The local property game has turned into a legal battleground as international players slug it out in the advertising arena over who may claim they are best to handle high-end property deals.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) this week upheld a complaint about a print advertisement by Remax Southern Africa against international property giant Sotheby's.

The ASA ruled that a claim made by Sotheby's - "There is only one true international real estate brokerage" - in a local newspaper could not be substantiated.

Incensed local property company Remax Southern Africa told the ASA the claim was incorrect and misleading. Regional director Bruce Swain said Remax had more than "4 900 offices in 51 countries, with nearly 95 000 agents".

"If that's not truly international, I don't know what is," he said.

In its ruling, the ASA said the reasonable person would infer from the advert that Sotheby's was the only South African agency able to facilitate sales of property abroad. It ordered Sotheby's to withdraw the claim immediately.

Brent Townes, CE of Sotheby's in South Africa, said he was drafting an appeal against the ruling.

"We've used this same line in all of our international publications, which have gone out on our network [in] about 25 countries.

"This is the first time someone has complained about it."

Business Times