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Beware bogus landlords leaving you “out of pocket and out on the streets”

A Northern property expert has warned people to beware of bogus landlords ripping them off by renting out properties they don’t own – after reports showed a 92% rise in the scam.

Ajay Jagota of North East lettings business KIS Lettings is warning renters that they could be left “out of pocket and out on the streets” if they become victims of the swindle, known as rental fraud.

Rental fraud sees would-be tenants who reply to online adverts tricked into paying upfront fees for phantom properties or paying rent and deposit to “landlords” who have shown them around homes which aren’t theirs to rent.

Recent studies have shown incidents of the scam to have risen by 92% in just two years – with an estimated 315,000 people conned out of an average of £2394.

The national cost of rental fraud is now estimated to be £755m, with research indicating that as many as a millon people have become victims.

Ajay, who manages properties for 700 landlords from branches across the North East, is warning house hunters to be on their guard.

He said: “With more and more people needing rental properties more and more people are becoming victims of rental fraud and the sad truth is that if you aren’t careful you could end up out of pocket and out on the streets.

“Never hand over a penny until you have visited a property in person– and if you have any suspicions that the person showing you around isn’t who they say they are tell the police or trading standards immediately.

“The only way you can really protect yourself against becoming a victim of scams like this is to only rent through a reputable lettings agent – and to always remember that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

“It’s not only renters who are at risk, rental fraud is a real danger for landlords too.

“It can often involve the scammers breaking into empty properties or even cutting their own keys to your rental home after masquerading as possible tenants. This could mean all sorts of damage to your property or your reputation so it’s critical that your security systems are up to scratch.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ajay Jagota .