Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by The Negotiator. Read the original article for full details.
Lincolnshire Home Listing Removed After Nazi Memorabilia Shown in Virtual Tour
A three-bedroom semi-detached property in Spilsby, Lincolnshire, was removed from property portals after a virtual tour revealed what appeared to be Nazi-era memorabilia inside the home. The house, marketed by Purplebricks for offers in the region of £190,000, was described as a "lovely semi-detached family home."
The virtual walkthrough reportedly showed a study containing Wehrmacht helmets, wall-mounted firearms, military knives, a Waffen-SS poster, and Nazi eagle insignia. Images circulating on social media also appeared to show a mannequin wearing a German military field cap and a display of large knives mounted on a wall beside a Nazi propaganda poster.
Purplebricks had created the virtual walkthrough as part of its marketing package, using photographs taken inside the property to generate a digital 3D tour for prospective buyers. After images from the virtual tour were shared online, Purplebricks removed the listing from its website and terminated its contract with the seller.
The property was also removed from major portals. A spokesperson for Zoopla stated that the listing was live for a short time and was removed swiftly upon notification. Zoopla works regularly with agent partners to ensure property listings comply with appropriate standards. Rightmove also confirmed that it took immediate steps to remove the listing upon becoming aware of the offensive imagery and communicated with the estate agent marketing the property.
A Purplebricks spokesperson told The Negotiator that the property was removed from their website and apologised for any offence caused, confirming that the contract with the seller had been terminated.
This incident highlights the importance for letting agents and inventory clerks to carefully review property marketing materials, including virtual tours, to ensure compliance with portal standards and avoid the inclusion of inappropriate or offensive content.
Source: The Negotiator