Tenants: How to spot and avoid rental scams

Tenants: How to spot and avoid rental scams

Over the years, particularly with different methods of advertising techniques becoming available to the member renting out their property, various rental scams have been created. The typical scam is that a property is advertised to rent, possibly at a reduced rental than the usual, and when a prospective tenant responds to the ad, in most cases by email, the scammer responds saying that there has been a huge response to the advert and that the application, with the deposit, should be submitted immediately to avoid disappointment.

A strange scam that has now appeared, is if a tenant advertises on social media or other portals that they are looking for accommodation, a person will email or text them saying they have something satisfactory, providing a unclear address, again saying that they are out of town, but can make arrangements for the keys to be collected once a deposit has been paid. The scammer would say that they need payment to be made to a money market account or via cardless withdrawal at an ATM, and if pressed for photos of a property, they will send through pictures they have taken from someone else’s website. As with the others, if they are pushed for a physical meeting, they will say the property has been taken and end all further communication.

The first important thing to remember is that if any advert seems too good to be true (price-wise or location-wise) it is and, secondly, that it is important that you physically view a property with the owner or rental agent before agreeing to pay any money over. Never pass out banking details or agree to pay money through an unidentifiable account, and double check the adverts you respond to by viewing the address on Google Earth or Maps as a cross reference. Ultimately, it is best to deal with a rental agent, as they have to register with the Estate Agency Affairs Board, and will have a Fidelity Fund Certificate as proof that they are functioning lawfully.