The use of artificial intelligence to enhance property listings has become increasingly common, but a recent incident involving a Winkworth estate agency in south London has reignited debate over how much digital manipulation is acceptable. A prospective buyer took to Reddit to complain that a property they viewed did not match the AI-enhanced photos, which had removed a chimney breast and made the home appear larger. Winkworth later took down the images, stating that the AI staging was intended to help buyers "visualise the potential of a property" and had been disclosed online.
The Rise of 'Housefishing'
This practice, dubbed "housefishing," is becoming widespread. One friend of a Guardian journalist spotted the same north London house listed by two agents, each using different AI-generated furniture. Another buyer searching for a country house last Christmas encountered numerous cottages with AI-generated snow, reminiscent of the film The Holiday. "I just couldn't believe agents thought that was what buyers wanted to see and then actually followed through on it," he said.
Buying agent Nina Harrison of Haringtons notes that AI is simply the latest tool for embellishment. "I recently had a client send me details of what he thought was a fantastic new instruction. It wasn't. It was the exact same house we'd already viewed and rejected. The photographs had been refreshed, the marketing rewritten, and it looked so different online that he didn't recognise it," she said.
Real-World Impact on Buyers
One first-time buyer drove 75 minutes from south Wimbledon to Maidenhead to view a house listed for £635,000, only to find the main bedroom could not accommodate the furniture shown in the AI-enhanced photos. "We walked in and thought: 'Huh, OK, this wasn't what we were expecting.' You definitely couldn't have fitted any of that furniture in there alongside a bed," she said. The couple did not confront the agent, fearing it might affect their ability to get future property alerts.
Evolution of Property Photography
Andrew Marshall, sales director at Hamptons, recalls that in the 1990s, estate agents often took photos themselves, using film rolls and fisheye lenses. The launch of Rightmove in 2000 professionalised property photography, leading to heavily stylised images. Ben Gutierrez, founder of Photoplan Bookings, says his company's editing is minor: "We're taking out clutter or adding furniture if a client wants virtual staging – anything that can be moved. We're definitely not changing anything structural."
However, photographer Ben Harrison has been asked to remove houses behind a property or erase electricity pylons. "I say no every time. People are going to view the properties and they're going to see the other houses, or the pylon, or the boiler. It's about trust," he said.
Legal Framework and Consumer Protections
Under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, it is an offence to provide false or misleading information that causes a consumer to take a different transactional decision. The National Trading Standards office states that using AI to mislead consumers likely contravenes the act. Penalties can include imprisonment, fines, and bans from estate agency work.
Buying agent Henry Pryor argues that consumers should complain more often. "The legislation is really clear: if something has been misrepresented, then you have recourse and the penalties will sting. But as long as images are clearly labelled where they have used AI, the law is reasonably relaxed," he said.
Seller Pressure and Industry Norms
Many agents say sellers often push for enhancements. Daniel O'Brien, director of Aucoot, notes: "Most sellers will say to us, 'Can you just take that car out?' or, 'We're about to redecorate the house; can you just change the colour of those window frames?' I think you need to know where your moral compass lies."
AI tools are now widely used, with platforms offering virtual staging, object removal, and even lawn replacement for less than £20 per month. Harrison observes that some photographers shoot 10 homes a day and outsource editing to cheap studios abroad, leading to mistakes. "People want to believe what they are seeing," he said.
The Future of AI in Property Listings
Mohamed Mussa, executive director of Chestertons Global, warns of a more sinister trend: AI-generated avatars of satisfied buyers. "Platforms are openly marketing realistic avatars for property marketing, with over 2,000 synthetic faces available in 110 languages. A developer can generate a convincing video of a satisfied buyer praising a Canary Wharf apartment in fluent Mandarin, without a single real customer ever having visited the building, for almost nothing," he said.
Regulation across the EU and US is tightening, and public exposure through social media can be swift. "The exposure, when it comes, can be fast and very public," Mussa added. In the meantime, buyers must remain vigilant and call out misleading listings.
