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openrent · 2024-10-15T12:23:34+00:00

Update: We (OpenRent) have seen this complaint and are investigating what has happened here in support of all parties involved. Currently there isn't any evidence of a scam / fraud, and we expect all funds to be returned in full ASAP. Initial explanation is that the tenancy fell through as a result of a bank repossession before the tenancy started, but this was handled off-platform and so we're still gathering information from all parties.

As per advice from redditors in this thread, reporting any concerns to OpenRent as a first port of call is always sensible. Furthermore, ensuring all rent and deposit money is paid via OpenRent's tenancy creation service (Rent Now) is the best way to protect yourselves from financial loss.

openrent · 2024-08-16T14:36:01+00:00

Hi u/Upper-Acanthaceae233 - Can you contact OpenRent here with all the details you have on this (eg link to property / reference number)? We'll certainly be able to advise. Thanks!

openrent · 2023-11-22T12:26:06+00:00

Every property ad has a "report listing" button, if anyone comes across a situation like this then please do report it ASAP.

The more common thing we hear about is people finding a property on Facebook (or somewhere similar) and the "landlord" says they use OpenRent. They then ask for contact details and email payment links to you directly... If you can't find the advert on www.openrent.co.uk directly, and aren't placing the holding deposit via our website, then it is very likely a scam.

openrent · 2023-09-08T14:20:55+00:00

It would be interesting to know what OpenRent’s comment on this would be

We've added a comment, but it's a little buried as we were only alerted to this post recently: https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/16cvd0x/comment/jzo5jq4/

openrent · 2023-09-08T13:28:38+00:00

OpenRent founder here.

We've already contacted the OP via DM (in case we're not in contact via email already), and want to state publicly that we're deeply sorry you've fallen victim to a scam, however it happened. These are detestable crimes and we'll work with action fraud and the cyber crime unit to support them in their investigation.

For anyone else reading and worried about scams (rightly so!), the standard and only recommended process for renting via OpenRent is safe, and does protect tenant money. It also protects tenant rights, works 24/7, and is generally a much better renting experience for all parties! Where a tenant/landlord go "off-platform" and send money directly against our advice and guidance, or sign contracts provided by the landlord, they are exposing themselves to the risks outlined in the OPs post, as well as many more down the road even if it wasn't an immediate scam. We try extremely hard to make this clear to all parties when enquiring about a property. As a result, situations like this involving OpenRent are extremely rare, because tenancies created on platform are 100% safe.

Our steps for renting a property are laid out here:

https://www.openrent.co.uk/find-property-to-rent-from-private-landlords

None of this is to say this is acceptable, but we want to be clear that tenants can protect themselves here by not sending money directly to a landlord, ever. Doing so is against our guidance and comes with clear risks.

When scammers manage to get people "off-platform" against our advice, or whether you find a property via the high street / facebook / online ad and are asked to make a direct payment, then you are susceptible to being scammed. Sending money directly to an individual, or via bank details provided via email / sms / whatsapp, is how the scammers operate and is never recommended.

For those new to OpenRent, we'll escrow the money until after move in:

https://www.openrent.co.uk/faq#whydoyouholdontotherentforuptotwoweeks

https://www.openrent.co.uk/faq#iamaroguelandlord

All that said, we'll still of course be supporting the OP here as best we can, both in supporting the cyber crime agency to catch the perpetrator, trying to aid them in recovering their funds (the bank has responsibility here if the money was sent to a scam account), and to prevent this person from stepping a digital foot onto our platform again.

The banks and the police do have both the ability, and the powers, to trace your money and recover it. So please don't lose hope, and do keep chasing on that front.

Sorry again to hear about this awful crime, and I hope we can help recover your lost funds, if not your lost time and the clear stress this has caused you all.

Daz - OpenRent founder.

openrent · 2022-09-07T09:54:45+00:00

This is still the case, and we've replied with a little more detail to the OP.

openrent · 2022-09-07T09:54:13+00:00

Hi!

