Tenancy Fraud – Where the Scammers Operate and What They Do

A leading tenant-referencing PropTech firm warns that the lettings industry is facing a growing threat from fraud in tenancy applications. Their research reveals that around 60 percent of rental fraud cases reported in 2024 involved false income documents or stolen identities, with fraudsters increasingly using fabricated bank statements and employment references to secure tenancies.

Landlords and agents are being urged to tighten their referencing procedures and embrace robust digital identity verification tools to safeguard against such scams.
Source: Letting Agent Today

Tenancy fraud doesn’t just affect agents — it puts landlords at financial risk and undermines tenant safety. Here’s what can go wrong:

• Rent arrears: Fraudulent tenants may have no intention or ability to pay rent long-term, resulting in unpaid rent and legal costs to recover possession.
• Illegal subletting or criminal activity: Fraudsters may use the property for illegal purposes or sublet it to unsuspecting individuals, creating compliance and legal risks.
• Property damage: Individuals who gain access fraudulently may not respect the property, leading to significant repair bills.
• Eviction delays: If a tenancy is granted to someone using false documents, recovering possession can be a lengthy and costly legal process.
• Loss of insurance cover: If insurers discover that due diligence was not followed, some claims may be denied.

At My Landlord Cares, we take tenancy fraud seriously because it harms both landlords and tenants. Our approach includes:

✅ Robust referencing protocols – All applicants go through thorough credit, income, employment, and ID checks.
✅ Digital ID verification – We use advanced PropTech to catch fake documents before they become a problem.
✅ Ongoing monitoring – We stay connected with local authorities, the NRLA, and other key partners to keep our fraud prevention methods current.

We’re committed to protecting your property, your income, and your peace of mind.

This blog post includes reproduced content from “Tenancy fraud – where the scammers operate and what they do,” published on Letting Agent Today in January 2025. Authored by Letting Agent Today News Desk. All credit and rights remain with the original publisher. https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/