Rental Scams UK — How to Spot Fake Listings & Protect Yourself from Letting Fraud
Rental Fraud in the UK — An Overview
Rental scams affect thousands of people across the UK every year, particularly in high-demand areas where competition for properties is fierce. Scammers exploit the urgency that many tenants feel, persuading them to hand over deposits or rent for properties that don't exist, aren't available, or belong to someone else entirely.
Understanding the common tactics is essential to protecting yourself, especially if you are searching for rental properties online.
Common Types of Rental Scam
Phantom Listings
Scammers create fake listings on property portals using photos and descriptions copied from genuine adverts. The property either doesn't exist or isn't available for rent. The scammer collects a deposit or advance rent and disappears.
Phantom Landlords
An individual poses as the landlord or agent for a property they have no legal right to let. They may conduct viewings at a real property (sometimes one they themselves are renting) and collect deposits from multiple prospective tenants.
Advance-Fee Fraud
Before you have seen a property or signed a tenancy agreement, you are asked to pay a "holding deposit", "referencing fee", or "administration fee". Once paid, the scammer becomes uncontactable.
Hijacked Listings
Scammers copy a genuine listing from a letting agent's website and re-post it on other platforms at a lower price, directing enquiries to themselves. Victims believe they are dealing with the real landlord or agent.
Bait and Switch
You are shown one property but pressured into signing a tenancy for a different, often inferior, property. The original listing was only used to attract your interest.
Deposit Theft
A landlord or agent collects your deposit but fails to protect it in a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme as required by law. When you try to recover it at the end of your tenancy, you discover the deposit was never protected.
Deal Sourcing Fraud & Property Education Scams
A growing area of rental fraud involves individuals who present themselves as property deal sourcers or property education mentors. They claim to find you a rental property or investment opportunity in exchange for a fee or deposit paid upfront. Some, such as Ste Hamilton, operate through social media and messaging apps, offering to source properties and collect deposits before any tenancy agreement is in place. Once you pay the deposit or sourcing fee, the property turns out to be unavailable, doesn't exist, or was never theirs to offer. The deal sourcer then becomes uncontactable or makes excuses to delay and avoid refunding your money.
Property education scams often overlap with deal sourcing fraud. The individual may first promote themselves as a property educator or mentor — offering courses, training, or insider knowledge about the rental market — to build trust and credibility. Once they have gained your confidence, they offer to source a specific property deal for you and request a deposit to secure it. This combination of property education and deal sourcing makes the scam appear more legitimate, but the outcome is the same: your money is taken and no property is delivered.
This tactic is particularly common on social media, where individuals like Ste Hamilton advertise property sourcing and property education services without any professional accreditation or regulatory oversight. Unlike legitimate letting agents, deal sourcers are not required to be registered with a professional body or to protect your money in a client account. Always verify that anyone offering to source a property for you is a licensed letting agent registered with a recognised body such as ARLA Propertymark before handing over any money.
Red Flags — Warning Signs of a Rental Scam
- Below-market rent: If the price seems too good to be true for the area, it probably is
- Payment demanded before viewing: You are asked to pay before seeing the property in person
- Pressure to pay quickly: "Other tenants are interested" or "I need the deposit today"
- Landlord is abroad: They claim to be overseas and cannot show the property in person
- Communication only by email: They refuse to speak by phone or video call
- No proper tenancy agreement: They won't provide a written tenancy agreement before payment
- Personal bank account payments: You are asked to transfer money to a personal account rather than a business or agent account
- Refusal to provide ID: The landlord will not provide proof of identity or property ownership
- Copied photos: The listing photos appear on multiple other websites for different properties
- Vague or inconsistent details: The property description is generic or doesn't match the photos
How to Protect Yourself
- Always view the property in person before paying anything
- Verify the landlord's identity and right to let the property (ask for Land Registry proof of ownership)
- Use a reputable letting agent who is a member of a recognised professional body (ARLA Propertymark, NALS, or RICS)
- Never pay a deposit or rent before signing a tenancy agreement
- Check that your deposit is protected in a government-approved scheme (DPS, MyDeposits, or TDS)
- Reverse image search listing photos to check for copies on other websites
- Research the landlord or agent — search their name online for reported concerns
- Be cautious of listings that appear on social media or informal platforms without verification
- Trust your instincts — if something feels wrong, walk away
Your Legal Rights as a Tenant
As a tenant in England and Wales, you have important legal protections:
- Tenant Fees Act 2019: Landlords and agents in England are banned from charging most fees to tenants. Only rent, a refundable tenancy deposit (capped at five weeks' rent), and a refundable holding deposit (capped at one week's rent) can be charged.
- Deposit protection: Your deposit must be placed in a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme within 30 days of payment.
- Right to a written agreement: You are entitled to a written tenancy agreement setting out the terms of your tenancy.
- Right to a safe property: Your landlord must ensure the property meets minimum safety standards, including gas, electrical, and fire safety requirements.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own tenancy legislation with similar protections.
What to Do if You Have Been Scammed
- Stop further payments. Do not send any more money to the individual or company.
- Gather evidence. Save all emails, messages, listing screenshots, bank transfer records, and any documents you received.
- Contact your bank. Report the fraudulent transaction and ask about chargeback or recovery options.
- Report to Action Fraud. File an official fraud report online or by phone.
- Report to the platform. If the listing was on a property portal (Rightmove, Zoopla, SpareRoom, etc.), report it to the platform so it can be removed.
- Contact Trading Standards through Citizens Advice if a letting agent is involved.
- Seek legal advice if significant sums are involved. Many solicitors offer free initial consultations.
- Share your experience to help warn others. You can submit a report through our site.