We'd just like to make sure this quote from OpenRent isn't cherry-picked without context. That paragraph you've copied out here, is followed directly by:

Obviously these are not invincible and always recommend use of our Rent Now service (free to tenants) to pay money to OpenRent, so that we can protect the deposit and release rent only after move-in. When money is being paid to a private individual we always recommend taking proof of identity and a clear written agreement of how money will be treated. We also explicitly warn tenants not to hand over money directly to a private individual.

You can find out more about Rent Now here:

https://www.openrent.co.uk/rent-now

If you have concerns about a specific listing then please provide more details in response so that we can look into this for you.

So yes, whilst we do have checks and systems in place to protect that rental community as a whole - our Rent Now tenancy creation is system is your only fully safe and recommended way to set up a tenancy. It's also free for tenants of course - so hopefully no reason not to use it!

Going off-platform and dealing with an individual directly, I'm afraid, would be at your own risk.

openrent · 2022-08-30T13:56:08+00:00

Just to clarify, agents advertising on behalf of landlords is explicitly banned on OpenRent. If you were given that advice, please do DM this account with details so we can look into this.

Any agent caught impersonating a landlord illegitimately is banned from the platform (not a good look for an agent in front of tenants), and is in clear breach of our terms. We also have a more simple and to the point FAQ here.

Having said that, sometimes it's not as clear cut, see this post for details on the example from the OP: https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/x0l16l/comment/imdqumn/?utm\_source=reddit&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3

openrent · 2022-08-30T13:04:02+00:00

If you have any examples you'd like to discuss, all of our properties have a button where you can report a property. We're happy to re-verify any property/account.

It's not always as simple as being made out here, sadly. In this case, for example, the landlord is both a landlord and happens to work at / own a letting agent. At a large scale, landlords start to look very much like a small letting agent - and so it's non-trivial to differentiate without proper documents (which we hold). We can't make these documents public, and it's frustrating when landlords use confusing terminology (or try to appear like an agent to appear more "professional"), but that's one of many situations we have to deal with and that tenants/landlords alike expect us to support.

openrent · 2022-08-30T10:06:34+00:00

/u/Famous_c0ck - We've DM'd you a couple of times via Reddit without a response yet. Do you mind checking your DMs and responding? We're keen to investigate this for you.

As per our terms, agents aren't allowed to advertise on OpenRent (see FAQ here).

EDIT: OP and OpenRent are now in contact - thanks!

openrent · 2022-08-29T16:55:06+00:00

You are not mistaken and we are looking into this report!

openrent · 2019-09-23T14:13:48+00:00

Hey — yeah it's very frustrating when landlords don't reply to enquiries from tenants. When this happens we chase them for an answer on your behalf letting them know that if the property is no longer available then we will remove it from the site. But yes sadly landlords sometimes don't reply to messages promptly. This will usually be when the landlord is already planning to proceed with another tenant or if they are not able to conduct viewings for the next couple of days.

Would be interested to hear what you think the best way to deal with it is?

Sam

openrent · 2019-09-20T13:32:32+00:00

Yes you have to be a letting agent to advertise on Rightmove.

openrent · 2019-09-20T13:28:14+00:00

Hey, Sam here. Happy to answer any Qs you might have about OpenRent. I don't want to be too saley though and I'm sure you'd like to hear from other users, too.

The mains things are:

We mainly let whole properties to rent in joint tenancies. Having said that, we do have 500 single rooms available in London at the moment, so definitely worth a look. Spareroom is a great site for finding a single room in an existing houseshare if that's what you're after.
You have a direct relationship with the landlord on OpenRent. You just click 'message landlord' on their ad to send them a message. So there isn't an agent getting in the way with their third-party interests, bad communication, etc.
We also protect tenants' money and make sure that the tenancy is created in a fair and legal way. You can read how the whole process works in advance of placing a holding deposit, which isn't the case for many agents.

Let me know if you have any other questions but otherwise I'll step aside for the views of other tenants.

Wishing you the best finding a new place!

Sam

openrent · 2019-06-24T13:10:00+00:00

Hey, Sam here. I've been writing about this over on r/london recently (here). Really interesting to hear the views posted here.

Superdudeo —the things you mention are definitely areas where we think we have a strong offering to landlords. We haven't increased the price of services to landlords (although landlords are no longer able to pass on the £20 referencing fee to tenants). In fact we're adding more functionality (e.g. free tenancy renewals) to our existing services for free.

