Lettings agency Edward Mellor, which operates its 15 branches across Greater Manchester, has signed up to OnTheMarket.

This follows the controversial CoStar takeover of OnTheMarket, which until recently was agent-owned.

Edward Mellor says OTM will be one of only two portals it will list on – the other is Rightmove, and it dropped Zoopla some months ago.

The large Leaders Romans Group signed up to OTM two weeks ago – and dropped its listings on Zoopla.

Edward Mellor chief executive Colin Mellor says: “For us it is now clear that with CoStar’s substantial financial reserves their recent acquisition creates the opportunity for a paradigm shift in the marketing of properties, both for consumers and agents alike. We envisage the OnTheMarket Brand now becoming a major influencer in the portal market and we look forward to seeing how our relationship develops.”

OnThe Market’s president – a new title for Jason Tebb, who until recently was the portal’s chief executive – says: “I’m delighted Edward Mellor has chosen to commit to OnTheMarket as part of its two-portal strategy. The addition of such a strong regional brand further strengthens our presence in the North West as we continue our push for growth across the country.

“It’s an incredibly exciting time for our agents, with the acquisition by CoStar Group accelerating our target of becoming the market leader, bringing industry-leading global expertise and significant financial firepower to help deliver even more value for all our customers.”