Tenants should avoid rental scams by asking for as much information as possible – and real landlords won’t mind.
That's according to RentDodo founder Conor McGarry amid an increase in fake lettings and rental scams.
RentDodo is a platform that allows both tenants and landlords to verify each other’s identities.
Mr McGarry said many people are not aware of the typical strategies of fake landlords.
“People might be not experienced with the process – newly arrived in Ireland or student who hasn't rented before,” he told The Pat Kenny Show. “They are more likely to fall for scams.”
There are several signs that a landlord and their letting are not what they seem, however.
“The classic scammers usually use pressure tactics on tenants,” he said. “Tenants should be aware your letting agent or landlord don’t use these tactics.
“If someone says give the deposit now before a view, that’s a red flag.
“Where you find these scammers, it’s not on the well-established platforms, it’s more like social media platforms that are unregulated where anyone can join and promote a property.”
Avoiding rental scams
When you get into contact with a potential landlord, there are more ways to verify their identity, according to Mr McGarry.
“Ask whether it’s a room or a full property, ask for ID,” he said.
“A genuine landlord won’t have a problem with that.
“If it’s a letting agent, they would have a PSR number [and] a full property to rent would have a PRS cert and that’s something you can look up.
“Look up the RTB website and see is there an existing lease to the property.”
You can also simply search the address to see if your potential letting is already an Airbnb, a classic rental scam tactic.
Always have a viewing
Mr McGarry said the worst mistake is to pay any money before a viewing.
“Never pay anything until the viewing,” he said.
“Maybe at the viewing, they can provide some proof like a tax receipt or bill.
“Never pay in cash [either] it might be a bit quaint, but paying by check or bank draft is still one of the safest ways.”
He said tenants should be able to use websites like daft.ie and social media platforms to look for lettings without the fear of a scam.
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