Gardaí in Clare are warning renters not to be tricked into paying a deposit for a property that doesn’t exist or has already been rented.
It follows a report from a woman in Shannon, who made contact with an agent through whatsapp, after seeing a seasonal rental property advertised online.
The woman made a substantial payment for a deposit on the property into a French bank account, bit once the payment went through, she could no longer contact the agent.
Clare’s Crime Prevention Officer, Sergeant Triona Brooks says the woman has reported the incident to the bank, but no refund has been made to date. Sergeant Brooks has this advice for renters.
· Do your homework – look at the average rent price in the area and if the rent is unusually low and it seems too good to be true it usually is.
· Use online maps to double check that the property being advertised actually exists and is at the stated address.
· Keep copies of all correspondence between yourself and the advertiser, including bank details and the advertisement itself.
· Use legitimate well-known rental agencies where possible and don’t hand over any money until you have seen the property and are happy with its condition. Once satisfied use a cheque or bank draft to pay the deposit.
· Don’t make any payments until you have been given the keys and signed the rental contract. Always check that the keys fit in the lock.
