A Market Ripe for Deception
The intense competition and desperation in the Dutch housing market make it a prime target for fraudulent activity. Fraud in the rental sector is a two-way street: tenants are constantly at risk from sophisticated scams, while landlords are also on guard against applicants using fraudulent information. A secure rental process requires vigilance and a healthy dose of skepticism from all parties involved. Understanding the common types of fraud is the first step in preventing it.
Fraud Against Tenants: Common Scams
Scammers prey on the urgency and anxiety of house-hunters. Tenants should be extremely wary of the following red flags:
- The 'Too Good to Be True' Listing: An apartment in a prime location for a rent well below the market rate is almost certainly a scam, designed to attract a large number of hopeful victims.
- The 'Landlord Abroad' Scam: The scammer posts a fake ad (often with photos stolen from a real listing) and claims to be out of the country. They will refuse a physical viewing and ask the tenant to wire a deposit and the first month's rent in exchange for keys that will be 'mailed' to them. The keys never arrive, and the money is gone.
- The Advance Fee Scam: A scammer demands a 'viewing fee', 'registration fee', or 'contract fee' before any service has been rendered. Any request for payment before you have viewed the property and have a draft contract in hand is a major red flag.
To prevent this, a tenant should never pay any money before viewing the property in person, meeting the landlord or agent, and having a signed rental agreement.
Fraud By Tenants: The Landlord's Concern
Landlords and agents also face fraud, which is why their screening processes have become so stringent. The most common types of fraud perpetrated by applicants include:
- Forged Documents: In an attempt to meet the high income requirements, some applicants will use fake or digitally altered salary slips (
loonstroken), employment contracts, or bank statements.
- Identity Fraud: An applicant might use a stolen or synthetic identity to rent a property, often with the intention of using it for illicit activities.
Professional screening providers and experienced landlords use a variety of techniques to spot these forgeries, and getting caught can lead to being blacklisted and reported to the authorities.
