Estate agents are being urged to establish policies for buyers wearing camera-equipped smart glasses at property viewings as new technology creates fresh privacy and compliance challenges.
The Guild of Property Professionals says devices such as Meta smart glasses, which can take photographs and record video and audio, mean agents increasingly need to consider how they handle recording inside clients’ homes.
Agents could make their position clear in property particulars or viewing information by stating that photography and recording are not permitted without prior agreement.
They should also be prepared to ask prospective buyers or tenants wearing smart glasses whether they are recording.
SMART GLASSES
Paul Offley (main picture), Compliance Officer at The Guild of Property Professionals, says: “You certainly cannot go into someone’s property and start recording the interior without prior consent.”
He says agents can ask somebody wearing smart glasses whether they are taking photographs or recording and, where appropriate, request that they stop recording or remove the glasses.
“If they are recording, the agent can politely ask the person to remove the glasses or stop the recording,” Offley says.
“There is nothing wrong with raising the question, particularly where the agent has responsibility for the property and the privacy of the people involved.”
AI PROPERTY IMAGES
The Guild is also warning agents to be transparent when using AI to alter property marketing images.
AI could be used to remove movable furniture or personal possessions from photographs or virtually furnish an empty property, provided consumers are clearly told the image has been altered.
But Offley warns agents against using the technology to change fundamental characteristics of a property, such as removing walls or making rooms appear larger than they really are.
He says: “There is a clear distinction between helping someone visualise a property and altering its characteristics in a way that could give a misleading impression.”
Where AI materially changes an image, The Guild says agents should make clear that consumers are looking at an illustrative representation rather than the property exactly as it appears.
Offley adds: “Technology is developing rapidly, and there will inevitably be new tools that agents and consumers start using.
“The important thing is that agents understand how those tools interact with their existing compliance responsibilities.”
