Should state agents use AI to advertise a property? I got a surreal experience today
Posted by cunextu@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 250 comments
[removed]
rosetankplank@reddit
I am currently house hunting as well and listings which use AI are very off-putting. AI changes the dimensions making the rooms look much more spacious. Not to mention some of the more obvious changes. What’s the point!? It’s misleading and inaccurate…
namboozle@reddit
No, it should be illegal and classed as false advertising
_Diskreet_@reddit
Currently have been house hunting for the last 6 months.
I’ve made a point of saying after viewing a property that the reason I’m not making an offer is because of the use of ai to misrepresent the property.
Sadly it doesn’t make it back to the owners because the 5 houses we saw that had been “recreated” with ai are still on the market and I suspect a lot of people are sorely disappointed when they walk through those doors and the images do not match up with reality.
TheHumanAlternative@reddit
This is what I don't get. House buying is very emotions driven. The house I bought was well presented in the photos but it wasn't dishonest. I could tell it needed a bit of work. So when I walked in the front door for the first time my initial experience was not disappointment. I think if they had used old photos or ai photos to make it look immaculate I would have felt cheated and bought somewhere else.
MyDarlingArmadillo@reddit
Mine was the same - the photos were clear that it needed work and that was fine, it was priced accordingly. I didn't turn up to immediate disappointment, I was pleasantly surprised at the light in it, and made sure it didn't smell weird. If they'd used Ai (or photoshop then) to make it look good, I'd just have felt conned.
The only time I've seen AI used well for these is where they've shown the real, fixer upper photo and then added a second enhanced one to show you how it could look once fixed. So they weren't trying to hide anything, just help the imagination along.
TheHumanAlternative@reddit
That I wouldn't mind. Or something along the lines of a property that already had planning consent for an extension and then clearly marked visualisation of what that could look like. But if I walked into my house for the first time and they had used AI to remove the marks from the walls, the clear sign of (thankfully) old water ingress from the ceiling etc I would have walked straight out again.
Few-Leave-8786@reddit
I actually prefer a house with character rather than how soulless a lot of estate agent photographs look even before AI, I want to see signs someone has lived there but kept place clean and tidy, could be a few spots that need freshened up rather than pictures that look like a furniture showroom.
Snowy349@reddit
It's the agent who takes the photos 90% of the time, not the owners.
Opposite_Radio9388@reddit
Absolutely, but if I were selling my home and I got feedback like this from prospective buyers, I'd be speaking to the estate agent. The agent works for the owner, who can take their property elsewhere if they're not happy with their services.
potatan@reddit
This might be the case on the surface of it but in my experience the agent works overwhelmingly for themselves and will do anything so long as it's vaguely legal in order to make the sale.
Few-Leave-8786@reddit
I remember when my friend bought a house, the company was meant to contact him in the afternoon so he could get the keys, they rang at 11am saying they wanted to finish early and he had to be there by 12, this was on a Friday and friend said he couldn't as he was busy and would be at least 1.30pm before he could get there as per previous messages and the staff member actually moaned at him on phone saying she wanted to leave early as it was a Friday and said she could drop off his keys at a friends house.
Dear-Advertising-232@reddit
Surely the owner would have checked the listing and seen the images had windows that didn't exist!
matto1990@reddit
The mindset is likely: "They made it look so nice! People will really want to buy it now!"
bornfromanegg@reddit
Well if they did think that then I’ve no sympathy with them.
But I imagine they would be as annoyed as anyone. I would be furious if an estate agent did this to my house. It’s so fucking insulting to prospective buyers.
PUSH_AX@reddit
I don't know why anyone would tell an estate agent anything, they're useless middlemen and acting in their best interest.
You have the address of these properties, either leave a note for the owner or post a letter.
Zxvasdfthrowaway@reddit
I wonder about writing a letter to the address to let the owner know
PeterG92@reddit
You'd think they would at least try and make it look somewhat reasonable in resemblance. The OP looks nothing like it!
bitis_garbonica_zw@reddit
Pretty sure it is illegal
UKSTL@reddit
Yeah they could take them small claims for that, and could file a false advertising claim
Dr_Mantis_ToboganMD@reddit
And what would the claim be for, tube fare travelling to the viewing?
They’d have to have bought the house based on those photos to have a case, and it wouldn’t be through small claims court
UKSTL@reddit
Yeah it would be travel costs
fezzuk@reddit
Pretty sure we dont need a new law its just false advertising.
Grenache@reddit
Sorry but that's fucking hilarious. Bigger rooms, different sized windows, I'd have lost my shit to be honest.
-Tripp-@reddit
One became a whole bay window!!!
When the actual structure of the house is being changed then youre committing fraud and need to be called out
MyDarlingArmadillo@reddit
I think this is teh problem. I wouldn't mind it if it was just putting lamps and furniture in, so you could see what it might look like. Changing the wallpaper or flooring - things people might do when they move in themselves, that's just showing you what you could do with it.
Adding a whole bay window and making the rooms bigger is just lying.
Secret-Collar-1941@reddit
We all know it's race to the bottom. As soon as one starts doing "honest" renders, there will be others who will push this into the absurd.
