The increasing housing demand in major cities and towns has created an opportunity for scammers targeting house hunters. This has made finding suitable rental houses a daunting task as potential tenants fear losing their hard-earned money. The cons have devised sophisticated strategies, including implementing social media marketing to prey on unsuspecting individuals. Below are tips that can help you identify and avoid the top rental scams in Kenya.
Fake Rental Listings
How it works:
The scammers post attractive and affordable listings on social media platforms and popular property websites. The houses are listed at a below-market price to lure more people. In most cases, the properties do not exist. The scammers rely on images posted by legitimate landlords and agents and then change locations and prices. Once they capture your interest, they demand an advance payment before showing you the property.
Red Flags
- Rent prices are significantly lower than similar listings in the area
- They demand advance payments before you view the house
- Their listings use generic images that can easily be copied from other agents. Sometimes, they will post images with other company’s watermarks.
- The contact person refuses face-to-face meetings, often claiming to be out of town or unavailable
How to Avoid:
- The first step is to verify the authenticity of the listing by checking with reputable property management agencies or owners. We advise you to use platforms that verify landlords and property managers, such as Renters Hub, Buy Rent Kenya, and Hauzisha. The mentioned platforms verify, and some, like Renters Hub, discipline agents in case of malpractice.
- Secondly, always insist on viewing the property in person.
Advance Payment Scams
How It Works
This scam works hand in hand with the fake listing scam. In this scam, the scammer demands a deposit or upfront rent to secure the property for you. Once they receive your money, they go silent.
Red Flags:
- Urgency to pay to secure the unit
- No formal documentation is provided for the payments
- In most cases, the demands are made before you view the property
How to Avoid:
- Never pay upfront fees before you view the property and sign a legitimate lease agreement. After viewing the property, avoid cash payments and demand an official payment receipt from the property manager or landlord.
Ghost Landlords with occupied houses
How It Works:
This scam involves a legitimate property that is already occupied or rented out. In this scam, the scammer poses as the property manager or the landlord. They collect rent and deposits from prospective tenants. However, they vanish when it’s time to move in. In most cases, you arrive to find out that the unit you paid for is occupied by another tenant or the property is owned by a different landlord.
Red Flags:
- They only communicate via phone or social media, always refusing to meet in person.
- They demand immediate payment without a formal lease agreement
How to Avoid:
- Always confirm the identity of the individual requesting payments and verify property ownership. You can do this by following up with the caretaker or one of the tenants. While this process may seem long, it will save your hard-earned money.
- Insist on meeting the person receiving the payment in person and signing an official tenancy agreement.
Conclusion: How to Stay Safe
In conclusion, follow these steps to avoid falling prey of the rental scammers in Kenya.
- -Look for houses from reputable companies and websites
- -View the property and meet the landlord or property manager in person before paying.
- -Ensure you sign a legitimate tenancy agreement
- -Avoid pressure. Do not bow to any pressure or urgency. Take your time to verify all information before committing payments.