victim of a rental scam, he testifies
Caution is in order. At the start of the school year, many students and young professionals were looking for an apartment to rent in the Pink City. For some of them, the apartment search a nightmare. This is the case of Thomas, who, last August, was the victim of a scam in Toulouse.
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Caution scam
During the last fortnight of August, Thomas is busy finding an apartment in Toulouse. The 22-year-old neo-Toulouse has actually completed a master’s degree at Paul-Sabatier University. The student quickly comes across an enticing ad for a property near the Empalot district. “I contacted the person who posted the announcement. She answered me very quickly to set up a date for the visit.” During the visit, everything went well, however a few things changed Thomas.
“The name of the individual was different from the one on the ad, and the gentleman came with his ten-year-old son who has autism. The visit was hasty, but it was still enough for me to be conquered by the good, especially since I had to find a home quickly to settle there”, recalls Thomas, interviewed by L’Opinion Indépendante.
In the process, the owner sends the list of documents to be provided. Thomas gathers all the elements and his file is validated. However, the owner imposes a condition on him, paid immediately by check a guarantee of 500 euros to reserve the property for rent. Thomas settles the guarantee, thinking he is getting a good deal, and above all finding his new home quickly. Problem, once the check has been cashed, the owner becomes unreachable.
Thomas filed a handrail, however without signing the lease, the tenant has no proof of the transaction made. This is a recurring scam on the sites of places between individuals.
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Traps to avoid
Those who have had the chance toresidential installer can also be victims of fraud. As a reminder, the security deposit for furnished accommodation must be equivalent to one month’s rent and two months for unfurnished accommodation. A detail that many people ignore. Surprises can also take place when the person returns the keys. “If there is a difference in the apartment between the entry and the exit of the premises of the tenant, the owner has two months to return the deposit”, explains on its site the Departmental Agency for information on housing (ADIL) in Haute-Garonne.
In addition, tenants are able to ask landlords to provide quotes for work carried out or invoices. Some scrupulous lenders are also reluctant to return the deposit money. If the tenant considers this decision unfair, it is advisable to make “a formal notice with registered letter” or to attempt “conciliation” specifies the ADIL. In the event of a rental scam, there are therefore several aids for the victims. However, the most important advice is to avoid paying a security deposit or bond before signing the lease.
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