to have given this woman my details?

[nippysweetie82]

I advertised on Gumtree as I am looking for a flat to rent and not been having much luck going through letting agencies. I got a message this morning from a woman asking for my email address as she had a flat and wanted to send me photos. After viewing the photos I asked her for a viewing date.
She then replied that she would need my full name, address, phone number and a confirmed move in date for her solicitor as she would need to draw up a tenancy agreement which I would then print off and take with me to the viewing. She said that I should let her know asap if I had other options as she didn't want to arrange a viewing only to be disappointed at the end of the day.
I spent the morning thinking about it and have just sent my details but I'm worried now! Is there anything she could do with that information? I've just never heard of a potential landlord needing those kind of details before a viewing and I'm thinking I might just have been scammed in some way! Any advice appreciated, thanks.

[Imwoodword]

Hmm, sounds bizarre to me but I've never rented so wouldn't really know.

Can you ask for her solicitor details to say you want to speak to them?

[FishWithABicycle]

She's more likely to be intending to do some high pressure sales on you than trying to misuse your info.

At the viewing she will claim that she has other people interested and if you don't sign a contract right now you'll lose it. There will probably be something dreadful about the flat that she's hoping to railroad you into not thinking about until it's too late.

[Skiptonlass]

Agree with fish. Don't be pressured into signing anything! I rented for years and while it's true the good ones go fast, you need to do your due diligence. Being pushed like this could indicate there's something not quite right about the flat. Make sure she actually owns it!

[karmagetsyou]

You don't need a solicitor for rental property.

Can you take someone with you?

[sarkymare]

I think this could be the start of a scam. A few years ago I was in touch with a Stella kelvin about a flat she was advertising to rent. I had a similar spiel about needing to know my details due to people 'messing her about with viewings' previously. She then went on to ask me to get a relative to send a deposit to myself via western union and then send her a copy of the receipt as proof of funds.

This is why she needed those details in the first place, so she could take the receipt and cash it in as if she was me. (Apparently western union are slack with proof of ID) I had already realised this was a scam and a quick google of her phone number confirmed it.

Sorry I'm very ill and tired so I'm probably not explaining very well but if you Google Stella kelvin and click on the scam warners site there is plenty of information about rental scams and what you should look out for.

[nippysweetie82]

Thanks for the replies everyone and the info sarkymare. I'm not daft enough to give out bank details or send money, I'm just hoping there's nothing else she can do with the details I have given her.

I think I'll give this one a miss!

[FishWithABicycle]

Keep an eye on your credit reference files, just in case she tries to open a credit card in your name. I don't think she will - whatever she was planning was more likely to be along the lines of one of the scams other posters have suggested - but it's good to be sure.

I've also heard of scamsters with access to an empty property they don't own arranging multiple viewings and collecting a deposit & first month's rental from multiple victims before disappearing and the victim finds out they were scammed when they attempt to move in.

[youwouldthink]

The other thing that crosses my mind is that at the tome you would be meeting her your own property would be empty and they could try a break in....read of a similar situation here last year.

[Stampysladygarden]

Google the person's name. I had very similar from someone with a name like Caroll Marson. Something about it rang alarm bells and when I googled her she was a known Gumtree scammer with this trick.

[racheltheoneandonly]

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[Carlywurly]

This has been flagged as a scam on our local Facebook selling sites. Steer clear.