I'd say these should be blanket banned. No AI, no 3D renders even. Only photos of reasonable recency.
mo0n3h@reddit
Hey - if Estate agents start relying on AI, they’ll probably not need as many staff to produce the sale packs (photos etc) meaning you may not need an estate agent to advertise your house - leading to more self-sells via things like purple bricks and surely that just leads to even fewer estate agents?
Pruritus_Ani_@reddit
The fisheye lens photos on estate agent websites were bad enough but using AI and changing the dimensions of rooms and adding bay windows and features that aren’t even there is ridiculously misleading to the point I’d be furious if I turned up for a viewing and the house looked nothing like the photos.
IGiveBagAdvice@reddit
Adding a stair in the corner of the ceiling was definitely a weird choice
Dear_Tangerine444@reddit
It would be an outside staircase at that.
cherryreddragon@reddit
I agree. At first I thought it was just decoration and was about to comment to say that's not so bad, then I saw the enlarged window on one and the bay window that doesn't exist on another. And I thought fish eye lenses were bad!
RecentTwo544@reddit
This is the major problem with using AI for property photos - it cannot understand scale and normally makes things bigger.
Selpmis@reddit
I was going to say the same thing! Like, sorry OP, I feel terrible for your wasted time and disappointment but this genuinely made me laugh out loud.
Level_Engineer@reddit
Should be illigal because whilst furnishings are not included in most sales, decoration is included and properties decorated to a high standard attract more value.
Its basic false advertising.
Adding furniture ONLY might be ok as its inferred that thats not what you're buying. However changing proportions and adding permanent features and decorations should be prohibited 🚫
Rob_Cake@reddit
Was bad enough already without AI when they make every room appear 3x as big
kimbastern@reddit
I’m still trying to find the real outside patio? lol
Agitated-Drive7695@reddit
EA can fuck right off with that BS.
Severe-Replacement24@reddit
That is outrageous.
Large-Job6014@reddit
I thought false advertising was sort of illegal. I guess one could push this to trading standards if they wanted seeing as advertising and managing housing sales is their product.
cb0495@reddit
Obviously not
Superspark76@reddit
Its pointless, I used to photograph properties for sales and used to reflect the true house. Even using fisheye lenses is a waste of time.
There is no point in having people view the house that don't want it, fake pictures will just waste both the viewer and estate agents time.
dunknash@reddit
I told an estate agent to stop doing this as the expectation made me hate every home they showed me because the reality was so shit. They literally didn't have the original pics to show me. I ended up not bothering with them due to it.
leorts@reddit
Saw one on Property Pal in Northern Ireland but they were fair and for one "enhanced" image they had the original posted as well, with the same angle etc. The AI disclosure was as a watermark on the actual images IIRC.
tayls67@reddit
…and it was state/government agents doing this? /s
STUP1DJUIC3@reddit
My wife is an estate agent and they use ai for photos but literally for touch ups, things like making the sky nice and bright rather than gloomy weather or tidying up a coffee table that has a bit too much crap on it. This is almost showing a different house. The bedroom has a slopes ceiling and a wide rad that are just not there in person.
Training_Yak_4655@reddit
"Potential HMO investment Opportunity"
An alarm klaxon right there.
ygbjammy@reddit
Tell the estate agent, write a review about it on Google or trust pilot.
Sleep-more-dude@reddit
Trustpilot is flooded with fake AI reviews, company has not aged well.
Morganx27@reddit
Trust pilot also removes negative reviews at the behest of the owner. It did so for an abusive dog trainer I went to, on the basis of it being libellous. But he wouldn't take me to court because A) everything I said was true, and B) he was a wanted criminal on the run by that time.
reddiuniquefool@reddit
This. Warn other people.
IllExample3639@reddit
Only if I can use fake money to buy the house
Natural_Bet6685@reddit
That's called misrepresentation. and it's fraud.
Fast-Concentrate-132@reddit
UG we're buying houses on Temu now
Dear_Tangerine444@reddit
I’m general nope on AI anyway… however, if it was just "dressing" a room, it would be one thing. It completely hallucinating features, like that bay window, and changing the basic dimensions of all the rooms. It’s out right misleading.
I’m a little surprised Rightmove/Zoopla don’t have a policy against this, as it going to have an impact on their traffic eventually when you can’t trust their sites, surely?!
mad_saffer@reddit
I would not go anywhere NEAR a property that needed AI to tart it up for the market. Looking at those pics I would have told the EA to stop wasting my time with fake pictures and basically not go to any houses on their books until they rectify the images. As a seller I would NEVER have allowed the EA to tart up the pictures either.
Dumbusernamesuggest@reddit
Surely you can report this as false advertising or the like. It’s wildly audacious.
Beneficial-Mind286@reddit
Should be illegal, it's like advertising rooms that dont even exist!
Trick-Fix5959@reddit
this is outrageous and surely criminal. i would’ve ended up slapping the landlord tbh
RobEth16@reddit
Nearly £1m, that's scandalous!
VirtualMatter2@reddit
Isn't that false advertising? I would ask the consumer rights people if that's actually allowed.
Jeremys_Iron_@reddit
Yep. Complain to Trading Standards and look to lodge a complaint with the agent's Redress Scheme. Absolutely vile.
