Images in property listings is false advertising, house-hunters say

House-hunters and renters say the use of AI-generated images in property listings amounts to “false advertising,” citing cases where furniture or décor shown online doesn’t match what they see in person. The BBC reported concerns about listings on Rightmove, a portal that republishes offers from other estate agents. Some images are watermarked “Virtually staged” or “Artificially enhanced,” but many appear without disclosure. Residents described being misled into viewings that end with markedly different—often bare or poorly presented—properties. Rightmove says AI imagery is allowed if it’s clearly labeled. An estate agent told the BBC staging can be costly, with costs ranging up to £50,000, while AI helps buyers understand scale and layout.