Homeowners Outraged After Realizing Their Builders Built A Plastic Lake Instead Of The Real One Their Pictures Showed

Quick, if I say ‘lake,’ what are the first three words that pop into your head? Don’t overthink things, just say them out loud. Odds are, you probably said ‘blue,’ ‘water,’ and ‘wet.’ Which is completely natural because lakes are full of blue water which is wet. Duh. However, it’s not so obvious to some developers in China.

Developers from Changsha, Hunan, used an advertisement to trick homeowners into thinking that by buying an apartment in their building, they’d be living next to a park with a small lake in the middle of it. Well, the reality was as different as a mirage is from an oasis. Instead of a picturesque lake, homeowners found themselves living next to a ‘lake’ made of blue plastic covering, meant to mimic water.

Let’s get something straight: just because you make it blue doesn’t mean it’s a lake. Some other things that are blue but aren’t a lake include: the sky, your mom’s Mini Cooper, The Smurfs, blueberries, and whales.

200 homeowners in Changsha, China, were angry to learn that the lake they were promised…

Homeowners Outraged After Realizing Their Builders Built A Plastic Lake Instead Of The Real One Their Pictures Showed

Image credits: Pear Video

…was fake and actually made of blue plastic!

Homeowners Outraged After Realizing Their Builders Built A Plastic Lake Instead Of The Real One Their Pictures Showed

Image credits: Pear Video

Around 200 homeowners were disappointed to find out that ads for the man-made lake were a lie. The weird thing is, the developers even built a bridge across the fake lake. If they put in the effort to do that, why couldn’t they have simply created the lake as well?

The developers promised their clients a park view and instead cut corners

Homeowners Outraged After Realizing Their Builders Built A Plastic Lake Instead Of The Real One Their Pictures Showed

Image credits: Pear Video

“So I’m supposed to be standing in the middle of blue water, which in fact doesn’t exist. There is no rock or plants,” one Chinese homeowner told the media.

Homeowners Outraged After Realizing Their Builders Built A Plastic Lake Instead Of The Real One Their Pictures Showed

Image credits: Pear Video

Homeowners Outraged After Realizing Their Builders Built A Plastic Lake Instead Of The Real One Their Pictures Showed

Image credits: Pear Video

Obviously, lying to homeowners can’t be good for business. And Chinese developers are creating more problems for themselves than lying about lakes, ponds, and other bodies of water.

Homeowners Outraged After Realizing Their Builders Built A Plastic Lake Instead Of The Real One Their Pictures Showed

Image credits: Pear Video

Homeowners Outraged After Realizing Their Builders Built A Plastic Lake Instead Of The Real One Their Pictures Showed

Image credits: Pear Video

According to the South China Morning Post, property developers are getting more and more complaints from homeowners about safety standards and the quality of buildings.

There’s even a bridge across the fake lake

Homeowners Outraged After Realizing Their Builders Built A Plastic Lake Instead Of The Real One Their Pictures Showed

Image credits: Pear Video

Homeowners Outraged After Realizing Their Builders Built A Plastic Lake Instead Of The Real One Their Pictures Showed

Image credits: Pear Video

Developers are rushing to sell as many properties as they can, which means some of them are cutting corners and putting lives at risk. In other words, there is a ‘build fast and sell fast’ approach being taken.

You can watch a video of the plastic lake here

Dear Pandas, what do you think of the developers tricking the homeowners by creating a fake lake? Do you think that they should build a real park as an apology? What are some of your favorite things that are blue but aren’t lakes? Have you been told by developers that you’d be living near a park only to have them build a supermarket where it should have been? Share your thoughts with us in the comments and let us know if you’ve ever been on the receiving end of fake ads.

Here’s how the internet reacted when they heard the news about the lake

Homeowners Outraged After Realizing Their Builders Built A Plastic Lake Instead Of The Real One Their Pictures Showed

Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

Read less »

I'm the Visual Editor at Bored Panda, responsible for ensuring that everything our audience sees is top-notch and well-researched. What I love most about my job? Discovering new things about the world and immersing myself in exceptional photography and art.

Read less »

What do you think ?

POST

Hans 5 years ago

If you can not sue in this case, China must have a strange contract law. I mean, this must not be only false advertisment, but fraud. I cannot belive 200 people would sign buying contracts, expecting a lake but not checking whether said lake is included in the contract.

12points

Uchman 5 years ago

Why would a "communal lake" be included in the contract? Every homeowner will sign for the property they're actually buying.

3points

Load More Replies...

Bored Moogle 5 years ago

China is one of the most dishonest countries in the world. I'm glad that's one page that Japan did NOT take from their book.

2points

WilvanderHeijden 5 years ago (edited)

The contractor was just living up to the Chinese tradition of delivering fake goods. LMAO. At least 3 people didn't find my comment funny.... Wonder why????

2points

Craig Lee 5 years ago

Because people are soft. What you said is true, this is how China works, they lie, cheat and steal to get people's money. The U.S. actually warned Boeing about doing business with China because they will flat out steal their designs and tech. There are tons of cases of Chinese citizens stealing non military tech for personal gain. So I don't find it surprising that they do this to their own people as well.

2points

Load More Replies...

Load More Comments

POST

Hans 5 years ago

12points

Uchman 5 years ago

Why would a "communal lake" be included in the contract? Every homeowner will sign for the property they're actually buying.

3points

Load More Replies...

Bored Moogle 5 years ago

China is one of the most dishonest countries in the world. I'm glad that's one page that Japan did NOT take from their book.

2points

WilvanderHeijden 5 years ago (edited)

The contractor was just living up to the Chinese tradition of delivering fake goods. LMAO. At least 3 people didn't find my comment funny.... Wonder why????

2points