_Blueshift@reddit
We used to call these scams. Somehow using AI to scam people has been sugarcoated as 'enhanced with AI' and we're expected to be okay with it.
SensitiveReindeer23@reddit
We do this but state on the AI image that it is AI generated so it is clear - we don't use it on the RM listing but use it for social media posts so people can get a sense of what the property could look like (as the changes are just decor rather than structural)
sgst@reddit
I'm an architect and have been using AI to render some rooms lately, and the results are interesting.
If you use the right AI tool you can get it to respect the geometry of the room, not add features, etc. But the more widely used AI models (chatgpt, gemini, etc) will absolutely make the room bigger, add features where there aren't any, adjust the lighting, etc. And it seems almost impossible to stop them doing it.
When we're dealing with defined spaces with defined furniture, if the AI suddenly makes the room bigger and brighter then it's a form of misrepresentation.
This is no different and the estate agents are being extremely unprofessional, and potentially opening themselves up to liability.
Apple_Master@reddit
Obviously fucking not.
Remote-Program-1303@reddit
Check out Seloger and see how endemic it is for French real estate; it's a total joke.
Caelizal@reddit
There is a house on our new build estate that has been on the market for almost 7 months.
When I took a look on the estate agents website at it, they've taken the photos at such an angle and altered all of the pictures to make everything, including the garden, look vastly bigger than they actually are.
This is probably why the house hasn't sold. It's up at 500k and looks absolutely massive. The garden looks like a field, when in fact it's about 6-7 metres squared.
Dishonesty does not sell houses.
WelshBluebird1@reddit
Some of it is fine - like the first one, yeah it makes it look lighter and maybe slightly bigger but its basically the same room. The living room and bedroom on the other hand are just insane!
JanCumin@reddit
Please report them for deceptive advertising
Easy-Mark-7226@reddit
Same thing happened to us when we were looking about a month ago, although the listing did not acknowledge the use of AI at all. We saw a lot of other places the same day and eventually the place we put an offer in on, but it was still 30+ mins of our life we'll never get back. As this is with a big agent, I would consider making a complaint to the head office or even looking for a journalist covering this sort of topic.
futaro-dev@reddit
This was one of the biggest issues I've had when I travelled to China. Any hotel I'd take a look at would just have AI generated images, completely devoid of anything resembling what the rooms actually looked like. You'd have to take a look at the reviews and hoped that there were any pictures that somebody had included with their review to get a impression of the room you were actually booking. I'd have hoped the UK would have stricter laws in place to prevent such a thing 😅
Jumpy_Ad_4460@reddit
Report them immediately.
borderline1107@reddit
'Potential HMO investment Opportunity' arghhhh
Hollow_Silk@reddit
Surely that’s just a waste of everybody’s time
Pristine-Toe9585@reddit
I’d report the agents to the ASA, it’s obviously fake and misleading.
Not to mention the time wasted for all those interested in visiting/enquiring. It’s mental they thought this is OK.
Only_Appeal_5403@reddit
Which software were they using do you reckon? I would like to make my life look that good too 🤩
jozza800@reddit
I dont't know what the problem is, the images are virtually identical...
cunextu@reddit (OP)
They changed them mate, this morning 😂 someone sent them the post probably
evilotto77@reddit
I work in an estate agency firm, albeit not involved in sales, so can give a bit of a perspective from the other side on this
Our team had a property that they were wanting to use this one, as the photos they had of empty rooms gave no perspective of size and made it very difficult to picture the room properly, and they didn't want to waste people's time on viewings if it ended up being completely different in real life than what people were expecting it to be from the real photo of the room
The team tried to use CoPilot to add some furniture and "stage" the room as being lived in, to give more perspective of space, and found it almost impossible to get the systems not to structurally change the house, no matter what prompts were put in. They tried several times and ended up abandoning it, as they couldn't do it where the house remained structurally identical, so ended up using the original, unedited photo
Ultimately I feel that this is what the agents here should have done as well - if the photos come out where the bricks and mortar of the house etc are all as they should be and it's not misrepresenting the bare bones of the house, then use the photo with a clear indicator that AI has been used on it (a watermark on the photo to say so, etc) and potentially look to include the original photo as well for comparison. If the house is being structurally changed in the photo, then it shouldn't be used in the first place
erkynator@reddit
What a waste of time. If buying online, unseen, they might get away with it. But the disappointment when you have a viewing!!! Crazy
marquoth_@reddit
My house is on the market right now. I wouldn't give permission for an agent to do this and I'd be furious if they did it without asking.
What's the point? Anybody who turns up expecting to see what's in the take photos isn't never going to make an offer when they see the real thing and are inevitably disappointed. It's just a massive waste of everybody's time, including the agent's.
acryliq@reddit
No. They can absolutely FO with this. Thats atrocious.
theegrimrobe@reddit
they shouldn’t but still will
Lack668@reddit
It’s blatant lying and will only piss people off. It’s like going dating and saying you’re six feet tall when you’re actually 5’4”. As if they won’t find out.
ouzo84@reddit
Showing what different paint jobs, wall papers, or furniture, could look like seems fine.
It's like wearing make up in a photo.
