10 Signs Your Favorite HGTV Shows Might Be Fake

One surefire way you can tell things aren't quite as sunny as they're made out to be? Whether participants have taken out lawsuits against the shows after they've aired. "Love It or List It" got into serious hot water with a couple who claimed that the hosts' contractors saddled them with a shoddy renovation and a host of new problems as a result, according to the Miami Herald. Among the Raleigh couple's claims were allegations that the show's production company, Big Coat TV, and subcontractors did not use a licensed architect, and the funds used to renovate the home were misappropriated by the company. After a year of litigation, the property owners, Deena Murphy and Timothy Sullivan, ultimately settled with Big Coat TV for an undisclosed amount in 2017.

Legal troubles also plagued HGTV's famous twins, as the "Property Brothers" faced a lawsuit from a Las Vegas couple alleging unsatisfactory workmanship and a host of code violations. The couple, Mindy and Paul King, are currently suing for fraud, misrepresentation, and faulty workmanship in their kitchen renovation. While covering the Kings' lawsuit, reporters at KTNV Las Vegas uncovered an additional lawsuit against the show's production company, Cineflix, citing similar complaints, from breach of contract to a laundry list of repairs and damages. Both cases appear to be ongoing as of 2023.