LETTINGSnews


IDENTITY FRAUD


Rogue landlords? What about rogue tenants?


Rogue tenants are on the increase,


according to Let Insurance Services. Identity fraud


attempts doubled in the first half of 2011, compared to Q4 in 2010 and there were over 50,000 victims of impersonation last year, equivalent of 275 a day. Identity fraud has been steadily


increasing, partly due to the credit crunch, which has made it harder for people to gain access to credit in their own name, making some resort to ID theft. Anecdotal evidence from across the UK shows a rising number of deliberate fraud cases involving landlords. Applicants fill out tenancy application forms fraudulently as they move from property to property, with no intention of keeping up with the rent, sometimes within the same small town. Fraudulent tenants often give


false information on where they have been living to throw referencing companies and letting agents off the trail. They can also be very difficult to evict as they seem to know their way round the legal system. Michael Portman, MD, Let


Insurance Services said, “Tenant fraud is a growing problem for agents and landlords; there is no sign of it easing, so it is essential that agents have a checklist for new tenants that includes obtaining ID documents and proof of current residency at an early stage of the tenancy application. Agents need to be alert for anything unusual that could increase the risk. “We provide a referencing


service that includes a Potential for Fraud Indicator and, if there are any doubts, agents can talk through applications with Let Insurance Services staff. They are removed from personal contact with the prospective tenant and are trained to spot anomalies, oddities and the potential for fraud in tenancy applications.”


48 FEBRUARY 2012 PROPERTYdrum DEPOSITS Protect tenant deposits within 30 days


Landlords face being taken to court by tenants with a claim for up to four times the amount of their deposit if they haven’t looked after deposits properly and within strict deadlines from April 2012 onwards, warns Atteys Solicitors. Landlord and tenant law


expert James Murray says that landlords will risk heavy financial penalties if they do not place their tenants’ deposits in an approved scheme within 30 days and inform their tenants about


The time limit is strict and the penalties harsh.


this: “In April the Localism Act is set to come into effect. This includes the requirement for all tenants’ deposits to be protected and information about the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) given to the tenant within 30 days. Tenants should usually


receive a leaflet called ‘What is the Tenancy Deposit Scheme?’ and a deposit


protection certificate and the landlord should have registered the deposit on the TDS tenancy database. “The time limit is strict and


tenants will be able to make a claim 31 days after paying a deposit if the deposit hasn’t been protected and they can even claim if the tenancy has ended or if the landlord protects the deposit after 30 days. If the landlord has protected the deposit after 30 days the courts will take this into account when they decide on the financial penalty.”


INVENTORIES AIIC interactive workshop


After the successful launch of its new hands-on workshop covering inventories and check-in and check-out procedures in October 2011, The Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC) is holding the workshop again, on 21 February 2012. The workshop will follow the


‘Guidelines for Inventory Clerks’ course on 18/19 February 2012 in Reading. Pat Barber, Chair of the AIIC


said: “We are delighted with the success of our new one day, interactive workshop. The key benefit for


delegates is that it is a hands- on workshop, allowing them to


put into practice what they have learnt on check-in and check-out procedures. The workshop is aimed at new and inexperienced clerks and also individuals who are thinking of becoming an inventory Clerk. It is also ideal for any associate members, colleagues or landlords.” All attendees must have


previously attended the AIIC two day course.


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