But most of these photos, as you say, is more like blatant lying.
stiletto929@reddit
But even showing wallpaper and paint jobs that don’t exist is kind of unfair. If I say, “Oh look, this house is perfect - we don’t have to change a thing!” then find out that I would have to repaint to get the house to match the photo, I’m going to be pretty annoyed.
Unless the seller is going to let me pick the color and they will have it repainted first. I had a homeowner do that. Unfortunately the painter accidentally did the dining room too, painting over a color I loved.
king_fisher09@reddit
I think it would be fine, potentially even helpful to show a photo of how you could decorate as long as the original is also shown and it's made clear which is which!
caffeine_lights@reddit
It needs a bigger warning that it's AI generated on those pics with the real pics next to it.
TheHumanAlternative@reddit
I think they are counting on people buying it as a buy-to-let and never even going to view the property. But I honestly don't see how it isn't false advertising to add a bay window that doesn't exist.
-Tripp-@reddit
Real estate cat fish
undercovergloss@reddit
I don’t see an issue if it adds furniture/ furnishings like pillows on the sofa that is proportional to the room
But not like this when it literally adds and changes the layout- like the second bedroom wall shape??? Nope
snelson101@reddit
I’ve seen some where they show you the room, empty, and then show you an AI edit of the same photo straight after with furniture in. I don’t mind this.
However the ones that only show an AI edit can get fucked
Nee_l@reddit
Is the ‘State Agent’ in the room with us, OP?
Zestyclose-Turn-3576@reddit
We went round a house in Aberdeen, and the owner said that they had to complain about the agent's video being AI, because it had changed all of the windows and added a couple of extra doors!
This stuff is so dumb.
PeterG92@reddit
Do they honestly not think people will challenge them and say anything?
herefromthere@reddit
They think it looks better but don't give it the time to actually look at the thing to ask themselves why it looks better. If it's just lighting and furniture, then maybe fair enough, but if it's structural that's totally unreasonable.
Zestyclose-Turn-3576@reddit
Yep, and they want to get people to visit the property.
Time for Rightmove etc to start allowing reviews of properties. "★☆☆☆☆: Nothing like the photos suggested, don't waste your time"
MovieGuy919191@reddit
I've seen some AI advertisements but haven't viewed them. I'm so glad I didn't because this is absolutely hilarious
murmurat1on@reddit
Mental
cpb21@reddit
I think furniture is fine. But changing the light fittings and resizing the rooms is just false representation.
Kindly_Difference_99@reddit
LOL you are joking!! They didn’t even attempt to make it true to the floorplan, this is ridiculous. Should be banned yes
Kindly_Difference_99@reddit
Oh sorry found it https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/88195686 they did note they used AI however I do still think it’s deceptive. Ai should be noted and / or put next to the real image
Betweentheminds@reddit
It’s fine now, maybe because of report?
Kindly_Difference_99@reddit
Oh yes I see it!
Kindly_Difference_99@reddit
What agency was it btw?
cunextu@reddit (OP)
Winkworth believe it or not
Jamziboy0@reddit
There's a world of difference between professional tools to stage photographs, even change lighting, and sending the photos off to chatgpt to completely change.
I don't know how legal it is but I would have lost my shit too, they added a bay window!?
PoppingPillls@reddit
I've heard of them bringing in like fake houseplants to make a room feel different in picture then take them back with them before and like you said changing the saturation and lighting etc in photoshop. Issue with AI is that's no longer the same room as its a recreation of the image not the same image with new stuff in it as it creates a whole interpretation of what the room should look like.
iamabigtree@reddit
Staging is pretty standard. Changing the physical room is very much not.
Sea-Possession-1208@reddit
And a whole window in the bedroom.
And Made the rooms bigger
bluecalx2@reddit
In theory, I can see the appeal of using AI to show what a home could look like with the right decor. But I draw the line at structural changes to the house itself.
technomat@reddit
Enhancing a photo and adding furniture I could be OK with, changing the flooring/walls and adding wall fittings is blatant false advertising, once you add non removable/changeable items it is not the house/room your looking at
It's like going to look at a nissan micra and the photo shows a 4 door with 18" alloys and a full 12" inch ipad style screen, EV and you turn up to a 2 door with 14" inch steel wheels that is a diesel, they are not the same.
zwifter11@reddit
If the Estate Agents have nothing to hide and it’s a good property, why not show it as it is? Be honest.
FromJavatoCeylon@reddit
I think a lot of people will be pissed off - it'll probably hurt the sale
joecarvery@reddit
You can report it on zoopla. Nature of report has "Problem with photos" as an option. Not sure if it would effect anything.
ApplicationSouth8844@reddit
Please do complain about this. I certainly would.
Arefue@reddit
I've seen agents use AI to remove person effects from a photo. Which I'm not against if sourcing good photos is not possible. However, thats literally showing the room after about 10mins of clearance would look like
The photos you've presented are literally not the same space - dimensions off, added features and fittings. Naw to that.
Familiar9709@reddit
If it's just to make up the place, yes, it's fine, you know you're not buying that nice table or the decoration. But the building should be the same.
Direct_Armadillo755@reddit
Absolutely not
TheMusicArchivist@reddit
Hotels in Italy are starting to do this. I refuse to partake. If I'm staying somewhere I want pictures of where I'm staying, not an artist's impression.
