A property advert has been banned after it was spotted on the London underground last September.

It featured text saying: “I own a two-bedroom apartment and pay less per month than my friends pay to rent a room in a flatshare!”

The complainant challenged whether the “I own” claim was misleading, as the property was in a shared ownership scheme.

The advertiser, Notting Hill Genesis, told the Advertising Standards Authority that shared ownership was complicated, and it did not feel it appropriate to put a potentially complex level of detail into the advert.

The headline was a direct customer quote, said Notting Hill Genesis. It also said that although the property was not owned outright initially, the shared owner took on all the usual responsibilities of a full owner-occupier.

It also said that the small print said the claim related to a shared ownership purchase and that three calls to action directed consumers to the Notting Hill Genesis website or to call for further information.

However, the ASA said most consumers would understand that the “I own a two-bedroom apartment and pay less per month than my friends pay to rent a room in a flatshare” was a comparison between paying rent and paying a mortgage.

The small print was not enough to override that impression.

The ASA has told the advertiser not to use the same advert again.