Rental Scams Fall and How to Avoid Them

When looking for an apartment, most likely you are bound to come across rental scams. The last thing you want is to fall for them. Scam artists seem to take advantage of desperate prospective tenants who have no idea what they are getting themselves into. All that matters to them is getting a house, not the process. We have heard of cases where someone you know got corned, yet they never thought of themselves in such a situation. Ignorance can be expensive. Having the ability to spot a rental scam will save you much frustration and possible money loss. 

 

The following are some of the ways to spot a rental scam

1. Deal too good

The first thing that hits more first-time tenants once they get that cheap perfect house, is to pay and move in immediately. They don’t know that such rushed decisions could be the biggest mistake they ever made. There is more to getting a house than spotting and paying for it. You should consider researching before making payments for any house you are interested in. 

2. Paying without Meeting Anyone or Seeing the Property

It is unlikely for a  genuine agent to ask you to pay for something you have not seen. This means that if anyone asks you to pay for a house before seeing it, you should get concerned. This could be the scammer who is only after your money. Do not rely on photos, anyone can present photos and claim to be renting the place. Visit the site or the apartment first before paying for it

3. High Deposit Fees

If a landlord charges a high deposit that is even above the approved amount by the government, then this could be a trap. Do not pay the deposit or better research before you do any transactions. 

4. The Landlord Seems in a Hurry  to Lease the House

If you are looking for a house and you get to meet the landlord, he will want to know a bit about your background, where you work, your marital status or even check your criminal record.  When a landlord is not interested in any of that, then you should have questions about him. Also, if he seems eager to lease the house, try to pause the process and do research.

 

5. No Lease

Scammers will always try to get you to pay for the house without signing a lease letter. This trick seems to work on first-timers seems they have no idea what to expect while getting into a house. Making verbal agreements with the landlord will only get you into trouble, given the fact that there is no solid proof to show you paid for the house or you had an agreement

6. You Don’t Need a Lawyer

Indeed, you don’t need a lawyer to go through a lease agreement, but it is up to you to get one or not. But it is different when a landlord insists that you do not need a lawyer to approve the lease document. This is a sign that the land is not genuine and has no clear intentions. It could be that he just wants the money and run away because the property is not his or maybe he has already leased it to someone else. 

 

When searching for a house, do not ignore any suspicions, no matter how minor they are. Your instincts never lie. If you ever fall for a rental scam, visit the nearest police station and give all the information you can. This could help in getting the scammer, prevent other people from getting into such traps or even get back your property. You can also avoid rental scams by using Commercial Property Kenya the certified real estate agents.