They’re catfish rentals – they look good online, but the reality is a completely different story.

Australia’s ongoing rental crisis has driven a dramatic rise in homes represented by inaccurate or digitally altered images designed to lure unsuspecting tenants into properties they wouldn’t otherwise want.

Being ‘catfished’ – a term associated with online, often dating profiles – is taking on a new persona in the rental world.

CEO of the NSW Tenants Union Leo Patterson Ross said the trend has become “almost a feature of our (rental) system unfortunately”.

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CEO of the NSW Tenant’s Union, Leo Patterson Ross says there is a long standing culture of not a huge amount of enforcement. Picture: Richard Dobson

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“There’s been a long standing culture of not a huge amount of enforcement,” he said. “There’s not a strong regulatory body that hold agents to account.”

Mr Patterson Ross said the problem was getting worse with the rise of AI and other easy to use editing tools.

This frequently involved digital manipulation to misrepresent the property’s current condition. Other cases were the use of old photos showing what the property looked like when it was renovated – in some instances more than 10 years ago, he said.

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Inaccurate images were used to encourage tenants to rent bid by creating a false sense of urgency, Mr Patterson Ross said.

Example from a listing in Gladesville in July 2024 that had been digitally manipulated.

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A recently listed Keysborough home where the mould has been airbrushed out.

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“What the agents are doing is trying to boost the demand for a property that wouldn’t have as much demand and make it look better … the perceived competition.”

Tenants have often taken these frustrations online, posting images showing mould that had been airbrushed out or where the mirror reflections failed to match the rest of the image.

Sarah Elkordi, also known as “The Rent Fairy”, specialises in helping tenants secure a property, and said she experiences a huge amount of “catfish rentals”.

“There’s a shocking quality of stock, the clients go out, or myself, and inspect properties and there’s mould or cockroaches all over the kitchen.

“On average six to eight properties a week, I will have a client tell me the rental didn’t look like the images.

Sarah Elkordi the rent fairy says she sees about 6-8 properties a week that she calls ‘catfish properties.’

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“This is Australia wide … I’ve had people say to me I thought I was at the wrong property it looks so different to the ads.”

She said real estate agents do it to get people through the door to then negotiate fixes, rather then potential tenants seeing what the property looks like and dismissing it.

She herself had experienced a property which was riddled with mould, which she claims made her and her son sick.

“It was advertised and presented nicely, but what wasn’t disclosed was that strata has ongoing issues with water damage,” she said.

“So as well as being catfished on the ads, its information not being disclosed behind the scenes on previous repairs or issues.

“When you go to buy a property you get a strata report, but when you rent you get what you see online.”

A Marrickville home listed this week has the same images from 2023 and 2015.

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Ms Elkordi now gives her clients a checklist when inspecting properties.

“The most important things is ventilation and natural sunlight, south facing properties get a little less sun which allow for more build up of mould.

“Also check water pressure, fly screens and lighting, and smell the property – you can smell mould before you see it.”

She said there needs to be closer regulation on the editing of images, which should be no longer than 12 months old as well as disclosing any issues that the owner or strata is aware of. “Don’t go ahead with any property until you’ve inspected it.”

Commissioners tasked with enforcing minimum standards for rentals and strata buildings were under resourced and the onus often fell on tenants to take action, Mr Patterson Ross added.

Mr Patterson Ross said the onus often falls on renters to report these issues. Picture: Richard Dobson

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“They require renters to report (these issues) which is not an easy thing to do when you’re subject to no grounds evictions and also references – if you piss off your agent, you find it difficult to apply for the next property.”

He said there is even a risk for renters who inspect a place and want to report inaccurate photos.

“Even if it’s a place you’ve not even moved into, but then want to apply for a property with the same agency, you’re vulnerable.”

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