Meet Lucy.
Lucy was recently scammed by a fake letting agent in Luton.
Lucy spotted an advert for a house on Facebook, went along to what she thought was a viewing, and transferred over a substantial sum as a ‘holding fee’, before finding out she’d been conned out of time, money, and trust.
Don’t get led on like Lucy…
Do look for other listings.
If a property is being advertised for rent on Facebook, you should also check for it on Rightmove, Zoopla, etc. If you find it, make the safe choice by requesting a viewing through there instead. And if you can’t see a listing anywhere else, you’ve got to question whether a reputable agent would rely solely on social media to find a tenant.
Do check the photos.
It’s easy for a scammer to steal photos from a Rightmove listing and put them onto Gumtree. An unsuspecting tenant can go on to view through this fake listing, and pay the price – literally. We’ve even heard of tenants waiting outside with full removal vans before realising it was all a ruse. If the same photos are being used by different agents across different sites, take this as a sign something could be off.
Do further research.
There are more areas you can look into to check the legitimacy of a listing. Does the person you’re corresponding with work for an agency? Does that agency have a website? If so, does the person appear on there anywhere? At Orchards, we have a dedicated page for our team so you can put faces to names.
A private rental may be on a site such as Facebook or Gumtree, so a little more detective work may be required. We’d recommend checking that the person letting the property has an established profile, and to be aware if it was only set up recently.
Do ask for proof.
Ask the agent for ID, perhaps a business card that shows the company they’re representing and their role there. Take photos too. Any respectable agent would happily provide proof, so brushing this off should put you on alert.
Do go inside.
If you turn up to the property and the agent comes up with an excuse as to why you can’t go in, this raises a red flag. We’ve heard examples such as the current tenants won’t give access, or the key isn’t working or has been left behind at the office. We wouldn’t agree a tenancy without doing a proper viewing, and neither should you.
Don’t rush.
A common tactic for these scammers is to put the pressure on. They’ll make out they’ve got lots of interest, and not to waste any time or you’ll lose your chance. We’ll never ask for money up front, or via PayPal or Western Union, especially not on the doorstep!
Don’t assume this doesn’t affect landlords.
This sort of scam doesn’t only affect prospective tenants; landlords can be drawn in too. If you’re a landlord, your property is in the public realm, and a scammer can pass it off as available when it’s not. A dodgy dealing isn’t something you want to have to defend yourself against. By using a trusted, credible agency like Orchards, you’re already one step ahead, and you have support should anything go wrong.
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Do use a lettings agent like Orchards:
01525 40 22 66
ampthill@orchards.co.uk
