Tips for Laois students on not being stung by rent scams

College is just around the corner and the accommodation search will soon reach fever pitch. Image by Nikolay Georgiev from Pixabay

placeholder image — College is just around the corner and the accommodation search will soon reach fever pitch. Image by Nikolay Georgiev from Pixabay

Laois students are being urged to be on alert to rental scams and an Laois Offaly Gardaí have provided from invaluable helpe to avoid get stung by con artists.

Sergeant Graham Kavanagh is the Crime Prevention Officer Laois Offaly. He is reminding students those seeking accommodation to be wary of scams targeting students going to college.

"While rental scams occur throughout the year there is a spike due to a new generation of 3rd level students seeking accommodation," he said.

He outlined that scams fall into three broad categories;

1. the scammer claims to be out of the country and can’t show you the property and requests a deposit,

(2) the scammer is living at the property and shows a number of people around, gets a deposit from several people and disappears with the money; and

(3) the transaction appears normal until the renter finds that the keys don’t work and the landlord has disappeared. Therefore people need to establish that the house exists and that is available for rent and the identity of landlord /agent & is he/she authorised to rent the property.

Sgt Kavangh had the following tips for students, parents and guardians searching for places to live

1. Ideally only do business with established bon-fide rental agencies.
2. Always meet a prospective landlord in the accommodation to be rented.
3. Ask for identification, a driver’s licence or Photo identification of landlord or letting agent. etc. (Take a photo of the document on your phone)
4. Pay the deposit to the Landlord and not the persons leaving the property/ courier other person.
5. Use cheques or bank drafts to pay the deposit and keep copies of receipts of payments and any correspondence.
6. Ensure keys fit, open door lock and sign rental contract, prior to payment of deposit.

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He said the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) rent index provides students with important benchmark information and is an authoritative guide as to the actual rents being charged by landlords adjacent to all Universities, ITs and other Third Level colleges. www.rtb.ie.

"Caution is advised, if the rent sounds too good to be true," concluded the Garda.