TheScientistBS3@reddit
I'd have been very annoyed if I took time out to look at a property and the images were entirely different. As others have said, adding a lamp / mirror / picture frame here and there isn't a massive crime, but totally changing the shape / size of a room is ridiculous.
How do these agents think this will help them sell?
Honestly I think even if the house was nice, the fact you expected something else would put you off.
KatJ0n0@reddit
It is just wasting everyone's time too, even their own, setting themselves up to fail. Even if the viewer would have liked the place the disappointment upon seeing the reality is going to taint the viewing surely.
AcknowledgeablePie@reddit
I’ve seen it before but they had the real pictures next to fake pictures and it was actually helpful to me as it was an empty house so you could visualise the furniture. The pictures also did not fundamentally change the rooms like this! I wouldn’t see another with this estate agent after that.
BloodAndSand44@reddit
IF There is a before and after pictures then I am ok with it.
In fact there is an idea for an app. Putting your stuff in the blank AI room.
ding-dongo@reddit
Report to zoopla - and call the agent.
EvieMoon@reddit
False advertising, ban it.
throwaway_outcast23@reddit
No because that’s false advertising 😂 I’ve found a couple doing that or having unrealistic expectations for time frames
Any_Tomorrow_Today@reddit
It used to be that estate agents were really carefull about misrepresenting property. But now, that seems to have gone out of the window. They ham up the descriptions, fake the images, mislead the buyer - they just don't seem to care any more.
markycrummett@reddit
I don’t really understand the point either. No one’s gunna turn up and be pleased. They’re going to be disappointed and feel lied too. Not exactly a good first step for sales
coffeexcoffeex91@reddit
Report the listing?
https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/report-content/73133501/
Fun-Committee3672@reddit
They have to make it look like it’s worth a million pounds somehow
caffeine_lights@reddit
Honestly I'd report them to trading standards and to Zoopla.
Mr-RS182@reddit
That living room pic is hilarious
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
[removed]
AutoModerator@reddit
Please do not submit facebook links to /r/AskUK
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
reddiuniquefool@reddit
Sorry, I didn't know that was against the rules. I did read the rules to the right, and didn't see anything about Facebook links. I won't post such links in the future, but it would help if the ban was there in the rules.
evilmusic@reddit
Did you report the listing?
IkeTurn@reddit
If its misrepresentation then they should be reported for that.
endianess@reddit
Absolutely not for existing properties. And for new builds, images should be clearly labelled as AI generated.
ouzo84@reddit
I wouldn't mind if it was just showing what it could look like.
But these are just fabrication. I would complain ti the agent
DEADB33F@reddit
So long as the AI enhanced pics were alongside actual ones I'd be fine with it.
elementarydrw@reddit
Exactly that. I have seen some decent ones where the actual pic is an almost empty room, which is pretty hard to tell scale, and they have photoshopped/AI'd some furniture in, and it's looked decent. But the room is the same size. It's not changed the lighting too much. It's just made it look like an actual home.
This one is egregious though! Really bad!
Mental-Test-7660@reddit
I think estate agents are worried that they are going to lose their prestigious position as Britain's biggest leaches, and thank got this AI thing has come along to save them.
Silent_Rhombus@reddit
I think it’s ok to use AI (or photoshop) to put furniture into empty rooms. But changing the shapes of the room or adding fixtures that a buyer would reasonably expect to inherit is an absolute dickhead move. I’d never view anything with that agent again.
Stunning_Car9315@reddit
We’ve been looking at listings for similar houses in the same area with a similar budget, including this one . My partner has been saying they look AI and I didn't believe him…
rektkid_@reddit
You would hope that the agency would be inundated with viewings which lead to no offers. Thus making this approach a waste of resources.
Head-Tomatillo4908@reddit
Ive seen this a lot nowadays
nfk99@reddit
Deceptive marketing is allowed in the uk, mostly because the public has never complained about it.
doegrey@reddit
Those windows are completely different! Surely that qualifies as false advertising?
FornyHucker22@reddit
wow that’s bad 😳
foxfunk@reddit
I honestly think it shouldn't be legal. Have also seen people staging 2nd hand furniture online using AI. Someone did so with a 70s midcentury sideboard, looked great in the AI pictures, swiped to the next one, it had a ton of deep scratch marks all over the top of it. Although its unlikely anyone would buy judt based off the first picture, I see it as false advertising.
iamnosuperman123@reddit
I don't know why they would do this. There will be an inevitable disappointment when viewing the property (if they even view it as it looks very AI)
In_Praise_of_Shadow@reddit
No I don’t thjnk so, buyers in here is not buying your furniture set up and decoration
Rgeneb1@reddit
Estate agent, OP. A state agent is a very different thing. Although James Bond should also refrain from using AI.
Same_Difference_3361@reddit
Strangely there are still people that buy properties unseen. We had our house on the market for 18 months before some dude bought it without viewing or survey. Was rather strange.
dannydrama@reddit
LOL who the fucking fuck will fall for that? 😂😂😂
Name developer immediately so everyone can avoid the cunts. 🤣
MatniMinis@reddit
How is this not false advertising?
newtonbase@reddit
I've seen listings with pairs of photos. One is a true pic and then the AI version with furniture, decoration and nicer lighting to show how it could look. I'm fine with that. Your listing is a disgrace.
rckd@reddit
The mirror on the first pic is reflecting a totally different hanging picture to the one that's on the wall
TH1CCARUS@reddit
Could you link the property?
