Perth Residents Speak Out on Property Listing Images That Don't Match Reality

Renters and buyers from Midland to Fremantle are raising concerns about a practice that has become increasingly common on major Australian property platforms: the recycling of photographs — sometimes from entirely different properties, sometimes years out of date — used to represent homes currently on the market. The issue, broadly described as duplicate image replacement, is now drawing complaints to Consumer Protection WA and prompting calls for clearer standards from real estate peak bodies.

The timing matters. Perth's rental vacancy rate sat at approximately 1.5 per cent through the first quarter of 2026, according to Real Estate Institute of Western Australia data, meaning prospective tenants are often forced to make rapid decisions with minimal opportunity to inspect. In that environment, a misleading photograph is not a minor inconvenience — it can mean signing a lease on a property that looks nothing like what was advertised, or travelling an hour each way to an inspection that doesn't match the listing.

From Cannington to Clarkson: What Residents Are Experiencing

A renter who relocated from Brisbane to Cannington in April described arriving to find the kitchen in her new rental bore no resemblance to the renovated space shown online. She said the images used in the listing appeared to be from a different era of the property — or possibly a different property entirely. She is not alone. Residents in Clarkson, a northern suburb anchored by the Clarkson Train Station and growing rapidly under the Metronet expansion, describe similar experiences, with listing photographs that show freshly painted interiors and new appliances that simply aren't there on arrival.

In the inner-south corridor around Victoria Park and Burswood, where investment property turnover is high and rental prices for a two-bedroom unit can exceed $550 per week, the stakes are higher still. Community advocates connected to the Tenancy WA service on Pier Street in Perth have fielded a rising volume of inquiries on the issue since late 2025. The organisation provides free legal advice to WA tenants and has noted that photographic misrepresentation is increasingly cited as a grievance — though it does not always rise to the threshold of a formal legal complaint under the Residential Tenancies Act 1987.

For prospective buyers, the consequences can be even more significant. A Morley couple who attended an open home in May said the property's street-facing photographs had clearly been taken before a boundary fence and pergola were removed, giving a false impression of the block's presentation. The Real Estate and Business Agents Act 1978 in WA obliges agents to avoid misleading conduct, but enforcement is complaint-driven and resource-intensive for a regulator managing a market of this scale.

What Platforms and Regulators Are Being Asked to Do

Consumer Protection WA, the state's primary fair trading regulator, accepts complaints about misleading property advertising through its online portal and by phone. It does not proactively audit listings on platforms such as realestate.com.au or Domain. Critics argue that leaves the burden entirely on consumers who are often under pressure to move quickly.

The Real Estate Institute of Western Australia has a code of conduct requiring members to act with honesty and transparency in all property representations, including marketing material. Advocates say the gap between that standard and current practice needs to be closed with specific guidance on image currency — for example, requiring that listing photographs be no more than 12 months old, or that agents certify images reflect the current condition of a property.

Practical steps for renters and buyers in the meantime are straightforward: request a video walkthrough before committing to an inspection, use Google Street View to cross-check the property's exterior against its stated address, and if an image looks suspiciously polished, do a reverse image search before travelling. Anyone who believes they have signed a lease based on materially false photographs can contact Tenancy WA on Pier Street, the State Administrative Tribunal, or lodge a complaint directly with Consumer Protection WA. None of those steps are fast — but in a market this tight, a little scepticism upfront is cheaper than a dispute later.