POTENTIAL property tenants in North Yorkshire lose hundreds of pounds through rental property scams.

Potential tenants in North Yorkshire have been scammed after making contact with private landlords who have advertised their properties on Facebook.

Scammers used the Covid-19 pandemic as an excuse for the tenant being unable to view the property in person and instead sent photos.

The scam victims have then paid hundreds of pounds in advance rent, without receiving the keys and the landlord has then cut all contact.

Kevin Ross, North Yorkshire Police Financial Investigator, said: "This is a tactic we saw used a few years ago but then it seems to have had a resurgence with scammers finding yet another way to take advantage of the current situation with Covid-19.

"Not only has it already resulted in victims losing hundreds of pounds but it’s also meant that in some cases they have been left with nowhere to live, having given notice to move out of their current properties."

North Yorkshire police have advised that when dealing with a private landlord, never pay any money until you’ve made the following checks:

Visit and inspect the property in person, ask to see the landlord’s Land Registry papers to prove ownership, ask for the landlord’s photo ID to check they are who they say they are, and ask for copies of tenancy agreements and safety certificates such as Gas Electricity or HMO licence.

If the landlord asks you to transfer money to a bank account that is not in their name, this is likely to be a scam. 

If you have been the victim of rental fraud, call 101 to report this to the police.