Compliance guide for real estate professionals
Northern Ireland has its own Trading Standards Service and property regulations. The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 applies with NI-specific enforcement. The Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA) provides additional oversight in the cross-border Irish property market.
Criminal prosecution under CPRs: unlimited fines and up to 2 years imprisonment. Trading Standards Service NI investigates complaints and can pursue enforcement action.
PropertyPal and PropertyNews are major NI portals alongside UK-wide sites. Ensure disclosure appears consistently across all platforms where your listing appears. Watermark staged images and include written disclosure in property descriptions.
Include original, unedited photographs in your marketing materials. Trading Standards Service NI expects transparency—buyers should be able to see the property's actual condition alongside any visualisation of potential.
The CPRs apply to Northern Ireland, making misleading marketing a criminal matter. Limit staging to furniture, artwork, and decorative items that wouldn't be included in the sale. Never alter structural features, gardens, views, or fitted items.
Northern Ireland shares a border with the Republic of Ireland, and cross-border property interest is common. Buyers from the Republic may be unfamiliar with UK disclosure practices. Clear, explicit labelling helps all buyers understand what they're viewing.
RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) and Propertymark provide professional guidance applicable in Northern Ireland. Their standards often exceed minimum legal requirements—following professional body guidance demonstrates best practice.
"Images have been virtually staged to illustrate the property's potential. Furniture and décor shown are digitally rendered and are not included with the property. Please refer to the original photographs for an accurate representation of the property's current condition."
"This property features virtual staging to help you visualise its potential. The furniture shown is digitally added and not physically present. Book a viewing to see the actual space. #VirtualStaging #PropertyMarketing"
"This listing includes virtually staged photographs. Digital furniture and décor have been added to help you visualise the space. These items are not present in the physical property. Unstaged photographs are available upon request."
"VIRTUALLY STAGED – Furniture shown is digitally rendered"
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