estate agent misleading photo

sillyvixen

the house next door to my mums has gone on the market this week. having looked in our local paper's homes supplement and found the house there were 3 pictures of the property and the one of the garden is more than misleading.

the property is in a well sort after area and is a large 3 bed house, but the garden really lets it down. the garden to the property has been neglected and is over grown, the current owners do nothing too it except mow the lawn once a year. the picture shown has been taken at a 45 degree angle from an upstairs window - it shows a small section of the patio and a shrub that hides the fence the other 2/3's of the picture is taken up my parents well kept garden extending down diagonally to the corner of their garden!! it all looks very nice but is completley misleading of what the EA is trying to market!! not only do i consider it a invasion of my parents privecy (publishing photos of their garden without their consent for no real reason) but it is a cheap trick to try and get viewings for the property!!

this pond life should not be able to act in this way!!

123oleary

its cheeky rather than misleading, the view thats been photographed is available from the house , if the ea had used a photo of the grand canyon that would be misleading.

bitza81

This sounds as if it may not comply with the misdescriptions act. If you feel strongly you could find out if the estate agent belongs to an ombudsman and make a complaint. Perhaps approaching the estate agent first to ask them to remove the picture. :rolleyes:

Doozergirl

We went to view a house solely on the apparent size of garden. In actual fact the boundary wasn't marked and the extensive garden actually belonged to the village trust. The actual boundary was about 10' from the back door.

The worst thing was it was being sold by the tiniest little old lady - in her 90's. H went ballistic at the EA telling them it was misleading and that more then wasting any of our time, we were enraged by the fact they were allowing people to traipse round this little old lady's house knowing that the garden was actually very small, not very large.

I absolutely meant to contact trading standards but life happened and I never got round to it

EDIT: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-15738409.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy
It's still on the market, which isn't a surprise as it is significantly overpriced without the land. We must have viewed 6 months ago. The garden actually finishes on the first bed in pic two. The front garden is also shared access so not as large as it appears. And the property is being sold, on the photos, solely on the garden. Ridiculous that inside is actually fabulous, if a little dated.

PasturesNew

On the other hand, all that garden would put some others off.
I don't do gardening. I'm pants at it.
I'd see all that and think "can't keep that up to scratch ... move on"

So it works both ways to the disadvantage of the seller when any aspect is misrepresented.

Doozergirl

PasturesNew wrote: »

On the other hand, all that garden would put some others off.
I don't do gardening. I'm pants at it.
I'd see all that and think "can't keep that up to scratch ... move on"

So it works both ways to the disadvantage of the seller when any aspect is misrepresented.

Which is absolutely fine if the price reflects the fact that is has a small garden, but it was very toppy as I thought it was

So you want a small garden and wouldn't view, I want a big one and was disappointed. The vendor is screwed really!

Zazen999

Absolutely snap - we have the same thing at the moment.

We own a plot of land which goes to the canal with a lovely bit of decking on it. A few doors down someone is selling up and they have a bit of land next to ours with some paving on it.

The EA have taken a pic and our whole decking is in the pic.

A friend of mine called me and asked if we were selling up [not likely] and i called the EA to complain. Of course nothing was done.

The Vendors a few doors down today had a go at me saying 'if you have a problem with us or our garden - come to us first' - but I don't think they quite get it - we don't have a problem with their garden - more our garden looking like it is for sale with their house. And I assume it was the EA that took the photo so that's the first point of call in my book.

Anyhow - I made the complaint to the EA but without them doing anything about it - there's not much that can be done...I agree EAs are pond life of the lowest order...but if the Vendor allows them to get away with it so what can you do?

tomstickland

not only do i consider it a invasion of my parents privecy (publishing photos of their garden without their consent for no real reason) but it is a cheap trick to try and get viewings for the property!!

I can look at everybodys garden on google maps aerial photos.
Regarding the "cheap trick", I wouldn't worry - as soon as prospective buyers turn up they're going to see the real garden.

sillyvixen

Doozergirl wrote: »

We went to view a house solely on the apparent size of garden. In actual fact the boundary wasn't marked and the extensive garden actually belonged to the village trust. The actual boundary was about 10' from the back door.

The worst thing was it was being sold by the tiniest little old lady - in her 90's. H went ballistic at the EA telling them it was misleading and that more then wasting any of our time, we were enraged by the fact they were allowing people to traipse round this little old lady's house knowing that the garden was actually very small, not very large.

I absolutely meant to contact trading standards but life happened and I never got round to it

EDIT: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-15738409.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy
It's still on the market, which isn't a surprise as it is significantly overpriced without the land. We must have viewed 6 months ago. The garden actually finishes on the first bed in pic two. The front garden is also shared access so not as large as it appears. And the property is being sold, on the photos, solely on the garden. Ridiculous that inside is actually fabulous, if a little dated.

garden is the 70ft mentioned just the footage is 70% not of the garden included in the sale!

sillyvixen

PasturesNew wrote: »

On the other hand, all that garden would put some others off.
I don't do gardening. I'm pants at it.
I'd see all that and think "can't keep that up to scratch ... move on"

So it works both ways to the disadvantage of the seller when any aspect is misrepresented.

yes seller will see the garden and know they have been had! but as it is a back garden they will have time to fall in love with the house first!

PasturesNew

Doozergirl wrote: »

I want a big one and was disappointed

Have you tried Relate?
You need to discuss this with your OH if it's such an issue.



I'll get my coat now.