterproductive for everyone involved and an invasion of our privacy as well. Any constructive feedback is welcome.

 

[LdiJ]

I have a beef with Zillow. A little over a yr ago I posted a listing for a rental. I reduced the price once. Zillow listed my reduction in price. I asked them to remove it, and they did without question.
Recently I have another rental that I've reduced in price 3 times. (Slow rental market) It was always priced fairly for it's large size, condition, and amenities, as well as perks, such as professional landscaping included. I could have rented it 5 times at the higher rates but there were problems or issues with each applicant (Credit, wanted a fireplace, had cats, house too big, no fence, etc) Zillow has listed all the reductions on the public site and unlike the last time, refuses to remove them. I have had clients say that they thought there was something wrong with the home because of the 3 price reductions. They said they almost skipped seeing our house because of the mis-leading info. Zillow is showing. Zillow claims they are doing this for their home-seeking clients and that they want to be transparent abut housing sale and rental prices. I told them that sale prices are public record, but that rental reduction prices are private information that should remain so. I do not object to the final rental price being shown but I feel they are doing their home-providing clients a disfavor that negatively affects their listings. Without OUR listings, they will have nothing to offer! I think this policy is counterproductive for everyone involved and an invasion of our privacy as well. Any constructive feedback is welcome.

You could remove the listings entirely from Zillow and find some other way to market the rental.

 

[quincy]

I have a beef with Zillow. A little over a yr ago I posted a listing for a rental. I reduced the price once. Zillow listed my reduction in price. I asked them to remove it, and they did without question.
Recently I have another rental that I've reduced in price 3 times. (Slow rental market) It was always priced fairly for it's large size, condition, and amenities, as well as perks, such as professional landscaping included. I could have rented it 5 times at the higher rates but there were problems or issues with each applicant (Credit, wanted a fireplace, had cats, house too big, no fence, etc) Zillow has listed all the reductions on the public site and unlike the last time, refuses to remove them. I have had clients say that they thought there was something wrong with the home because of the 3 price reductions. They said they almost skipped seeing our house because of the mis-leading info Zillow is showing. Zillow claims they are doing this for their home-seeking clients and that they want to be transparent abut housing sale and rental prices. I told them that sale prices are public record, but that rental reduction prices are private information that should remain so. I do not object to the final rental price being shown but I feel they are doing their home-providing clients a disfavor that negatively affects their listings. Without OUR listings, they will have nothing to offer! I think this policy is counterproductive for everyone involved and an invasion of our privacy as well. Any constructive feedback is welcome.

There is nothing "misleading" about the information posted by Zillow that shows your price reductions. You reduced the prices.

Because you published the original price and you published the reduced prices for your rentals, this is not private information.

If you are finding it difficult to rent at the higher prices and are not adverse to renting at lower prices, perhaps you might want to judge the market better prior to advertising so reductions are not necessary?

 

[STEPHAN]

This is public information. Nothing you can do about it other than asking nicely.

 

[quincy]

Rentals can always be advertised without prices or with price ranges, as well. That is how most of the rentals I am familiar with are advertised. This allows the property owner to adjust prices to reflect the market conditions.

A prospective tenant simply calls to find out the availability and the price.

The property owner just has to be careful not to use this mode of advertising as an illegal pre-rental screening tool.