There was a good article in the Telegraph yesterday that talked about the problem of tenant fraud. This is an interesting subject because although we are all used to hearing about landlords who rip off tenants, tales of tenants who go out of their way to defraud landlords are a lot less publicised. But for all that and we don’t read so much about this particular problem, it can and does happen. So what are the most likely scenarios and how can landlords protect themselves?
Identity Theft
If the property was previously your main home, there may still be post addressed to you being delivered to the property. A dishonest tenant can easily open your mail and steal your personal details. Tenants viewing the property could also do the same if you are not careful.
Identity Fraud
If a tenant has access to any of your personal information, they might use it to make credit
card applications or even take out a mortgage or loan on the property. You probably won’t find out until debt collection agencies come looking for you.
False Identity
Some tenants pretend to be someone else when they apply for a tenancy. There could be a multitude of reasons for them choosing to hide their true identity, but not one of them is
likely to be legitimate.
How to Prevent Tenant Fraud
The best way to prevent tenant fraud is to be extremely careful with your personal information and never allow post addressed to you to be delivered to a property where a tenant is living.
It is also essential that landlords check tenant references thoroughly, and if the tenant is
offering a guarantor, check their references out, too.