I can see focal lengths and angles explaining 1 & 2 being feasible but rest make no sense.
cunextu@reddit (OP)
Done !
HarryLang1001@reddit
Nah. Number 2 is a very different room. Different ceiling.
basicallydan@reddit
"Should state agents use AI to advertise a property?"
No
"My question is, should this be allowed?"
No
"Are you not misleading potential buyers?"
Yes
---
Kudos for taking it easy on them but frankly, IMO, you should be pissed. If I were you I'd be looking to find a way to make a formal complaint to a regulator. What an enormous waste of time. What they did is so, so misleading.
You wanna name and shame?
cunextu@reddit (OP)
I’ve done it, edited the post it’s winkworth
ashalina23@reddit
One I used recently offered me a staging option presumably using AI (house was empty at the time).
I declined it, their standard process is to brighten/tweak the photos eg garden photos all have blue skies with a few clouds.
Rooms look brighter than they actually are.
However it must have looked sufficiently like its listing photos as it sold within a week!
I do feel somewhere it should state something like “the furniture and decorations are to give perspective to the size of the rooms” or something similar
Silver_Adagio138@reddit
That’s not the same bedroom. Not at all
cunextu@reddit (OP)
Think is this one
OurSeepyD@reddit
This is pretty outrageous in my opinion. The listing actually says "some images are staged with AI". Completely changing the structural layout of rooms is very unethical in my opinion. I would complain to the estate agent about having your time wasted and ensure you never view houses they list going forward.
cunextu@reddit (OP)
Oh you found it 😂
EveningAnteater@reddit
Sorry you got bait-and-switched, that sucks.
I'm in the process of putting my place on the market and in the discussion about staging furniture, I asked the agent if he ever used AI to edit photos (without giving my opinion on it, just testing him out a bit). He said he was strongly against it, but not for ethical reasons (hah, of course not). It's because when a buyer sees these fake photos and then looks at the property in person, their overwhelming initial impression is of disappointment, and that is what sticks.
Your experience totally backs that up. So with any luck, agents might stop using it eventually out of basic financial self-interest?
MrSam52@reddit
For what it’s worth show homes have previously (and I imagine still do) fitted the houses with 75% size furniture that makes it look way bigger until you actually bring in your own furniture.
herefromthere@reddit
Oooh is that why loads of dinky but comfortable furniture shows up in Home Sense?
Top-Cat-a@reddit
No, its lots of hobbittses selling their precioussss thingsss.
stiletto929@reddit
Adding furniture to stage the rooms in pics is one thing… but they are adding light fixtures and architectural features that don’t exist. What if someone actually bought the place based on the pictures?!? I’ve known some people moving across the country on short notice who just buy based on the pics.
Tumping@reddit
You got catfished
Maleficent-Leek2943@reddit
Flatfished
abyssal-isopod86@reddit
It comes under false advertising.
cchurchill1985@reddit
Name and shame the estate agent please.
antmakka@reddit
I’d tell the estate agent that you refuse to look at any houses with A.I. pics
audigex@reddit
I can kinda see the point of AI for staging when it is carefully applied
As long as the resulting photo is true to the dimensions of the room, windows, basic condition etc then I don't see a massive option with AI adding a rug and curtains and a bunch of flowers that a human could have placed for the photos
Anything that changes the dimensions, condition, layout etc in any way is clearly unacceptable
In this example it's not even vaguely okay - adding an entire bay window and exterior lighting etc is ridiculous and stupid - they're just going to waste their own time showing people round who are clearly never going to buy it
I-want-to-be-pure@reddit
Blessed to live in a time where we've created a technology that allows estate agents to be even scummier :')
The9thChevron@reddit
Doesn’t this just set every buyer up for disappointment? Even realistic buyers with good imaginations who might have liked the place will associate it with being let down 🤦🏻♀️
thatgirlish@reddit
so messed
isisleo86@reddit
I'm in the US but I've seen the same, its especially egregious for $1 million+ properties (I sometimes like to sort by most expensive and dream).
I viewed one $300K prop and online the kitchen had white cabinets that looked good (not great but decent). In person they were peeling and yellow. They looked completely different. I've toured others that were pretty bad with the AI too, one tried to turn a fan into a chandelier but AI left the fan blades, so it looked like a weird chandelier/fan monstrosity....lol
Clueingforbeggs@reddit
Didn't you know that fandeliers are really in at the moment?
In all seriousness, whilst I think it's fine to replace the furniture in a photo if it's something like a sofa or TV, something that the owners will probably take with them, the furnishings you've described really shouldn't have been touched. I doubt anyone's taking their cabinets or lights with them, so they'd become your cabinets and lights.
Though it's not as bad as what OP experienced, because that's structural.
Due-Arrival-4859@reddit
If it just spruces up the place I don't mind, but it's when it changes the building where it just turns me off completely. Even makes me a little annoyed
techyy25@reddit
Name and shame
blob8543@reddit
You guys should consider raising a complaint with The Property Ombudsman or Property Redress Scheme, report the agency to Trading Standards for misleading advertising, and leave them a 1 star review on Trustpilot and Google.
glytxh@reddit
It’s a sellers market. They can do whatever the fuck they want as there will always be someone happy to drop a deposit.
