Letting Agent Apologizes for Undisclosed AI Apartment Images

AI Photo Alterations Discovered in Rental Market Listings

Property listings published by DNG O’Connor Finn featured ‘before and after’ imagery comparing real photographs with digitally altered versions. According to findings published by The Journal, a Cork city centre listing displayed two living room photographs with noticeably different lighting, exterior window views, furnishings, and artwork. A separate kitchen listing initially displayed a spotless, white modern kitchen, while a subsequent photo revealed the reality of half-painted cabinets and dimmer lighting. Additional alterations appeared in bedroom listings, where flooring, curtains, radiators, and mattress sizes were modified using AI tools. Real photographs were positioned further down the image carousels, behind the digitally enhanced versions.

DNG Response and Industry Oversight

Following contact from The Journal, DNG instructed its letting agent to update the affected listings on Daft.ie and its own website with unedited photos and a mandatory AI disclosure. According to a statement provided by a DNG spokesperson, the digital edits were intended solely to improve the presentation and visual quality of the photographs and were not used to alter or misrepresent the size, layout, condition, or material features of a property. The company acknowledged that it is new to AI tools, confirmed that a network-wide review of all advertisements is underway, and issued internal reminders to agents to ensure compliance with advertising standards. Previously, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) indicated that such side-by-side comparisons were unlikely to mislead consumers because the real and edited images were presented together.

Public Backlash and Political Condemnation

Social media users condemned the practice across Reddit, with commenters describing the digital staging as depressing and arguing that desperate renters will tour properties regardless of altered visuals. Rory Hearne, the Social Democrats’ housing spokesperson, characterized the use of false images as distasteful. According to Hearne, digital staging is prone to errors that misrepresent actual property conditions, noting that AI tools can artificially brighten spaces, introduce structural modifications that are physically impossible, or depict changes that would legally require local planning permission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did DNG remove the AI-altered photos entirely?

No. According to reports from The Journal, DNG instructed its agents to add the real, unedited photos alongside the AI-generated images and include a disclaimer about artificial intelligence usage.

What did the ASA say about the edited photos?

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) previously stated that the side-by-side presentation of real and edited images was not likely to mislead consumers.

How have politicians responded to AI property staging?

Social Democrats’ housing spokesperson Rory Hearne criticized the practice as distasteful, warning that digital staging misrepresents property lighting and structural realities.