By when renting student accommodation in Edinburgh
Edinburgh is a popular city for students to study, and the student accommodation market is highly competitive. With high demand for property in Edinburgh, there are many opportunities for scammers to take advantage of students looking for flats and shared rooms in the area. One Edinburgh University student has been left in the red after falling for a rental scam and is now warning others to be wary of online fraudsters.
Edinburgh student accommodation for a master’s degree in social work this year, and quickly found the local housing market was difficult to navigate. She decided to look for a room on Facebook groups dedicated to flat sharing and house hunting. Liza saw an advertisement for a flat in Old Fishmarket Close, which seemed perfect for her needs. She replied to the advert and was put in touch with the landlord by text message.
The landlord, who was not named, asked Liza to pay a deposit upfront so that she could rent out the property. The landlord claimed they would not be able to rent out the room to anyone else until she received payment. The landlord then requested a further payment of PS1,000 before Liza could move in, and said that she would not accept any other offers for the flat.
Be wary of online scams when renting student accommodation in Edinburgh
Unscrupulous rental fraudsters know that edinburgh student flats are keen to find a home and may be more willing to trust strangers who advertise on social media platforms. They will often use new Facebook accounts and questionably low prices for a good quality property. They will also often claim that they are unable to meet face-to-face for viewings as they are out of town.
Students should be especially wary of anyone who asks them to transfer money before they can view a flat. Legitimate landlords will never request any money before a viewing has taken place, and will not be pressuring a student into handing over funds. If a student becomes suspicious of an advert they should search online for the landlord or letting agent to see if any previous tenants have been the victim of fraud.
It is important that students report any incidents of rogue landlords to the police, and the Advice Place can help victims who are struggling with the financial consequences of being ripped off by scammers. It is a criminal offence and the reporting of incidents can help to stop other people from becoming victims in future.
The Advice Place provides free, confidential and non-judgemental advice on a range of issues including debt, welfare benefits and legal matters. If you need support, please contact us or visit one of our drop-in sessions at the Advice Centre, The Mall, St Andrews, or call 0844 884 4440. We can offer face-to-face and telephone appointments, and we also have an online service where you can chat to a trained advisor at any time of day or night. You can also find out more about how to protect yourself against fraud on the Action Fraud website.