NetoriusDuke@reddit
Fraud/false advertising
PaleontologistFancy8@reddit
Pre AI being mainstream I have had the same cat fishing with old photos that displayed the property in a very different state.
In one, the house has been airbnbed and had a huge amount of wear and tear. The garden photos showed features that were no longer there.
In another, the tenants had smashed the flat to pieces post the old photos. It looked like a sledgehammer had been taken to the place, and not even the bath or toilet were spared. (The agents were pressurising for 'offers unseen'!!)
Truly false advertising.
Wrong-Western5550@reddit
Some of the worst false advertising i have ever seen! That is awful
Brooklynnells@reddit
i feel sick..
Toon1982@reddit
Not when they're changing the whole reality of the place. Using it to out furniture in you can understand, but use the same room ffs
Competitive_Pen7192@reddit
The EA needs to be told there and then to stop using slop.
Would like to think if everyone told EAs to F off and stop using fake images then they'd be forced to be slightly more truthful.
https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/72445878/
That house has been for sale near me about 3 or 4 times in the last year. I'm not ready to size up yet but I would consider it. The un molested pictures don't even look that bad but the AI nonsense is just ridiculous.
dbxp@reddit
I'm not sure the primary issue is AI here. Looking at the photos it seems like they have used a fish eye lens which the AI wasn't aware of so it has exaggerated the size of rooms.
Ideally estate agents wouldn't be misleading but that's a much bigger topic than just using AI. Personally I based my viewings largely off the floorplan.
wearezombie@reddit
It’s both. Both should be very loudly shamed. The fish eye lens technique has always been duplicitous and annoying but it’s extra stupid to not only run that through AI to further manipulate and then not QA the photos. It invented a bay window that doesn’t exist. The fish eye sucks without the AI and this kind of AI staging would still suck even with accurate photos.
There are AI tools out there where you can give the correct measurements of a room and furniture to stage a room in a way that gives an accurate representation which would actually be a good idea for empty properties but I haven’t seen any estate agents dare to bother (likely because they’re not free)
dbxp@reddit
I worded it badly. What I mean is that the bad part isn't the AI but the fact that agents are generally misleading. The AI was fed BS so it gave BS out, exactly what the agent wanted.
When I was looking at properties I went off the floor plan, street view, walking around the area myself etc. Photos of the inside of properties are often misleading, I've seen properties where rooms were a different colour as they used the photos from the previous sale.
Charming_Debt_4189@reddit
I feel like the angle is a smaller issue than literally having windows or room shapes that don't exist.. I could forgive someone for playing around with angles, assuming there's a floor plan with actual measurements available.
Future_Pianist9570@reddit
Fish eye lens? AI put a bay window in
AirconGuyUK@reddit
I get the sensible use of AI to be like 'This is what it could look like with some nice redecoration and some nice furniture' but it needs to be explicitly labelled as what could be done and photos of what it actually is need to always be centre stage.
They've added a fucking bay window lmao.
RevenantSith@reddit
No.
It should be made illegal.
karatecorgi@reddit
Absolutely not lmfao
cheese-and-biscuits-@reddit
AI is an estate agents dream.
Jacktheforkie@reddit
I think it should not be allowed, the pictures need to give an accurate representation of what you’re actually getting
Illustrious-Eye1673@reddit
Doesn't take long on SM for an estate agent to be accused of catfishing. Except it isn't cf, it is false representation. Name and shame these liars. Market must be slipping if they have to make shit up about room configuration, windows, walls, ceiling. Did they change the street front view as well?😣
tallbutshy@reddit
It might not be allowed.
Contact Trading Standards and let them decide if it breaches Unfair Trading Regulations (2008).
Altering photos enough that might affect the average buyers decision is a bit nebulous to define, but these photo differences are ridiculous
TSC-99@reddit
That’s really bad.
KindredFlower@reddit
Fraud Act 2006 sections 1 and 2
PumpkinGloomy8912@reddit
Thats insane. Had no idea places were doing that
Syanite@reddit
I had a good laugh reading this, sorry! Its literally invented features that dont exist
Aak the estate agent if the landlord will paint the bedroom back to what their photographs show as you prefer it that way, waste their time haha
topcelt@reddit
Saw this a lot while looking for somewhere to rent in February. Didn't realize people would actually be fooled by it.. It's so obviously not real
spike31875@reddit
It's one thing to enhance a real photo using AI to sharpen & brighten it up so the details are easier to see. But, it should be illegal to include fake AI images in a listing.
Haulvern@reddit
It's so then can get more viewings to boost numbers for the client but obviously it's completely pointless. I viewed one that showed a double bed. Ended up being a box room where I couldn't even lay flat on the floor.
tishkat@reddit
That's terrible! It should be classed as false advertising and be illegal. It wouldn't be so bad if they gave the actual images with additional ai "here's how you could make it look" inspiration images. But those images don't even match the structural layout, it's nothing like the actual house
bonzog@reddit
This is just visual lying.
Wall sconces and windows that don't exist; different sized radiators; imaginary partial ceiling vault.
