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Tenants warned 'look out for rental fraudsters'

Friday, 3 December 2010 11:48 AM

People renting a house or flat in Britain should be on their guard against unscrupulous 'landlords' eager to steal money from them, according to Belvoir Sheffield.

Recent figures released by the Property Ombudsman suggest that, so far this year, more than 5,000 tenants have been affected by rental scams.

The majority of these attacks involve online adverts, where the spurious individual communicates via email as they are often based overseas.

Rick Flay, director at Belvoir Sheffield, said: "These fraudsters know that if they lower their prices, tenants desperate for the perfect property will pay a fee up front to ensure it has been reserved."

Flay added that is "essential" for tenants to use only reputable letting agents in order to protect themselves from such scams.

He went on to warn people against handing money over to an overseas landlord, urging tenants to ensure they know exactly who they are dealing with before stumping up any cash.

In terms of avoiding end-of-tenancy disputes, Flay suggested that contracts should always be double-checked before anything is signed – and tenants should receive a full inventory when they move in.
 

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