Gardaí are advising students to be wary of rental scams and have issued a warning to parents whose children are seeking accommodation prior to the start of a new third level academic year at TUS Midlands (Athlone ) campus in September.
Rental fraud occurs when a victim pays money to rent an accommodation (typically in the form of a deposit ) and subsequently discovers that the transaction was fraudulent.
The fraudster claims to be out of the country and cannot show the renter the property unless they pay a deposit. The victim pays the deposit and is then at the loss of the deposit.
The fraudster is living in the property and shows a number of people the property, gets a deposit from several people and then disappears with the money.
The transaction appears normal until the renter finds that the property doesn’t exist, is already occupied or the keys do not work and the landlord has disappeared. Reservation fraud occurs when a person pays for a hotel/guesthouse room and subsequently discovers that the transaction was fraudulent. For example, the property doesn’t exist or staff at the property have no record of the booking.
The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB ) has issued the following warning signs when looking for rented accommodation:
If the rent seems too good to be true, then it probably is.
The accommodation is only advertised through social media advertisements or the person letting the location will only communicate via Messenger or WhatsApp.
Knowledge of the accommodation came from an unsolicited contact / social media feed / pop-up advertisement or the contact appears to be based in another jurisdiction.
There is a sense of urgency to secure the accommodation by paying a deposit.
The listing contains grammar or spelling mistakes and/or there are very limited details or pictures of the property.
The landlord is unable to meet up to show you the property in person.
Payment is demanded before signing the lease.
You are asked to pay cash, cryptocurrency or money via a non-bank transfer.
Advice for those who are looking for accommodation
Do your own research, only use recognised letting agencies or deal with bona fide third party agencies, for example the College or Student Union.
Be careful of cloned websites. Ensure it is real; check the URL and look for the trust seals. Check the privacy policy, refunds policy and contact details.
Know your consumer rights.
If you have decided to take up an offer of accommodation, only use trusted money transfer systems. An Garda Síochána recommends using a credit card where possible.
Never agree to rent a property without first having the opportunity to view it.
Ensure that the keys work and you have proper contact details for the landlord/agent.
Ideally the property would be registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB ). This can be checked on www.rtb.ie Research the locale and what the average asking prices are for accommodation in the area.
Meet with the landlord for a tour of the accommodation. If this is not possible ask as many relevant and verifiable questions as possible.
Ask for the exact address and verify the existence of the property and check Google Maps to see that the property is the same as that advertised.
Scarcity of Rented Student Accommodation Locally
Reflecting the nationwide situation, there is a dearth of rented accommodation available to students attending the Athlone campus, TUS Students Union representatives are calling upon members of the local community to make immediate contact with the university if they have relevant accommodation available to house students this academic year.
Those who provide rental properties for students can earn up to €14,000 tax free with private houses, apartments, room(s ) with access to kitchen/bathroom and out of season bed and breakfast the modes of accommodation sought for new and returning scholars to the Athlone campus.
Home Away From Home
“When striving to find appropriate rental accommodation, students require a friendly, approachable landlord or property provider, accommodation in close proximity to the Athlone campus, transport availability in the area, own room with access to the bathroom, access to the kitchen and facilities, to pay reasonable rent, access to Wi-Fi and basic utilities and clear rules/boundaries from the start,” a TUS Students Union spokesperson stated this week.
