What to do if you’ve been scammed when renting student accommodation in Birmingham
renting student accommodation
Student accommodation is a crucial element of your university experience and can have a big impact on your life. It is important that you find a property that is safe, comfortable and well-maintained and also in a good location for your studies. Unfortunately, fraudsters do target students who are looking to rent accommodation in birmingham. If you have been duped by a fraudulent landlord or agent, there are things that you can do to try and get your money back.
It is best to visit a property in person before signing any agreement. If this is not possible, you should have someone else visit on your behalf to check that the house meets the description. It is also a good idea to search the address of the property online. This can often flag up if the house is already being rented to someone else.
If you want to make a payment to a landlord, make it in cash, bitcoin or another method that leaves no paper trail. Fraudsters love these methods of payment because they can disappear with the money without anyone being able to trace them. Reputable owners and property management businesses will usually accept cheques, cashier’s checks or credit/debit cards to avoid this kind of problem.
What to do if you’ve been scammed when renting student accommodation in Birmingham
Landlords should also be willing to allow you to give notice before the end of a fixed term contract (generally known as a ‘break clause’) provided this is in writing. This allows you to move on before the contract ends, providing that new tenants are found. It is important to read your contract carefully, and if in doubt seek advice from the Students Union Advice Centre/Accommodation Department or Citizen’s Advice.
It’s always a good idea to check with a landlord or agents that they are members of one of the government-mandated tenancy deposit schemes before handing over any deposits. This will ensure that if a dispute over the deposit arises it can be adjudicated fairly. Shelter and the National Union of Students advise that you should never sign a tenancy agreement where there is no requirement for a deposit – all tenancies should stipulate a reasonable deposit.
In some cases, landlords will offer to take a retainer payment rather than a deposit. This is a non-refundable payment made to the agent or landlord to cover expenses during a period of time when they are unlikely to be occupied. This can be a useful way for them to cover costs, but it can be difficult to get this money back if you are not happy with the shared student accommodation birmingham or it breaks down.
When renting your student accommodation, be sure to keep a record of any repairs that you ask the landlord or agent to carry out. This will help you if you need to argue your case in the event that you are unfairly charged or the work is not carried out as promised. Also, make sure you report any issues with your rented property to the landlord or agent as soon as they occur so that they have a chance to fix them.