Expert Realtors in North Battleford, SK

RENTAL SCAMS | What you need to know There has been fraudulent rental listings using photos from active or recently sold listings. Fraudsters posing as landlords have been targeting hopeful tenants by creating fake listings. The “landlord” does not own the property. ‼️How it happens: ➡️First, The fraudster asks the tenants to sign a fake lease agreement and send a payment, to cover rent for the first month and provide a security deposit. ➡️Then, Once the payment is received the fraudulent landlord disappears and either the victim does not receive access to the property ➡️Sometimes, in some extreme cases, a locksmith is contacted who grants access to the property causing issues for both the victim of the fraudulent rental agreement and the actual property owners. 4 TIPS FOR TENANTS 👇 1- Meet the landlord in person (being unavailable to meet in person is a significant red flag) or at least via phone call. 2- Always inspect the property first and ensuring that the address represents the actual property. 3- Being wary if the landlord requests money right away, without doing a background check or having a formal rental agreement in place. Security deposits and rental payments should never be paid until you have seen the rental property. 4- Ensure that the rental price is in keeping with the going rate in the area. As with many other types of scams, if something seems too good to be true it generally is.