Rental fraud happens when individuals looking for accommodation are tricked into paying fees upfront to rent a property which is either unavailable or does not exist. 

Unfortunately, fraudesters can often target university students and victims of rental fraud can lose all of the money that they had paid and be left without accommodation. 

To protect yourself from rental fraud:

• Try to only seek accommodation from genuine sources, such as UH on-campus accommodation or off-campus PAL Accredited Landlords or Lettings Agents. 

• If you are looking for accommodation outside of the Welwyn Hatfield Borough, this might mean that the Lettings Agents you consider renting with would not be PAL accredited (due to their location). However, a way of checking for quality can also involve checking if a Letting Agent is affiliated to a recognised group (such as the UKALA and the ARLA) and the Property Ombudsman or Property Redress Scheme. 

• Ask to see copies of the tenancy agreements (also referred to as contracts) and any safety certificates (i.e. gas or electrical safety) when seriously considering a property. Do not sign a tenancy agreement until you completely understand and agree to all of the contract terms, including the rental amount and payment schedule. The contract terms are legally binding, therefore it is vital that you do not sign or agree to anything which is not acceptable or realistic for you to commit to. If you are unsure of any contract terms you can query these with the Lettings Agent or Landlord.

• Do not pay any money until you, or a reliable contact, has visited the accommodation with an Lettings Agent or Landlord and you have received a copy of the tenancy agreement. Also do not be pressurised into paying or transferring large sums of money until you are satisfied that the accommodation and management are genuine, and you are prepared to accept all of the contract terms within the tenancy agreement.

If you experience rental fraud, it is important that you seek immediate support and assistance from both the University (community@herts.ac.uk) and our Advice Team (advice@hertssu.com). You can also report the fraud to Action Fraud.