Rental Scams and How to Avoid Them

Rental scams, unfortunately, are a thing. They can and sadly do happen more often than we’d like, and as demand for rental homes increases, sadly so do the scams. So, let’s look at these rental scams and how to avoid them.

Rental demand and rental scams

It’s easy to understand why some renters in need of a place to live might turn to social media platforms in a bid to find a rental property. Especially when there doesn’t seem to be much available elsewhere.

The latest Office for National Statistics figures show average UK monthly private rents rose by 3.5% in the 12 months to April 2026, reaching £1,381. In England, annual rent inflation was highest in the North East at 6.5%, while London was lower at 2.0%.

That means pressure in the rental market is still real, even if the pattern of rent growth has changed since earlier reports.

The Home Office warned in its ‘Think Fraud’ campaign that people aged 18 to 39 account for nearly three quarters of rental fraud reports.

How to spot rental scams

Be alert to false listings. This is where someone uses pictures from a real property listing, pretending it is there to rent.

The scammer could be someone who has gained access to the property. Disgruntled tenants about to move out or individuals who set up unsupervised viewings sometimes create these situations. Sometimes, individuals use holiday rentals for a short period to create a fake listing.

Then, they promote fake adverts. Or these people respond to people who are putting a ‘shout out’ on social media that they are looking for a place to rent.

They aim to trick you into paying a holding deposit in advance of viewing the property.

Rental fraud often works by persuading tenants to pay upfront for a property that does not exist, has already been rented, or has been offered to multiple victims.

Before handing over any money, thoroughly research the advert, the agency, the landlord and the property itself.

This includes checking if the agent is a member of a redress or client money protection scheme. Which varies across the devolved nations of the UK.

They also recommend using review sites and the internet to verify the legitimacy of the property and the agent.

Looking for a Propertymark-protected agent is a one-stop shop for verification. All Propertymark Protected Letting Agents must meet a high set of criteria above what the current law demands.

Ensure you see the Propertymark logo, which all member agents must display.

Look for the signs that you might be dealing with a rental scam.

The rental scams listing contains errors

The old phased ‘material information’ guidance that many agents followed has now been withdrawn, but letting agents still have a legal duty not to leave out important information from a listing. The Government’s guidance for lettings professionals says tenants must be given the information legally required about the property and other material information.

Therefore, a property listed for rent should clearly tell you key information such as:

• Council tax and domestic rates
• Check the rental amount (in numbers), including when and how to pay it
• Verify if you need to pay a holding deposit. How much, and it must reflect the nature of occupancy (i.e. per room or per person)
• Tenancy deposit – how much, and it must reflect the nature of occupancy (i.e. per room or person)
• Accurately describe the type of property
• List how many and the type of rooms
• Utilities in use
• If there is parking, and the type of parking
• Other information specific to the property (for example, building safety, any restrictions, flood risk, etc.)

Listings should be presented professionally and clearly. So be alert to listings with typos, spelling mistakes, excessive punctuation, missing pictures, and key (material) information.

Also, consider it a potential red flag if a property appears multiple times or seems vague.

If your alarm bells have rung, check online to see if similar pictures are on other websites. A reverse image search is still one of the simplest ways to sense-check a suspicious advert.

How to run a reverse image search

Use a reverse image search to identify photographs that someone has used before. To do this, you simply right-click with your mouse on the image and select ‘Search image with Google’ or ‘Search the web for image’.

On your phone, you can do this by clicking on the 3 dots and selecting the I for information about the image. This way, you can find out if the images and the advertisement itself already exist elsewhere. If you notice the same images in a listing for a flat in Manchester and another in London on various websites, you’re likely dealing with a scammer.

The rental price seems too good to be true

Scammers often use attractive prices to lure potential victims. So, if a rental price is significantly lower than other listings in the same area, be cautious.

Doing your research on local housing market data is important. It can help you get a clear picture of the rental prices in your area. 

Be cautious if the rental property appears on unknown websites

While not all listings on unknown websites, forums or social media are scams. These platforms are an obvious place for fraudsters.

You might have come across a message yourself before from someone you know: “Does anyone know of any places to rent, as I’m struggling to find something?” Scammers are often quick to reply to these kinds of messages, so be very wary.

Established property portals and letting agents’ websites are more than likely trustworthy.

It’s advisable to use a regulated and qualified letting agent that adheres to a code of standards, such as Propertymark. As mentioned before, look for the logo that all Propertymark member agents display.

Not being able to view the rental property

Always insist on a physical or virtual viewing before committing. If a landlord or agent makes excuses as to why they can’t show you the property in advance. Don’t hand over your money or sign anything.

Checking out the property yourself means you can verify its condition. You can ask questions and get a feel for the local area.

However, even if you arrange a viewing and bring someone along for safety, you should still proceed with caution. As mentioned before, scammers might have access to the property.

There’s no rental screening process

Landlords and agents must conduct tenant screenings during their official tenancy onboarding process..

If they don’t request a rental credit check or other rental checks, ask why. If they don’t see a ‘need,’ stay alert to the possibility of a rental scam.

Stay cautious if someone pressures you to pay quickly

Committing to a place to rent is not something to take lightly. However, it can be pressured when demand is high. That said, you should never be pressured or rush into paying a deposit.

Scammers often use urgency to trick victims into paying without proper verification. They might use sentences like; “if you drop me the deposit, I’ll drop the keys off for you.”

Not meeting in person

A genuine landlord or agent should be willing to meet with you. If they avoid personal meetings, they might be hiding something. If an in-person meeting isn’t possible, a virtual meeting should be offered.

No lease agreement

Always insist on a formal written agreement or written tenancy information.

When you rent a home in the UK, having a written record of the agreement is really important. This is a document that lists all the important details about renting the property. Like how much rent you need to pay, when to pay it, and the key terms of the tenancy. It helps make everything clear for both you (the tenant) and the landlord, so everyone knows what’s expected.

If you rent privately in England, most tenants now have assured periodic tenancies under the Renters’ Rights Act. For new tenancies created on or after 1 May 2026, landlords must give tenants certain written information about the key terms of the tenancy.

For example, as a tenant, it guarantees your right to live there while the tenancy continues under the law. This means that for the landlord, they can ask you to leave only by following the correct legal process if you don’t follow the agreement. The agreement also explains who should do what. Like fixing things in the house, or if you’re allowed to let someone else live there. If there’s ever a disagreement, having this agreement in writing is useful because it shows exactly what was agreed.

No tenancy deposit scheme

In the UK, landlords must be part of a registered tenancy deposit scheme.

Be sure to verify this after you have paid a tenancy deposit. In England and Wales, the landlord or agent must protect the deposit and give you the required information within 30 days. A holding deposit is different, and can be taken before the tenancy is agreed, but it is still capped at one week’s rent in England.

What to do if you are a victim of rental scams

If you’ve become a victim of a rental scam and you’ve lost money because of this, you should report it to the police and/or Action Fraud.

Provide as much detail as possible, including any communication and documentation you’ve had with the scammer.

Notify the listing platform

If you were scammed via a listing, then notify the website or other platform where you initially saw the listing. So they can also take appropriate action.

Final words on rental scams

Rental scams can be avoided with vigilance and awareness. Always trust your instincts and conduct thorough checks before committing to any form of rental agreement. Remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Stay safe and informed in your rental search and always use a reputable letting agent.

Last Updated: June 17th, 2026