It all seems so plausible. The landlord has been messed about before by people who say they're going to rent, and then don't have the money. Can you prove to them that you have the cash? Sure, you say – the flat looks lovely, the rent is a bargain, and you're anxious to secure the deal.
Look, says the landlord, do this for me: obviously I'm not going to take any money from you until we've signed a contract. But could you just transfer the first month's rent and the deposit to a friend via Western Union, and email me a scan of the receipt? That way, I know you're good for it but you're not risking your cash.
Isn't it nice they're thinking of you. So you transfer the money to a friend, and send off the receipt. And that's the last you'll hear of your cash, the property or the landlord, because you've just been scammed. With the receipt number, the so-called landlord has just claimed your cash from Western Union.
This isn't the only scam to hit renters. The other perennial favourite is the "meet me with cash" trick. The story here is often that the landlord is at the other end of the country from the property, and isn't going to make the trip to show it unless you prove you're serious first – so meet them with a cash deposit and they'll hold the (normally bargain-priced) rental for you. And guess what, the property doesn't exist, and you'll never see the landlord or the money again.
It's easy to think that you'd never fall for it, but when you have a plausible-sounding person AND the promise of your perfect property at a great price, it's easy to ignore that little warning voice that tells you it's too good to be true.
Follow our five golden rules to help you stay safe finding a rental on the internet:
1. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Fraudsters attract people with the promise of cheap rents, hoping they’ll be so anxious to secure a bargain, they won’t do their homework properly. Don’t let the hope of saving a few pounds cost you hundreds.
2. Look for legitimate, provable details. Checkable landline phone numbers, verifiable addresses, emails belonging to companies rather than Hotmail or Gmail are good signs. Avoid people who’ll only deal via mobile phone or free email providers. Check the IP address in email headers: is your 'landlord' where they say they are? And do Google the company name for potential scams.
3. Visit the property with the landlord before you hand over any money. Most scammers don’t want to meet you. Be sure that the property actually exists, and check that the person you’re paying for the property is the person who owns or manages it. Visiting with the landlord also lets you check over the property and spot any other problems before you move in.
4. Don’t pay by cash or Western Union. Fraudsters don’t like paper trails and bank accounts: legitimate landlords renting out real property do. Don’t fall for elaborate stories of why you paying cash just this once is okay: it’s not. Don't pay anything until you've signed a contract.
5. If you’re suspicious, walk away. At Upad.co.uk, we are here to help you: if you think you could be being conned, please do get in touch.
Renting can be fraught with difficulties from both the tenant and the landlords perspectives. I'm currently a tenant and a landlord overseas so I empathise with both situations. My policy is keep it simple and be polite at all times. It's a business transaction and should be dealt with as such although sometimes it's hard when your tenant is appealing to your innate good nature! Still renting out is lucrative in today's market whilst tenants are paying top dollar!