Zillow controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
Back to profile5 entries
2021
Zillow Offers shutdown and losses
Zillow’s direct home-buying initiative encountered difficulties in accurately pricing, acquiring, renovating, and reselling homes at scale. The company ended new purchases, planned to sell its inventory, and announced substantial layoffs. The episode became a prominent example of the risks of applying algorithmic and platform approaches directly to physical housing inventory.
2020
IBM files second patent lawsuit against Zillow
Lawsuit filed
IBM filed a second lawsuit against Zillow, alleging that Zillow infringed five patents used to improve search results and simplify content displays. Zillow said it believed the claims were without merit and intended to defend itself.
Company response
Denial — Zillow
We believe the claims in the case are without merit and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves against the lawsuit.
Source excerpt
We believe the claims in the case are without merit and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves against the lawsuit.
IBM is escalating its legal battle with Zillow, filing a second lawsuit accusing the listings giant of infringing on patents to build its real estate search engine.
In a July 21 lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, IBM claimed the Seattle-based company infringed on five patents that improve searches by ranking results and simplifying content displays, among other things.
2020
Surgeon sues Zillow over foreclosure listing
Lawsuit filed
A South Carolina plastic surgeon filed a lawsuit alleging that Zillow listed his property as a foreclosure and asserting defamation, slander, libel and negligence. Zillow denied the claims and said it removed the data after the consumer notified it.
Company response
Denial — Zillow
Zillow denies the claims.
Remediation — Zillow
In this situation we promptly removed the data in question when the consumer notified us, a fact the plaintiff himself admits.
Source excerpt
The complaint accuses Zillow of defamation, slander, libel and negligence.
A South Carolina plastic surgeon has filed a defamation suit against Zillow and its parent company, Zillow Group, alleging the company’s flagship site listed his million-dollar property as a foreclosure.
The suit was initially filed in a court in Berkeley County, South Carolina (where the plaintiff lives) last month, but Zillow had the case moved to federal court this week.
2017
Dispute with McMansion Hell author
Zillow sent a cease-and-desist letter concerning the use of images in Kate Wagner’s McMansion Hell blog, which criticized and satirized luxury-home listings. The dispute drew attention from digital-rights advocates and Zillow later said it would not continue pursuing the matter.
2016
Employment-practices and workplace-conduct litigation
Former employees brought claims concerning wages, overtime, meal and rest breaks, and alleged workplace conduct at Zillow’s California operations. A separate sexual-harassment action was settled in 2016 for an undisclosed amount without an admission of wrongdoing by Zillow.