Common Types of Housing Scams and How to Avoid Them

An admission letter from your dream University is sure to take you into cloud nine. As you start planning a fancy international life, the first thing you do is finding a place to stay. As enticing as it sounds, the choices and the process may overwhelm you. For example, if you search for ‘student housing Bristol’, the hundreds of listings with different features may leave you paranoid. With everything taken to digital space, it’s more challenging to spot legitimate properties and find a trusted accommodation provider.

There have always been reports of a fake landlord, a non-verified website, a non-existent address, money-eating agents, and vague conditions in the rental contract. Although renting a house is not the same as buying one, it takes a lot of time and energy to find a place, negotiate the deal, make appointments, and sign the contract. Here are some of the common rental scams you should be aware of.

1. Fake address

It can range anywhere from an address that doesn’t exist to an existing address that is not for rent. Sometimes scammers make up addresses and use images from the internet and make it look like an actual l listing. The address might be linked to a name and an email address that doesn’t exist. They hesitate to show you the property and back it up with reasons like unavailability of the landlord or inconvenience of the current tenants.

2. Duplicate listing

Copying the details and images from a legitimate site is often a popular housing scam. There might be exciting offers and gift coupons on the website to avert your eyes from the real listing. They post it on sites like Craigslist and even flag the original listing. These usually come with a lower price compared to the marketplace. Similar to the fake addresses, you will have a hard time finding a credible listing.

3. Advance payments

The landlord might ask you to pay in advance to view the house or have an appointment with the agency. Once they receive the money, they will cut contact with you. Some might give you a foreign account number or a name that doesn’t seem local to the place. Such frauds urge you to book the house by making the payment before it gets leased to someone else. Any transaction via cryptocurrency or wire transfer are non-traceable and hence are used widely by fraudsters.

4. The mysterious middleman

As you go through various rental ads and pages, some people may approach you claiming to be on behalf of a letting agency. They act as the middleman and won’t let you have any direct communication with the landlord. Instead, they use a fake name or email address with the company domain and even communicate in alignment with the brand’s motto. They can either use your data or exploit you for financial benefits.

Knowing the types of scams in the area will help you armour against any fraudsters. Here is a list of things to tick off to save yourself from the scammers.

5. Verify the listing

If you can spot a fraudulent listing, it is easy to stay off the trap. Start with the basic: search the address on Google and try to locate them on Google maps. Check for any spelling or grammar errors. Check if the property comes with a full postal address and original photos. Look for watermarks on the images displayed. If the price is too low, don’t jump in and book a house. Compare the price of similar houses on other sites and check if the price is reasonable. Check the ads and reviews of the listings, and if possible, visit the place to confirm for yourself.

6. Book through trusted accommodation providers

With a new website opening up every minute, it isn’t easy to track the reliable and credible accommodation providers. Educate yourself of all the necessary details of house-hunting and read reviews to find the sites you can trust. Millions of students rely on AmberStudent to find and book their dream home because of the relentless customer support and reputable property management in many countries like the UK, the US and Australia. The University officials can help you find reliable agencies and landlords. A legitimate agency would have an updated website, well-laid policies and a detailed guide for booking.

7. Never pay in advance

Before you sign the rental agreement, you have no financial obligation to the landlord or your guarantor. Do not pay to get a house tour or to have an appointment. If anyone asks you to pay in cash or cryptocurrency, be wary of the consequences since there is no proof that you paid. Use your debit or credit cards to pay online and keep a record of all the transactions. You can also ask the accommodation providers for proofs of identity and contact information. Always check the price of similar listings on other sites. Keep a guardian in the loop while dealing with money matters.

8. Spot the red flags

Be aware of the web pages with a tagline of “this is the last house left” on every listing. “Keys are in the mail” is a way to get the security deposit prior to moving in. If the providers are ready to let the property to you without any background check or official application process, it’s a red flag. In case of deceptive listings, landlords might hesitate for the house tour and make up excuses for their unavailability. Keep the radar on and report or confront immediately if something catches your eye. Double-check all the details before you confirm the booking.

9. Always trust your instincts

No matter how convincing the deal or how great the place is, always trust your guts for the final call. Don’t shy away if something doesn’t convince you. Don’t give away your personal information before an appointment or proper communication is established. Do not provide any sensitive information unless you are pretty sure. Gather local area information before you finalise the booking. Check the crime rates and general setting of the lane. If you found a fraud listing or a fake agent, report it and file a complaint in the local police station and Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

How can Amberstudent help you?

We at AmberStudent are devoted to giving you the best experience and option for student accommodation worldwide because we apprehend its value. We have upgraded ourselves continuously with the COVID policies and would be more than eager to assist you in those.