HOW TO AVOID RENTAL SCAMS FROM “Property Agent”
TIPS TO AVOID RENTAL SCAMS.
While looking for a house happens to be a daunting task to most, there are malicious people who make it even harder; The con artists in the property industry who go ahead and ask for a fee prior to rental occupancy. Below are a few ways to identify and deal with this nagging issue.
Dealing In Cash
By all means, avoid dealing in hard cash. Opt for traceable modes of transfer like PayBills and Mpesa payment. Scammers would insist on cash transactions and by the time you realize what is happening they’ll be gone ready for their next target. Most Property Management Companies have a payment option that limits cash-only transactions. To avoid being scammed by cash-only techniques, always ask the Property Agent to provide a different means of payment. Doing this will also leave a trace, thus, money can be tracked when investigating the crime
Never Rent Before Having A Look At The House
rental property
So, the Property Agent has sent nice pictures and you like the house. Then the person says that the house is highly contested and there is someone who promised to pay. So to outbid them you have to send the cash before they do. This has happened especially when the house is priced crazily and you think it is too good a deal to be passed by. This person doesn’t know you but they already want to favour you over the other one. Definitely a major scam.
Similarly, renters prefer having a comparison basis for their preferred rental house. This becomes a window for scammers who promise to show you several houses within your budget at a fee of course. Never fall for this. I repeat never fall for this. More often than not, if you manage to meet the agent, the house promised may feel out of place. To help you out here is a trustworthy property agent.
Always ask for the draft Lease
Prior to moving into the house, ensure you have gone through the lease and signed only if you agree to the terms of service. A lease outlines all the regulations and deliverables of both parties; the Tenant and the Landlord. Make sure you agree to everything before you sign. Nothing like, “I’ll sign because I have to but I don’t agree with a few clauses.”
Beware Of Middle Man Scam
You have been taken to the location but you can only view it from outside? Scam! When a landlord gives the mandate to an agent to rent a house they also give them the key to the house. Beware! At times, the house could be in an unsatisfactory condition. A registered agent will purpose to have all repairs done and do a move-in checklist.
Make Sure The Rent Being Asked For Is The Same as The Agreement
The rent that’s advertised should be the same amount that is written on the lease agreement. If it does not match, then that raises suspicion. All costs should be disclosed prior to signing and be indicated as such in the contract.
Check If The Renting Platform Verifies Its Users
Online listing sites that do not verify their users are the hub of con artists. Usually, online sites ask for personal information in order to allow the person to sell anything on their platform. This way, they’d be in a good position to trace the person in case of fraud or freeze their account to prevent further scams. See my preferred here
Talk To Current And Previous Tenants
There are some aspects of a property that one would never pick up easily through the previously noted methods. Who best tells you this other than people who have already experienced the place? Pick a day and visit the property personally, just to get the honest opinion of people who stay in that place. These will have information about power outages, water problems and security incidences; things that the owner of the house might not be willing to disclose.
Those Who Are Ready To Make A Deal Without Doing Background Checks Are Probably Scammers
Seeing that the owner of the house is leaving it to you during the rental period, it is also in their best interest to do a background check on prospective tenants. Failure to do this might end up having their house vandalized or used for criminal activities. If they are not bothered to vet you as the incoming tenant, that should say a lot about their level of legitimacy.
Do Online Research for Rental
Thanks to online review sites and the internet, anyone can now get information about almost any organization. This can be done by googling the company name- Lavender Properties Ltd followed by words like review, complaints and scam. Don’t forget to go deeper to see if the claims were addressed, justified or even just malicious.
Compare prices.
Rental pricing should not be far too high or less than the others in the same neighbourhood. Every neighbourhood has an average known rental amount. A unit that has been rented slightly higher would ideally have an added value say, more spacious or better finishing. If the deal seems too good to be true, then it might be worth walking away from.
Outside only photos or those that look like they were taken from the windows.
If you are viewing photos taken by the agent, do not accept outside photos only. There could be some defects in the interiors that are not being kept from scrutiny. Or they do not have access to the house either. Some people do this knowing that the client will want to come and see the house, probably not like it, but have to pay what’s called the viewing fee.
Have a safe house hunting. Better still, look for Lavender Properties Ltd to do it for you.
