Fraudsters are becoming increasingly active in the online rental market, so tenants – and genuine landlords – need to make sure they are not taken in by scams.
Many tenants look online when they need a new place to rent. It’s the obvious choice for today’s internet savvy generation. A woman in Exeter thought she had found the perfect flat when she placed an ad on Gumtree. Sadly, it turned out to be anything but the perfect flat.
Fraudsters Target Free Advertising Platforms
Fed up with living in supported accommodation, the tenant advertised for a flat suitable for tenants on benefits. A woman got in touch offering a one-bed flat, but when the tenant asked to go and view the place, the landlord said she couldn’t take the time off work after being messed around by previous time-wasters. Her story seemed genuine and the tenant was sent a deposit guarantee letter and a signed tenancy agreement. This was enough to persuade her to transfer a £500 deposit to the landlord’s account, which disappeared without trace, just like the bogus landlord.
Stolen Property Listings
This story is not uncommon and fraudsters typically use listings stolen from genuine property ads, with a few key details changed to suit the ad. Sites like Gumtree do provide plenty of resources to alert people looking for rental property, but scammers continue to run amok.
The RLA believes not enough is being done to protect tenants.
“It’s the duty of websites where properties are advertised to show some due diligence in establishing that a property is valid.”
