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KEYWORD "Scam" - 64 RESULTS
Companies House clampdown on dodgy agents’ data and information

Companies House has new powers from this week to combat fraud. These are measures under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act...

05 March 2024

From: Breaking News

Rental scams could soar as AI spreads, warns industry figure

A prominent industry expert says lettings agents and other property sector insiders should be extra-vigilant over cybersecurity breaches. Neil Cobbold, managing director...

12 February 2024

From: Breaking News

Tenants Scammed - new guidelines for agents to give renters

Propertymark is telling member agents to be aware of potential risks and help educate tenants to lookout for common scams, especially...

04 January 2024

From: Breaking News

Agent Alert - Housing Ombudsman warns of scams across sector

The Housing Ombudsman - currently active in the social housing sector but tipped to take a wider role involving private renting...

29 December 2023

From: Breaking News

Good News - More landlords instruct letting agents

Increasing numbers of landlords are considering instructing lettings agents for the first time because of increased red tape and the complexity...

29 September 2023

From: Breaking News

Scams expert joins board of The Property Ombudsman

The Head of the National Trading Standards Scams Team is one of two new non-executive directors at The Property Ombudsman. Louise Baxter...

12 September 2023

From: Breaking News

Fraud alert for fake properties issued by classified ad website

The classified ad website Gumtree is issuing an alert about what it claims is the growing threat of rental fraud. It says...

05 September 2023

From: Breaking News

Fake Agents and Landlords - renters face fraud threats online

New figures suggest soaring numbers of tenants are at risk from criminals taking advantage of the tough rental market. Scammers place fake...

22 August 2023

From: Breaking News

Self-managing landlords ready to instruct agents - new report

The majority of private landlords would consider switching to a letting agency because of the current complexity of buy to let.  A...

09 March 2023

From: Breaking News

Airbnb issues consumer warning about scams

Short lets platform Airbnb - increasingly used by landlords acting as hosts - has issued a warning to consumer users about...

30 January 2023

From: Breaking News

Call for more due diligence after rogue letting agent jailed

Trading Standards is calling for more due diligence checks to be made following the jailing of a rogue letting agent for...

31 August 2022

From: Breaking News

PropTech required to slash risk of fraud, letting agents told

Letting agents have been told they must have the right technology to reduce the risk of fraud. Olly Thornton-Berry, co-founder of risk...

09 June 2022

From: Breaking News

Property Fraud - Agents have key role to deter crime

An hour-long webinar this week aims to inform agents how to deter property fraud by greater emphasis on compliance, due diligence...

24 January 2022

From: Breaking News

Don't use social media to find rental properties - warning to tenants

A leading lettings agent has warned tenants against using social media to find rental properties.  David Alexander - head of DJ Alexander,...

06 January 2022

From: Breaking News

Scam using Facebook Marketplace sees tenants lose thousands

A scam in one city has reportedly seen scores of individuals robbed of thousands of pounds as short lets have been...

18 November 2021

From: Breaking News

Why is tenancy fraud on the rise?

More and more people are committing tenancy fraud and it’s having a massive impact on the industryAs a lettings agency, you...

07 October 2021

From: Proptech & Innovation

Student rents rise a fifth in just one year, says bank study

Student rent has increased almost 20 per cent over the last year.  In data released as part of the 2021 NatWest Student...

05 August 2021

From: Breaking News

Agents Beware - Rental fraud on the rise, alleges due diligence firm

There’s a new warning the rental fraud could be on the rise. Due diligence firm Homeppl says the combination of possible job...

23 July 2021

From: Breaking News

Agent spots illegal rental scam - and police refuse to get involved

A lettings agent has told the BBC that he has spotted illegal rental scams using online platforms, but the police have...

28 June 2021

From: Breaking News

Beware of property and other investment scams - warning

The Citizens Advice consumer charity is warning that fake investment scams are amongst the fraudulent activity that’s on the rise across...

23 June 2021

From: Breaking News

Online agency’s new guide to avoid tenants falling victim of scams

The online lettings platform Mashroom has set out a list of guidelines it’s offering to prospective tenants to avoid them falling...

04 June 2021

From: Breaking News

Trading Standards urges agents to watch out for scams

The National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agents Team is appealing to the industry to be eagle-eyed for scams. This follows the...

