Tenants' guide to avoiding rogue lettings agents

There has been a call for regulation of the lettings industry. Read our guide on how to avoid rogue lettings agents.

• Ask for at least three numbers of landlords that the letting agent is doing business with that you can phone
• Ask the landlords questions like - when does the money get placed into your account from the agent?
• Ask landlords if they have ever had any problems with difficult tenants being put into their properties by the letting agent
• Ask landlords if they have had any disagreements with the letting agent about contracts, payments or their tenants’ deposits
• Be wary of properties being offered for much less than market rates
• Avoid properties being advertised with no deposit to pay
• Another warning sign is if you are asked for the deposit before visiting the property
• Do not trust online advertisements alone - be wary if your agent does not have an office