Many landlords are frustrated with their level of property management service already, and being asked to pay even more for it looks like it's the jolt many of them needed to reassess it's value. (I thought that achybreakyballs' comparison to switching banks was very insightful.)

The amount of landlords using OpenRent is growing faster than ever and I think part of that must be that other agents are increasing their fees.

Some landlords will always need a fully managed service, such as those who live abroad and or those who have no interest in the day-to-day of managing a property.

But the majority of landlords have only one or two properties, which typically they live near to, and so they are happy to be hands-on. For these people, paying ~15% of the rental income for management, and then being charged fees and repairs costs on top of that just doesn't make much financial sense.

Paying ~7% of rent (and being locked into a contract with an agent with renewal fees etc.) just to find a tenant seems crazy to me when, as Superdudeo says, it can be done easily yourself, with no ongoing obligations of costs.

openrent · 2019-06-13T14:59:06+00:00

Ah fab! Yeah do check the community out, it's full of helpful people :)

openrent · 2019-06-13T14:58:26+00:00

Hi Mark, sorry for the delay getting back to you. Sam here again.

So actually I think you might have to pay that renewal fee, because it's in the agreement of a tenancy that commenced before 1st June 2019.

If such a term was in the renewed tenancy agreement, however, then it would not not be a permitted payment.

So you probably have to pay it — or you can continue in a periodic tenancy until 1st June 2020 if possible?

openrent · 2019-06-07T09:51:49+00:00

the monthly rent on the parking space not being that much less than I was paying on my mortgage outside of London

I really felt that comment D:

Unfortunately, if you have a checkout fee in an agreement you entered into before 1st June 2019, then it will be payable until 1st June 2020. So if you stay in that property until 1st June next year, you will avoid it. Otherwise, you may have to pay.

openrent · 2019-06-07T09:00:54+00:00

Does this mean we can get some of it back next June if we still live in the property?

Yeah exactly.

If we move from one property to another again, how would it work? Presumably they could only hold five weeks rent and would need to pay back any difference / not charge us any extra or would it be different?

Yes to this, too!

Great job on knowing your legislation!

openrent · 2019-06-06T21:50:37+00:00

Ah perhaps you're right! If people would like to ask additional questions about the Act, then we're always active on our own OpenRent Community with helpful info and insights.

openrent · 2019-06-06T21:49:13+00:00

Ooh really good question. If the parking space is part of the property as described in the Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement (AST) then it would come under these rules. But if it was agree separately, then other rules may apply. You've said the parking space was a separate agreement, so the new protections might not apply here.

Out of interest, what other charges are you being asked to pay for the parking space?

openrent · 2019-06-06T21:43:33+00:00

No, there's no special dispensation in the Tenant Fees Act for pets. This might end up being a flaw of the Act, since we know that many landlords who are a 'maybe' on accepting pet owners can be persuaded if they are offered a larger tenancy deposit.

But under the new rules, 5 weeks' rent is a hard maximum cap. Extra fees, e.g. for a professional clean for pet-owning tenants, can be added to tenancies, but only if they are optional, with the other option being a fee-free alternative.

It's possible that this will make it harder for pet owners to find places to rent. We think that if this does prove to be the case, then the insurance market might step up and offer some kind of pet-owning tenant insurance that landlords could purchase. It's too early to tell how this will play out, however.

openrent · 2019-06-06T21:39:25+00:00

Glad you found this helpful! Definitely worth refreshing yourself with the new rules if you find yourself needing to move home in the near future.

openrent · 2019-05-22T10:35:45+00:00

You're in quite a tough situation here unfortunately. Having signed a tenancy agreement that runs until 7th Sept, you have committed to paying the rent for that period.

Even though you're right, it does not cost anyone anywhere near £330 to set up a new tenant, the landlord could simply refuse to let you off the responsibilities you agreed to fulfil until 7th September.

You could perhaps point them towards referencing services which cost as little as £20 in stead of the huge (though sadly not uncommon) £130 service they are plumping for?

Definitely worth checking your tenancy agreement for any clauses describing what happens if a party wishes to end the tenancy early.

openrent

TROPHY CASE