avoiding scams

Landlords and tenants can both be the victim of rental scams. Below are some tips and resources to keep from being scammed.

Tips to avoid rental scams

  • Research the property and the landlord using a basic internet search to make sure there are no concerning results.
  • Use a reputable housing database such as College Pads. Websites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace allow anyone to post rental properties without any proof of ownership. It's more likely to encounter a scam on websites that anyone can access.
  • Request to meet the landlord in person and verify their ownership of the property. Be sure the person you are meeting with has the authority to ren the property to you. If a landlord refuses to meet in person, this should be seen as a red flag. 
  • See the property before you give the landlord any money. Scammers will commonly ask for a deposit or application fee and then cut off contact entirely once they receive payment. 
  • Pay with check instead of cash. Checks must be signed, endorsed and deposited at a bank which requires ID. This helps to reduce the possibility of fraud – and if something goes wrong during the process a check can be cancelled quickly. 

Reputable housing database

To assist current students, faculty and staff with their housing search, Off Campus Programs and Services provides a database that contains apartments and rooms for rent, as well as a roommate registry. The housing and roommate search features are available to the ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ community through the use of their University email.

Off Campus Programs and Services works with a third party vendor, RentCollegePads, to aid in your housing and roommate search. The database's search features are only available to the ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ community through the use of their University email.

Landlords interested in being a part of the database of off-campus housing options near ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ should visit the page for more information.

ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ employees do not approve, inspect, or supervise the premises described, nor does the University become party to housemate/subletter/landlord/tenant matters.

Top 10 most common renters' mistakes

  1. Signing a lease without reading it thoroughly
  2. Signing a lease without visiting the property and meeting with the landlord in person
  3. Forgetting to take transportation into consideration when choosing a property
  4. Not conducting a walk-through with the landlord prior to signing the lease (when permitted)
  5. Not taking the cost of utilities into consideration
  6. Not meeting or speaking with roommates before you move in together
  7. Not setting house rules
  8. Not being clear on the responsibilities of a tenant
  9. Not securing the rental unit
  10. Withholding rent or not paying rent on time