Scam City - Renters BEWARE

[danaf]

A friend of mine rented a house. The guy walked talked and seemed like the owner. Had the keys and everything. WELL - 6 mos later she learns (the hard way) the house is in foreclosure and the guy who rented it to her was not the owner. She came home one day with stickers all over her house about it being foreclosed and freaked. He got away with 3 mos rent equaling over 3k plus the rent she was paying. She had to find a new place to live.

I hope she files charges.

But people - with all the houses going into foreclosure, please beware of this scam and do your homework and make sure who you are renting from is really the owner.

[FLBK7]

A friend of mine rented a house. The guy walked talked and seemed like the owner. Had the keys and everything. WELL - 6 mos later she learns (the hard way) the house is in foreclosure and the guy who rented it to her was not the owner. She came home one day with stickers all over her house about it being foreclosed and freaked. He got away with 3 mos rent equaling over 3k plus the rent she was paying. She had to find a new place to live.

I hope she files charges.

But people - with all the houses going into foreclosure, please beware of this scam and do your homework and make sure who you are renting from is really the owner.

Our local newspaper has covered this issue in detail. It is a scam in a way. Owners unable to keep up with their mortgage payments and facing foreclosure, rent to naive tenants just to keep somewhat afloat for a short time. The sad part is that these owners collected security deposits, first-month and even last-month rent from the tenants. The owners of course never make their mortgage payments and when the foreclosure happens, it's the unknowing tenants who are thrown out.

In these days and times, and given the current economy, I wouldn't rent from a private party. It's too dangerous.

[One Half Full]

In these days and times, and given the current economy, I wouldn't rent from a private party. It's too dangerous.

Unfortunately, many of the people who are going through foreclosure cant rent from big buildings, they have to work through private owners. That is kind of contradicting the advice everyone has been posting on this thread.

[AMISLANDER]

With the way things are going & even major companies/corporations filing bankruptcy, I don't think it matters whether you rent from a private owner or an apartment complex...the apartment complex could go bankrupt as well. There are no more guarantees anywhere.