22 February 2021

From: Breaking News

Don’t get scammed - police force warns about bogus property ads

A police force is warning potential tenants to check before handing over money after scammers conned people into making rent pre-payments...

23 September 2020

From: Breaking News

Online rental platforms should do more to stop criminal scams - call

A new report demands that online rental platforms and portals allowing direct advertising by clients do more to deter fake landlords...

04 September 2020

From: Breaking News

Agents Beware: Hackers list fake flats on portals with agency branding

A series of fake scams allegedly advertising apartments to rent have appeared on Zoopla and other property websites. The Edinburgh Live news...

13 August 2020

From: Breaking News

Exposed - fake lettings agency with the Lithuanian connection

Which? is warning prospective renters to beware scam lettings agencies and scam landlords following a case where £5,600 was conned out...

03 August 2020

From: Breaking News

Agents Beware: DPS warns of fake email scam

The Deposit Protection Scheme is warning of a possible online scam affecting agents, landlords and tenants A statement on the DPS website...

05 May 2020

From: Breaking News

Sub-letting scams can be reduced by property visits, agents advised

An inventories supplier is advising that the growing number of sub-letting scams can be reduced by regular property visits by agents...

20 November 2019

From: Breaking News

Short lets offer opportunities for agents - but only if they’re regulated

The growing chorus of calls to professionalise the short lets sector has won influential backing from a senior PropTech entrepreneur. Neil Cobbold...

13 November 2019

From: Breaking News

Top agent urges Airbnb regulation to deter criminal activity

A leading London lettings agent wants increased regulation over Airbnb in a bid to deter criminal activity and anti-social behaviour. Martin Bikhit, managing...

07 November 2019

From: Breaking News

Agency compensates tenants and landlords after employee’s scam

Martin & Co says it has compensated clients fully after a rogue lettings agent in Cornwall added sums to invoices sent...

04 November 2019

From: Breaking News

Lord Alan Sugar’s ‘home’ used in Airbnb short let scam

Apprentice star Lord Alan Sugar has warned about the dangers of short let scams after an American family was apparently conned out...

22 October 2019

From: Breaking News

Sub-letting tenants caught on camera and to be on TV tonight

More nightmare tenants have been the subject of investigation in a Channel 5 TV programme to be shown this evening. In the...

17 June 2019

From: Breaking News

Rental fraud warning after shocking scam attempts

Prospective tenants are being warned about a fraud scam that cons people into paying an advance fee to rent a property. The...

04 April 2019

From: Breaking News

Guilty! Crooked lettings agent convicted of £20,000 fraud

A crooked lettings agent who illegally pocketed tenants’ deposits to pay for his gambling addiction and lavish lifestyle has been convicted...

24 December 2018

From: Breaking News

Agency in ‘viewing charges’ controversy has had protests in the past

Letting Agent Today can reveal that the agency at the centre of the scandal over alleged charges for viewings has been...

30 November 2018

From: Breaking News

Ghost Tenants Scam: huge fine for London managing agent

A managing agent who used ‘ghost tenants’ as a front so that she could cram 16 people into one overcrowded house...

16 October 2018

From: Breaking News

Will buy to let investors be lured by latest crowdfund investment site?

Propio, another crowdfunding platform, has launched with the ambitious claim of expecting returns from residential investments of between six and 15...

21 June 2018

From: Breaking News

Agency warns of fraud threat as scammers target Facebook groups

We’re grateful to The Property Group, an agency in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, for alerting us to an incident involving its Mayfair Town...

15 February 2018

From: Breaking News

Letting agents targeted by fraudulent email scammers

Mydeposits says it is aware of a new scam from what it calls “a fraudulent company” imitating mydeposits and getting in...

21 March 2017

From: Breaking News

4 Reasons Why Virtual Furnishing Really Is The Future

It seems prop-tech is exploding at a scary rate, and the latest brands are all trying to grab our attention by...

17 March 2017

From: Sponsored Content

Survey reveals tenants' shocking lack of knowledge about renting

A survey of 1,000 tenants and landlords has provided evidence of what many agents already know - that the growing complexity...

