Prospective homebuyers and renters are increasingly reporting “housefishing”—a practice where estate agents use artificial intelligence to digitally furnish empty or dilapidated properties in online listings. Major platforms like Rightmove have faced scrutiny as users claim the use of AI-generated imagery constitutes false advertising
that wastes time for all parties involved.
For house-hunters, the digital enhancements can create a significant disparity between online expectations and reality. Jessica Otterwell, who has been searching for a flat in Brighton, compared the experience to catfishing on a dating app.
After viewing a listing that appeared modern and well-furnished, she arrived to find what she described as an absolute hovel
containing only a stained mattress. She noted the property lacked the painted walls, Matisse artwork, and fitted kitchen shown online, later remarking, It’s like if you went to buy a car because the picture was of a brand-new Mercedes and you turned up and it was a Skoda with one wheel.
Another seeker, Leyla Ledwith, reported that of the dozen properties she viewed, only two matched the furniture depicted in their online advertisements. It is false advertisement, it is totally off-putting and really frustrating,
Ledwith said, adding that she did not understand who benefited from the practice as it wasted time for renters, buyers, sellers, landlords, and agents alike.
Industry Perspectives on AI Staging
Estate agents maintain that virtual staging serves as a practical solution to high costs and spatial visualization challenges. David Vaughan, director of the Sussex-based firm Aston Vaughan, noted that physical staging can cost between £5,000 and £50,000. Buyers have told us empty rooms are hard to read for scale, and virtually dressing a room makes it much easier to understand how you would actually live in it,
he explained. Other agencies, such as Warren Powell-Richards, emphasized that while AI is a necessary tool for the future of the industry, it should not be treated as a substitute for trust.
A spokesperson from East Kent-based Miles & Barr added that the use of CGI and AI to help tenants and buyers visualize properties had been common practice for some time. Meanwhile, one Surrey-based estate agent remarked that technology should help people, not deceive them.
Rightmove Requires Agents to Label AI Imagery
- Rightmove stated that agents are responsible for their own content, noting that AI-generated imagery is permitted only if it is clearly labeled.
- The platform confirmed it takes action against misleading imagery, which may include requiring amendments or removing listings entirely.
We take action where images are found to be misleading, including requiring amendments, removing the listing from our platform and taking further action where necessary,
a spokesperson for the portal stated, adding that it iscritically important
that users see accurate representations.- Chris Norris, chief policy officer at the National Residential Landlords Association, urged for the responsible application of technology to avoid user confusion.
While some listings are watermarked as Virtually staged
or Artificially enhanced,
many others remain undisclosed, leaving house-hunters to discover the actual state of properties only upon arrival. As the industry grapples with these tools, Warren Powell-Richards noted that the challenge lies in ensuring firms don’t get carried away with the possibilities at the expense of the customer experience.
