Updating post from Reddit.
I am looking to rent in London for 6months and landlords wants a deposit before viewing as he says he has got a lot of interest due to the location.
He’s sent a reassurance letter he wants me to sign then pay deposit becomes viewing, is this normal?
The property was originated posted by a former flatmate who is looking to move out and then he gave me the landlords contact details.
Sounds very dodgy - do not pay.
Don't pay it's not normal
Want to echo other comments. Don't pay you are not getting that back
Not only are you not getting that back, but £50 says that this isn't the landlord and the property is not actually on the market. If you pay, nobody will turn up to show you around, and you'll probably meet a couple of tenants/homeowners who are pretty irate about the number of idiots who keep banging on their door expecting a viewing.
Yeah, seen this go around a couple of times on subs like these.
Its a real shame people are so dire for houses as it leads to scams like the above.
Plus it appears likely that's more then a week's rent for a holding deposit 🧐
Absolute not lol. Start putting their email on as many sex mailing lists as possible
Nice scam here
Name and shame the agency please. It’s incredibly important that unethical practices are brought to light, so that others can avoid them in future.
If you suspect this is fraudulent, report them to Action Fraud. You can’t play nice with these folks - they only understand short sharp shocks.
You can't shame the agency. It doesn't exist.
Straight to action fraud then!
"Insufficient evidence to proceed"
It’s always worth making a report. Others may also have done so and therefore puts the suspects front and centre.
Action fraud is not interested unless you have lost money. I know as I have tried to report scams in the past.
Funny. I’ve definitely reported multiple rental scams to them and they’ve taken it very seriously
Or they spoke to you as they would. Are you aware of any follow up?
No, this is a very common scam. Never, ever part with money ahead of viewing for any reason.
No, it’s forbidden under the Tenancy Fees Act. They can only collect a deposit once you’ve confirmed you’re interested in the property want want to go forward, and even then that’s limited to a one-week holding deposit (and five weeks of rent once tenancy checks have passed and after you’ve signed the tenancy agreement).
The bad english in the contract alone would send me running. The 800 deposit for merely viewing the property is entirely unreasonable, even if turned out to be legitimate.
Move on to something else.
Not just unreasonable. Illegal.
Jesus's... £800.
Imagine that he has 10 people wanting to view the property.
I would definitely stay away from this.
Unless this is from a legit estate agency, it is likely fraudulent
Doesn’t matter who it is. It’s illegal, plain & simple.
No, common scam.
Run. It's against the law to charge a holding deposit of more than a week's rent.
It’s also against the law to charge a holding deposit to view the property, it can only be charged once both parties want to go forward with renting.
No this is certainly not normal and a reputable landlord/agent would not ask for it. The reference to custodians looks like bulls**t to me, landlord and tenant law has no provision for custodians. You should not take this any further and block their number.
If you went and knocked on the door probably be an unknown person who knows nothing of it. Reverse image search the pictures and you will probably find there stolen off another site .
Not at all. They tried to pull this scam once when I was new to the country and desperate for housing. Almost fel for it.
A very common scam, sadly
This is a scam. No landlord will ortshould ask your for deposit before viewing. There are a lot of housing scams out there. Please do not part with any money until the landlord has taken you to the property and opened the door for you to have a look inside the property.
If you’re tempted, just remember: scammers don’t do refunds.
Scam
It's a scam. if you pay this, you will be in no position to get anything back.
This is a known scam where they get a few people to do the same thing to view the same property (property is real) scammer is fake agent. You view the property and the genuine people don’t even know who you are or where your money is..
Nobody is going to even commit to renting their rooms or house to someone they haven't even met. So even someone just offering you the place without meeting you in person is a scam indicator. Walk away.
Red flag!!
sounds like a scam
Nope it’s likely a scam
No. Do not pay anything until you have a signed Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement from the actual landlord (or via an agent with authority to do this). The true landlord is the property owner. Many tenants subletting illegally at present.
Nope.It's a scam
Nah call police
This is a scam...
This is definitely a scammer. They get you to pay before viewing because they can't do after because they do not own or have access to the property.
They aren't even in the area. They are in some African or Asian country in a room full of scammers and this is their full time job. When you pay the deposit they will disappear and you'll never see that money again.
Oh yeah the flatmate is in on the scam too.
My wife 8 years ago paid deposit for a London flat. She didn’t get it back nor did she view the house.
good on you for checking here first.. how did you find this place? website? fb group etx? put a comment if you can trekking others it is a scam. so others dont lose out.
report to police and maybe ch4 or bbc as they did a programme on this a year or so back.
It’s on an app called MatesPlace people either tenants or landlords put spare rooms they want to lease or rent
no
No not normal at all
NOT A CHANCE So many questions. Payment in £ bit using Z’s is. Or the usual grammar. Never pay anyone anything until you have seen the property. This is a total scam and they’re either subletting or they have their story wonky. Steer clear! I’m in the process of going through referencing but my guarantor is on his holidays but I’ve paid my deposit already but I’ve seen the flat and he turned up on time and I e checked their Companies a house accounts because I am so scared of being scammed. So shady xx good luck
AND there is no headed logo paper or any reference to companies house or the FDA. Please do not pay this
No, it's very unusual. I have been a landlord and a tenant.
There are other places that you will find - con artists prey on the desperate.
Is it CityRooms? If yes, avoid them like the plague.