How the hell do estate agents get away with this crap? I'd be fuming at the time wasted.
DeapVally@reddit
Adding furniture to a room with AI is fine. Completely changing the room? Nah. That's BS.
60percentsexpanther@reddit
They really don't understand the human psyche.
Under promise and over deliver. Keeps people happy.
This is the exact opposite of that. No one's leaving that property with a warm glowy feeling even if the actual metres for the area are a bargain.
BenchClamp@reddit
Of course its not legal
lazylimpet@reddit
No lol it shouldn't be allowed! That's stupid - you're buying a house, you need to see the reality of what it will be like. Crazy! Hopefully you can report it to Rightmove or something.
SoggyWotsits@reddit
Lots on Rightmove do state that it an AI generated impression of how it could look. They usually show both pictures too. As long as it’s clearly stated, I’m happy.
Poo_Poo_La_Foo@reddit
It was see my comment
Poo_Poo_La_Foo@reddit
The listing
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/88195686#/?channel=RES_BUY
The listing says:
I think if it is declared it isn't such a problem.
The pictures of the bathrooms and loft room look genuine.
I would have asked for some recent snaps or a quick video if it was going to be inconvenience to attend in person. Which it sounds like it was.
The pub on Selkirk Rd is lovely.
TheGreenPangolin@reddit
They said they STAGED it with AI, not that they completely changed it. Staging a house means adding furniture and decorations to make a house look appealing. It doesn't mean changing the proportions of the rooms, adding or enlarging windows, changing radiators, changing lighting in ways that would require a lot of work by an electrician.
thethirdbar@reddit
I've seen this before but the ai pics were much closer recreations of the actual room. So they'd done it like: 1) pic of real, largely unfinished room, 2) ai recreation of same room to show it 'dressed'. We didn't mind that so much but it was way less egregious than your example, each room was very clearly the same room as the picture before, just tarted up. Your version has totally different room shapes and sizes!
jfp1992@reddit
I was pretty annoyed at my agents editing a picture onto my blank TV. And I was more annoyed at all the ai added made beds.
Poo_Poo_La_Foo@reddit
You couldn't be arsed to make the beds for your photographer coming 🧐
jfp1992@reddit
No, to clarify, when I was looking at listings, it was annoying seeing all the ai crap. My listing didn't have that, we made our bed lol
Poo_Poo_La_Foo@reddit
Oh right lol
YouCantArgueWithThis@reddit
But you are not buying the furniture - you are interested in the house. Anything else is just distraction.
chrisxxviv@reddit
Surely this classes as false advertising?!..
Mountainenthusiast2@reddit
It’s dumb on their part too because you turn up expecting to be wowed by what you saw online and instead it’s just mediocre in comparison. It’s sets false expectations for when actually viewing the property so people will turn up disappointed and less likely to buy
WinkyNurdo@reddit
Images should be clearly labelled as AI generated. The agents should also upload the original images alongside so you can see an accurate representation of the current state.
CG images have long been used for commercial and office properties and larger resi developments, AI augmented images will inevitably be used now it is freely available at a smaller scale.
plant-prince-@reddit
I don't think any editing at all should be able to be used. The pictures should be factual.
ldf1111@reddit
Name and shame , where is the listing
julianAppleby5997@reddit
Wow, that's out of order.
Mumlife8628@reddit
The bedroom window isn't even the same cant even say touch up or shown furnished on pic
xxhamsters12@reddit
Its giving:
waves-upon-waves@reddit
Make a complaint
MarkCrystal@reddit
This is like turning up to buy a Ferrari and there’s a Ford focus on the forecourt
Hot_Recognition_4864@reddit
Estate agents are the lowest of the low. I see no need for them in the UK. Maybe for properties of a certain size or value, but for the majority of folks they don’t do anything except add a cost.
PigletAlert@reddit
No, it should be banned.
Rhatsun@reddit
Definition of false advertising?
Puzzled-Barnacle-200@reddit
It's one thing if it's actually plausible edits. It's another to make the wall beside the French doors 2-3x bigger
Kingreaper@reddit
Yeah, if they had the AI effectively draw 3 possible decoration sets that would work within the bones of the structure, that'd be reasonable.
But clearly they either don't want to do that, or don't have the skills and tools to do that, so instead they're just using pictures of a different house altogether!
pastyMorrisDancers@reddit
My house is for sale. Our images are enhanced with AI (or photoshop at least).
What that means is that instead of the shitty dark clouds in the sky, they were replaced with blue sky.
Nothing else was touched.
This post here is absolutely bonkers!
firthy@reddit
State of those agents…
marktuk@reddit
It shouldn't be allowed, but also it's stupid and won't work. As you have demonstrated, it's just wasting people's time and it will just make people more likely to not want to buy the place.
BusyBeeBridgette@reddit
as long ass they have the OG photos on show too, I don't mind. It shows you how it can look like.
AutoModerator@reddit
Please help keep AskUK welcoming!
When replying to submission/post please make genuine efforts to answer the question given. Please no jokes, judgements, etc. If a post is marked 'Serious Answers Only' you may receive a ban for violating this rule.
Don't be a dick to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on.
This is a strictly no-politics subreddit!
Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.