The National Landlords Association (NLA) is alerting all students who will be starting their university life in the UK to be wary of scammers.
As students rush to get a place to stay, they are susceptible to being scammed. According to a recent report by propertywire.com, "A lot of swindlers operate online to lure students into paying an advance fee for property reservations." These scammers use NLA letters as if these documents come from NLA local representatives. Due to the reason that the students wants to have convenient spaces to live, they are easy targets to scammers.
The NLA have been receiving a lot of complaints from tenants every year about scammers who use the NLA name to deceive incoming tenants. Students from abroad who use the internet to secure available parcels are easy targets. When students have already paid the advance fee, the scammers become untraceable. As reported by propertywire.com, "The NLA is releasing guidelines on how to avoid fraud on online rental operations." The guidelines was drafted in correlation with the National Union of Students and the National Crime Agency.
It was also reported by landlordnews.co.uk that "NLA has advised online users to avoid sending money to anyone who makes advertisement online." It is also advised that students should be cautious by viewing the property first, and checking if the advertisement is authentic.
Furthermore, tenants are also notified to use deposit schemes that are approved by the government. Tenants should also verify the status of organizations in which the landlords claimed they are associated with.
In the case of overseas applicants looking for university or work accommodations, they should ask help from the university or the employer before they come to the UK. Proof such as safety certificates and tenancy agreements should be acquired and confirmed. This will prove that landlords have genuine legal connection with the property. As stated in a report by landlordnews.co.uk, "Tenants who fell victim to this kind of fraud should immediately contact the authorities and inform the UK police."