Trade body to meet with Gumtree over ‘fake lettings ads’ scandal

Trade body to meet with Gumtree over ‘fake lettings ads’ scandal


Todays other news


The internet classified listings service Gumtree will meet with the Residential Landlords Association to discuss scams in which fraudsters posing as landlords demand cash for viewings.

Letting Agent Today carried a report on the problem last month

The RLA has issued a warning over the online advertisements which often include cloned logos which can superficially give a level of authority to the display.

 

The ads typically show well-located and competitively-priced apartments, but often with the landlord apparently living overseas. 

When prospective tenants call to arrange a viewing they are typically told that they must provide a deposit to secure even a viewing – the so-called landlord or agent acting on their behalf then, predictably, does not show and the payment is lost to the prospective tenant.

The RLA says anyone caught up in a scam of this kind should telephone 0300 123 2040.

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