8 ways to avoid rental scams
Nobody wants to get ripped off
Whether you're a tenant or a landlord, no one wants to get ripped off. In this video, we go over 8 ways to avoid rental scams that you can use to protect yourself and your money. Here are warning signs that you might be getting scammed by a fake landlord or a fake tenant.
Red Flag 1 (Tenant) - The rental ad sounds too good to be true.
Red Flag 2 (Tenant) - The landlord claims he or she is located far away.
Red Flag 3 (Tenant) - The landlord only wants to communicate via email.
Red Flag 4 (Tenant) - Tenants will be pressured to rent a property sight unseen.
Red Flag 5 (Tenant) - Search the address and make sure the property matches what's listed in the rental ad.
Red Flag 6 (Landlord) - The tenant claims he or she is located far away.
Red Flag 7 (Landlord) - The tenant claims his or her employer will be paying for relocation.
Red Flag 8 (Landlord) - The tenant offers to overpay but asks for a favour in return.
So how can you avoid rental scams like those mentioned in the video? Do these three things:
Talk to the tenant/landlord in person or at least on the phone.
Tenants should insist on seeing the property in person. Landlords should insist on meeting the tenant in person.
Tenants – Don't allow yourself to be pressured into sending money before they see the property in person. Landlords – Don't send money to a third-party as a favour.
When in doubt, walk away from the deal. The only thing worse than trying to find a home on the Sunshine Coast would be trying to find a home after getting scammed out of a few thousands bucks.
The Sunshine Coast rental market is HOT right now and this makes it an excellent target for rental scams. Follow the above tips and you should be able to avoid most of the rental scams out there.