Looking for a place to live in Vancouver? Here are 10 ways to avoid a rental scam

If you are trying to find a place to rent in Vancouver, it’s not easy these days.

Websites like Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist offer great options for housing vacancies, but they are also the breeding ground for scammers and too-good-to-be-true offers.

Plus, with limited options in your ideal neighbourhood, you can get desperate and ignore some red flags.

How do you know if that listing is a rental scam? We compiled a list of the things to avoid when looking for your perfect (or close to) home.

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The listing is “too good to be true”

If the listing is exactly what you want, but the price is much below the market standard, it may be a cause for concern. Look out for overly good-looking pictures, high-end neighbourhoods, and ultra-cheap rents. For example, a $900 one-bedroom apartment in the West End should raise some eyebrows. What’s more, these listings may come fully furnished and even include utilities.

A report from Vancouver-based rental platform liv.rent says it has seen a 50% increase in reports of suspicious rental listings between April and July 2023, indicating that summer may be a tougher time for renters to find secure listings.

The “landlord” refuses to meet in person

It is highly unlikely that a landlord will be “out of the country” or not available to meet when they list a property. If the landlord refuses a physical tour of the space but asks for a deposit to secure the rental, it is most likely a scam.

However, despite touring the property twice, a victim of a scam was robbed of $26,000 by a phony luxury realty company.

The exact unit address is not listed

According to Loans Canada, a listing that doesn’t reveal the address of the unit may be a scam. Some listings don’t state unit addresses due to safety concerns, but landlords will tell you the exact address if you are seriously considering renting the unit out. The rental address should include the building and unit address.

A search on Google Maps should reveal if the address exists or if it is being used by a different building. Searching the details of the listing may even lead to finding a duplicate listing that may have been posted.

The background check doesn’t check out

Simply search the landlord/realtor’s name on Google and find out if they or their company have any profiles. You may even contact the company or visit the company website to find out if it has the lister’s name and photo. If a company does not exist or you cannot find the “landlord” online, it may be a red flag.

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The landlord is asking for the deposit urgently in cash

While a deposit is the best way to confirm your rental housing, a scammer may be tricking you into paying your deposit “urgently” without a rental agreement. If you are paying your deposit in cash, make sure you get a cash receipt along with your signed lease.

The Vancouver Police Department suggests not sending money to anyone for a property you have not met in person. They also suggest staying clear of cash or money wire transactions.

The landlord is asking you to move in immediately without seeing the property

If the person who claims to be a landlord wants you to move in immediately without seeing the property, it is most likely a scam. In most rental scams, the poster would most likely not have access to the listed property. If the landlord does not let you inside the house or allows you to only inspect the property from outside, it is a big red flag.

“In one situation, the victim reached out to the person who posted the ad and sent a deposit and half a month’s rent through e-transfer without ever viewing the rental suite. When the victim attended on the move-in date, she realized the property was not for rent and contacted police,” read a release from Coquitlam RCMP.

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There is no screening process

A rental agreement comes with a host of background and reference checks. A landlord will ask for your ID, employment checks, and credit checks to confirm your identification and financial stability, according to Rentals.ca. However, if the landlord is hasty and doesn’t seem to care about your financial health or background, it could be a big red flag.

The landlord refuses to show you the lease

It is generally a good call to have a look at the lease before you sign it so you know what you’re getting into. If the landlord/realtor refuses to show you the document beforehand, it is a red flag.

Liv.rent recommends insisting on written rental agreements with detailed terms and conditions and not giving any deposits prior to signing the lease.

The landlord wants to communicate outside of the rental platform

If the alleged owner asks you to reach out to them outside of the rental website you connected on or directs you to a different website asking for financial information — that’s the reddest of flags, according to Spring Financial, a Canadian financial advising company.

The “landlord” doesn’t own the property

You always want to make sure who exactly owns the property. You should ask for identification from the person showing you the property and write down their licence plate if they arrive by car, according to the VPD. Police also suggest searching for owner information in the Land Titles office to confirm you are dealing with the owner.

Moreover, the property owner’s name should be mentioned on the lease. If you can contact them to confirm the status of their property, that’s an extra safety net. It should also mention the title and name of the “landlord” you are in contact with — it could range from “property manager” to “realtor” to “broker.”

Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Shutterstock

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Know your rights

Specific tenant rights vary in different parts of Canada. The Loans Canada website sums up the important policies in each province. However, to check out the full list of your rights and tenant-landlord relations, you may want to check the official website of your province.

What to do if you were scammed

If you were scammed and lost some amount of money, contact your financial institution without any delay. This will help you put a hold on any cards and financial information that the scammer may have access to.

Moreover, report this incident to your local police or the RCMP and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, who can help evaluate this issue and launch an investigation.