Most new flats in London are sold before they are finished, so the first thing a buyer sees is usually a computer-generated image rather than a room. A good CGI should be an accurate preview of the design. It is not a promise about the finished specification, the view or the light.
How common is buying off-plan in London?
Very common for flats. Hamptons found that 55% of new flats in England and Wales sold off-plan in 2025, and 65% in London. Houses sell off-plan far less often, which pulls the figure for all new homes down to 33%. That is the lowest share since 2013 and well below the 2016 peak of 49%. Large blocks still take years to build and need early sales, so flat buyers commit based on floor plans, show flats and CGIs.
What does a property CGI show reliably?
Studios specialising in 3D visualisation build a render from the architects’ drawings. The layout, window positions and proportions of the building are therefore usually faithful. That makes a render useful for judging how rooms connect, where the kitchen sits and how a block will look from the street. The uncertainty lies elsewhere: in finishes, furniture, camera position, weather and whatever is built next door.
What are the UK advertising rules on CGIs of new homes?
Advertising rules apply to pictures as much as to words. Guidance from the Committee of Advertising Practice, drawn up with the Home Builders Federation, accepts that developers cannot photograph homes that are not finished. It asks for a clear note, such as “images include optional upgrades at additional cost”, when pictures show a higher specification than the advertised price includes. In 2012 the Advertising Standards Authority ruled against Taylor Wimpey over a show-home bathroom image that included upgrades without making clear they cost extra. The same logic applies to a render: it may show the design, but it should not quietly sell the extras.
How can buyers check an off-plan CGI?
- Check the specification against the image – flooring, kitchen fronts and appliances in a render are often the top option. Ask which items are standard.
- Check the furniture scale – undersized beds and sofas make rooms look larger. Use the room dimensions on the floor plan to check whether your own furniture would fit.
- Ask where the camera stands – a wide lens placed in a doorway exaggerates space. Ask for the floor level and direction of each view.
- Question the view and the light – an upper-floor view may illustrate every flat in the block. Ask for the orientation of your unit and what is planned on neighbouring plots.
- Look past the flat – landscaping, courtyards and roof terraces are frequently shown fully grown. Ask when they will be finished and who pays to maintain them.
- Keep the images – save the brochure and renders on the day you reserve. If the finished home differs, they are useful evidence to show your solicitor.
Why do developers invest so much in renders?
For a scheme sold years ahead of completion, the render is the product until the building exists. Developers commission rendering services from specialist studios such as Evermotion, a Polish firm with more than 20 years in 3D visualisation. It builds images from architectural plans and material specifications at real-world scale. A render made that way matches the drawings, a sales-led one may also flatter them. Buyers should expect the first kind, and the checklist above tests which one they are looking at.
What should you ask before reserving an off-plan flat?
Ask for the full specification, the floor plan with dimensions, your unit’s orientation and a list of everything shown as an upgrade. Then visit a finished scheme by the same developer. A developer confident in its CGIs will answer quickly. If the answers do not match the pictures, trust the documents.