01 March 2017

From: Breaking News

Guarantee blue skies! Bad weather doesn’t mean bad photos when you use Doctor Photo

Annoying isn’t it. You take on a stunning property, agree a compelling asking price and your Vendor is desperate to get the...

02 February 2017

From: Sponsored Content

Jail sentences for fake letting agents after elaborate scam

Three men have received prison sentences of up to 28 months after a nationwide lettings scam was unearthed by trading standards...

20 October 2016

From: Breaking News

Agency staff member who stole £21,000 in deposits walks free from court

A Bairstow Eves letting agent who stole over £21,000 in tenants’ deposits over two years to pay her own payday loan...

05 October 2016

From: Breaking News

Unscrupulous letting agents to be named and shamed on TV

Channel 5 has commissioned a third series of Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords with eviction specialist Landlord Action at the heart of...

28 September 2016

From: Breaking News

Agent who stole thousands from clients has sentence appeal dismissed

A letting agent who stole more than £400,000 from clients has had her sentence appeal dismissed by judges. Amy Williams, who part-owned Williams...

19 September 2016

From: Breaking News

Have you been scammed by fake 'Red Brick Estate' letting agent?

The Thames Valley Police says it wants to speak to a man in connection with an investigation in which a number of...

30 August 2016

From: Breaking News

Lifting the Lid on Deposit Disputes

Our latest infographic shows figures of how the majority of deposits are repaid at the end of tenancy and goes into...

05 August 2016

From: Sponsored Content

Fake letting agent jailed after swindling landlords and tenants

A man who posed as a letting agent to swindle landlords and tenants has been jailed for just over two years.   Legal...

02 August 2016

From: Breaking News

ARLA steps up call for agents' compulsory accreditation to combat fraud

ARLA is stepping up its call for letting agents to have professional qualifications in a bid to combat fraud.   In a contribution...

13 July 2016

From: Breaking News

A message to the public: Speak out against rogue letting agents

The Local Government Association, representing 370 councils across England and Wales, is calling on the public to speak out against rogue...

11 July 2016

From: Breaking News

Long prison sentence for letting agent guilty of con trick

  A letting agent who scammed dozens of tenants and landlords out of more than £220,000 of rents and deposits has been...

29 June 2016

From: Breaking News

Rightmove site given go-ahead after experts investigate lettings scam

Security experts interviewed by ITV London have given the green light to the Rightmove site after it was apparently being used...

18 March 2016

From: Breaking News

Trade body to meet with Gumtree over 'fake lettings ads' scandal

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

07 March 2016

From: Breaking News

Industry group asks Gumtree to issue public warning over letting scams

An industry body has asked classified listings online service Gumtree to issue its users clear warnings about possible scams involving fake...

19 February 2016

From: Breaking News

Sub-letting scams up as landlord possessions reach record high

The total number of evictions last year reached a record high of 42,728 according to data from the Ministry of Justice.  Whilst...

16 February 2016

From: Breaking News

Warning against falling for stamp duty surcharge 'avoidance' scam

The Residential Landlords Association is warning private investors not to be lured by firms offering schemes which allegedly promise to help...

09 February 2016

From: Breaking News

Warning that latest HMO reforms will not stop sub-letting scams

The specialist eviction company Landlord Action says it is in full support of the government’s latest proposal to crack down on...

11 November 2015

From: Breaking News

Newspaper exposes scam 'London Home Let' agency website

The Mirror has exposed what it believes is a scam letting agency website attempting to get would-be renters to part with...

11 November 2015

From: Breaking News

Agency warns about prime central London sub-letting scams

A prime central London letting agency says there has been a rise in the number of subletting scams in that part...

02 October 2015

From: Breaking News

Warning to students to avoid scam online agents and landlords

New student tenants have been urged to be vigilent and not fall victim to fake online letting agents and landlords. The National...

04 September 2015

From: Breaking News

TV must-watch: programme exposes sub-letting scam

Channel 5’s Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords programme, now in its fourth week, this evening looks at a serial bad tenant and...

15 July 2015

From: Breaking News

Sub-letting scams to be exposed on TV tomorrow

Channel 5 tomorrow airs the first episode of Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords, a six-part series which starts with the story of...

23 June 2015

From: Breaking News

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