Nope, my experience with letting agencies was that we had to pay them ( and other potential renters too) a none refundable fixed fee for dealing with our application which contained a credit search. The landlord then chose which potential tenant they wanted, then we paid a deposit upon signing for the tenancy
no! Don't pay
Scam, not how deposits work….
No. It’s a common scam
Classic scam. Avoid
It’s an American scheme. It’s how Americans sell houses.
They have this kind of bullshit. You will also end up paying their seller a commission.
Avoid like the plague.
Ok thanks it that a former flatmate advertised the place on a house share app so thought it was legit why would they advertise a scam if they do ibex there before and have contact with the landlord
Fuck paying before viewing, that's insane.
All the red flags are there
That sounds like the former tennant is trying to get his deposit back without going through the landlord. Which would mean you are liable for any damage that may have occurred whilst said tennant was living there.
It’s likely not even that. This is a common scam. There is no available property at all. Someone has chosen a random property and is pretending to rent it out, gathering the £800 “deposit” from desperate and/or naive people and then ghosting them. If you showed up at the actual address, you’d probably find a confused and irritated homeowner or tenant who has no idea what you’re talking about.
No
Do not pay, there is no reason for it, if you do pay most likely it will take months to get it back.
If they are insistent on it ask why, is the house worth millions, is there valuable items around that may get damaged.
Most likely its for "Land Lords time". I'm a landlord and never had to do this.
Common SCAM do not pay anything before viewing and signing a contract / collecting keys
Don’t pay
Scam
Run….. away
No it's not. Walk away from it.
DO NOT PAY ONE PENNY. THIS IS SCREAMING SCAM!!
Ooh the title on its own sounds like a scam.
It's not normal at all, and do not. You pay a holding deposit, which is a small amount while checks, etc, are done. You only pay the 1st month rent and bond on the day of moving in
Nope, Ive never paid a deposit to view. Pass, there are lots of other options which doesn't need this
Nope
“On the spot” is not contractual language lol. Like they’ve not even been assed to use AI.
Obvious scam
Sounds like a deposit scam to me. Wouldn't trust it
Not normal but greedy landlords/agents sadly are more normalised than ever.
Im in America, but I paid for my place before ever viewing it. Its still the only place I’ve ever moved into that has roaches
One week possibly legal but questionable. More than one week illegal
Scam
Its a scam.
Fk that, forget it
scammiest of all scams, building either doesnt exist or its not even his property.
No, this is a scam. If you really had a popular property, you'd hold an open house or block viewings all on one day, 15 min apart. That way you get all those interested people through with the least hassle and impact on the current tenants (vs individual viewings spread out. Takes 3 messages and 15 min of your time. You wouldn't sit around signing reassurance letters and negotiating payments with all those people. Then refunding all the people you don't rent to.. all in hours of work.
Should be viewing > holding deposit (1 weeks) > referencing > contract & security deposit (5 weeks). You don't know you want to hold the place yet, what if you don't like it.
Thanks appreciate, just double checking thought it did seem unusual
Do not pay. It's a scam.
‘I’ve written it down’
Oh ok must be legit then
You are being scammed 💯
Very dodgy. US spelling of finalise and some grammatical errors all scream it's a scam. Do not hand over a single penny.
The the other obvious reason that it would be a fraud is that the argent's job is to secure the highest possible rent for the landlord, and putting high financial barriers down just for a viewing would be a breach of contract.
It will become normal if people agree to it, don’t do it…
Do not pay. Report to your local trading standards as appropriate
Sounds like an absolutely scum landlord. 😤 AVOID.
Scam. Don’t.
scam
before a viewing? absolutely not
Wouldn’t that count as a ‘holding deposit’ heard some people do it
you're going to view a property. you're not signing a lease.
thats like me going to a car dealer and giving them a deposit to test drive a car. thats ridiculous
I am a landlord, this is not normal.
Scam scam scam scam scam
It’s a pretty obvious scam. With the promise of the money being refunded to you for any reason it makes it seem safe but in fact you’ll likely never see that money again
Yeah walk away.
That’s the most BS thing anyone can pull. Red flags all over
I would say, sure, but because a lot of people have asked me for a deposit I'm going to need an £1800 deposit for my deposit providing services, which will 100% pinky promise be returned.
SCAM!
Scam
Illegal!
Unfortunately fell for something similar in a high-interest city when I was 19. Bank managed to reclaim half the money, but the house was owned outright and "landlord" blocked my number the second the transfer was complete. Avoid like plague
No. Never
He sent this in email: For safety and security purposes, I can provide you with a copy of my ID, a recent property utility bill, and a proof of private ownership certificate to confirm that I own the property.
Note that your deposit is fully refundable if you decide not to proceed with the rental after the viewing. Kindly let me know your decision as soon as possible, as it would be unfair to reject other potential candidates or not respond to them while I'm waiting for your decision.
Does it make it more trustworthy?
No...
Less. Dodgy ask + sense of urgency = do not proceed.
What's a proof of private ownership certificate and who issues them?
Exactly. It's total bullshit
Not to be dramatic but NONONONO. I had someone (many many years ago) pull this shit, they were asking for 800 upfront and I said no. My in-laws at the time said it was fine and gave me 200 to give as a compromise. They never got that 200 back, wished I trusted my gut but I was only 19.
No. It doesn't make it trustworthy. All those are bloody lies. Once you send the money, they will block you from being able to contact them again. Do not part with your money!
I can also provide you with a copy of somebody's ID and some documents I've knocked up on Photoshop. Can I have £800?
Ask for the certificates
If only so we can laugh at how poor they are