When a Name Moves Too Close: The Rightmove vs Right Room Trade Mark Battle

When you’re setting up a business, picking the right name can feel like a major achievement. But what happens when your great idea clashes with someone else’s already-established brand?

That’s exactly what happened in a recent trade mark dispute involving property platform giant Rightmove and a much smaller start-up called Right Room. The case offers a powerful reminder of how important it is to check, register, and protect your brand name from day one.

What was the Dispute About?

Right Room Ltd is a London-based agency offering services to renters, particularly students and young professionals looking for shared housing. Its name, however, caught the attention of Rightmove – one of the UK’s best-known property websites.

Rightmove argued that the names were too similar and could cause confusion. They claimed that “Right Room” was riding on the coattails of their long-established reputation, and that consumers might wrongly assume a connection between the two brands.

The Outcome

The matter went before the UK Intellectual Property Office, and the ruling was in Rightmove’s favour. The decision confirmed that the name Right Room was indeed too close for comfort, particularly because both businesses operate in the property space and target similar audiences. Right Room was ordered to remove the name and pay costs.

The judge highlighted that although “Right” and “Room” are both descriptive words, when combined they produced a name too similar to “Rightmove,” especially considering the overall branding and marketing used by Right Room.

Key Takeaways for Business Owners

This case is a clear warning for new businesses: even if your brand name feels original or descriptive, it can still infringe on someone else’s trade mark if it overlaps too closely in meaning, sound, or appearance.

Just because a name isn’t identical doesn’t mean it’s safe. Trade mark law looks at the broader picture—how the public might perceive the two brands, the market they operate in, and the potential for confusion.

If you’re not sure whether your brand name is distinctive or safe to use, it’s always worth seeking expert advice before you launch.  A thorough trade mark search can save you valuable time, effort and money.  Even if you have no intention to register a trade mark you need to ensure you aren’t infringing on another’s registered mark.

How National Business Register Can Help

At National Business Register, we help UK businesses protect their name, brand, and reputation. Whether you’re looking to register a trade mark, secure your business name, or explore alternative protection like our Business Name Protection service, we’ll guide you through your options.  For as little as £99+VAT the owners of Right Room could have had a trade mark search completed with us and advice given over the likelihood of issues with the name.  

Don’t leave your brand vulnerable. Get in touch with our team for a professional trade mark search or advice tailored to your business.

Email info@nbrg.co.uk

Call on 0800 069 9090

Let’s work together to raise the standard — and protect more UK businesses from day one.