Letting agents are increasingly using AI — and it’s hurting ‘desperate’ renters

Letting agents are starting to use AI – but what does it mean for renters? (Picture: Metro/Getty)

When I started looking for my first rented flat in London four years ago, I was so pressed for time that I ended up signing online without viewing it.

The situation was less than ideal, but I had a job starting imminently. I’d spent weeks flitting to and from viewings from my mum’s Hertfordshire house, at great cost, too. I was steadily running out of options.

After picking up my keys, I realised it was a complete catfish. Mould in the bathroom had been sneakily hidden from view in the online listing, and my room was much smaller than I’d anticipated.

The kitchen floor was unfinished, with a loose piece of lino by the hobs that ended up being an eternal trip hazard, and the whole flat had an uneasy clinical feel that was impossible to detect via the Whatsapp video.

Letting agents and landlords have long used sneaky editing techniques like quick cuts, fish-eye lenses and Photoshop to make properties seem a little bit more appealing, but now, AI is enabling a whole new level of smoke and mirrors.

AI could present more challenges for renters (Picture: Getty Images)

You might have seen reports of estage agents using AI when trying to sell a home. Think touching up the garden, removing unwanted and unappealing items from view, or even inserting non-existent furniture into an empty room.

But now, letting agents are diving in, with potentially greater consquences: few people buy houses without seeing them, but plenty of renters like me cough up desposits remotely.

How many letting agents are using AI?

At the moment, not all letting agents are adopting it, but a survey conducted by Inventory Base found that 12% have started using it ‘extensively’ and 15% are using it ‘to some extent.’

Almost three-quarters (72%) are increasingly concerned about the ‘loss of human touch in tenant relationships’ – and 36% feel that AI specifically is disrupting the traditional ‘landlord-tenant dynamic.’

Worryingly though, 76% of the letting agents who took part in the research reported that they hadn’t received any formal training on using AI both responsibly and, crucially, legally.

As Marc von Grundherr, director of Benham and Reeves tells Metro, AI is simply the ‘latest tool in the market’s marketing arsenal.’

‘For letting gents, particularly smaller firms with more limited marketing budgets, AI has allowed them to significantly enhance the quality and efficiency of their marketing efforts,’ Marc shares, adding that it might enable them to produce ‘high quality images, floor plans, and virtual tours quickly,’ all at a fraction of the cost of traditional photography services.

‘Capitalising on the housing crisis’

Many renters are already navigating tumultuous conditions, whether that’s moving more frequently than homeowners (a previous study found that, in London, tenants are relocating every 2.53 years on average), shelling out as much as half of their monthly salary for their rent, or begging landlords to fix unresolved and sometimes even hazardous repairs.

Posting on the r/HousingUK Reddit thread, @Polka7000 alleged that, over the last few months, they’ve noticed letting agents using AI to subtly alter their photos – and not just to paint an enticing picture of a sunny blue sky outside.

‘Some of the examples I’ve seen have involved completely changing the colour of a room (they made an 80s yellow [and] beige bathroom look completely white and modern), and also making apartments look cleaner, tidier, and taking away defects,’ they penned.

In the comments, others noted similar issues – including the jarring use of AI in property descriptions. @NetworkGreen1242 said that they’re ‘absolutely sick’ of seeing it, adding that ‘anything that mentions rooms “seamlessly flowing” into each other or that the kitchen is “ideal for culinary enthusiasts” is a massive flapping red flag.’

In their view, these listings are doing nothing but ‘capitalising on the housing crisis.’

Nick Ballard is head organiser at ACORN, a community-based union fighting for the rights of working-class people, including tenants, workers, and residents.

He tells Metro, letting agents using AI is a ‘deeply concerning trend,’ particularly in ‘areas like London that often require tenants to skip viewings in order to have any chance of successfully renting the place.’

There are concerns that the use of AI could ‘exploit’ renters (Picture: Getty Images)

‘Using AI photos means that people could end up moving into somewhere that looks nothing like the images they’d actually viewed, which is completely unacceptable,’ he adds.

‘It’s yet another example of how landlords and letting agents exploit people who are desperately looking for a place to live. The fact that this is becoming normal practice highlights how the rental market is stacked against the people who actually need it – renters.’

To an extent, Marc believes that AI can help renters, who often face the stress-inducing task of finding a new property in a short timeframe.

‘In these situations, AI-generated images or virtual staging can offer a more realistic representation of a property, helping tenants make informed decisions before committing to a lease,’ Marc says.

However, he believes that transparency is absolutely fundamental.

‘Letting agents must ensure that the use of AI does not deceive potential renters. It’s essential that agents are upfront when AI has been used, particularly when it comes to representations of the property or its features,’ he concludes.

‘It’s a matter of trust and integrity – AI should enhance the marketing experience, not distort it.’

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