Am I getting scammed by Landlord?

[Mumnetter111]

To start, I don’t have much experience renting especially with other people so I’m unsure as to wether this is regular or not.

I currently live in quite a busy city and now adult DC have moved out, I’ve been looking to move somewhere quieter ideally near a beach. I reached out to a house share in a place I’d like to live with 3 other women living there and explained my situation that I was living quite far away. I spoke to the landlord and both agreed that we’d meet and see if we both thought it would be a good fit. We arranged a date and I had booked a train and a hotel with transport to the place. She then messaged me about a week later that a family member was sick and unfortunately would not be able to make it, I then asked if it would still be possible to meet the other 2 women living there as tickets were non refundable, she then told me that wouldn’t be possible as they didn’t feel comfortable meeting without them all being there. I was quite upset as I’d lost £400 on the trip and didn’t see much point making a 6 hour journey for no reason. Today she came back to me again asking to arrange another meeting. I’m really unsure what to say as I can’t possibly justify spending £800 just for the other people living there to say they don’t think I’d be a good fit.

I guess I’m just quite upset that I’d explained where I was currently living and told them I’d already booked a hotel and I’d thought at least some of the current tenants could meet me.

AIBU? Is this something common that happens with trying to find a place to rent (Like I said I’m very inexperienced with this.)

It’s not a scam if the landlord isn’t benefitting, or am I missing something?

They sound like they’d be hard work to live with. You may have dodged a bullet there.

scamming how? it’s not like the landlord gets the money from your travel

@Ducksinthebath ah yes. Reading it back scammed is definitely the wrong word. Meant more messed around than scammed.

I don’t think it’s anyone’s fault that you live so far away from the location you’re trying to rent in.

Best bet is to take a week’s leave, find a cheap B&B or whatever, and be in the area for a week, contact several possibilities for house shares (if that’s what you’re looking for) and visit as many as possible.

It's not messing you around if a family member is sick surely? Best book things that have cancellation policies for events like this!

Surely even if you'd met the other 2 people, you'd still have to travel up again to meet the landlord anyway? So it would have been two trips? I can see why they wouldn't want to go without the landlord, it's not their property / decision.

Why didn’t you go anyway to look around the area & speak to an agency who might have been helpful?
I hope it all works out for you.

If I were you I’d still have gone on the original trip rather than lose £400 - it’s a place you want to move to live, if you don’t like it enough for an already-paid weekend trip, do you really want to live there?

You have been messed around a bit from your point of view but it’s hardly their fault you’re travelling so far or spending so much.

Maybe one to chalk up to experience and move forward with another flatshare.

@Schwarz sorry to clarify all the 3 women in the house own so would all be the landlords. And I would be hoping to speak to the 2 in person and the 3rd over the phone.

This is quite common with renting. They will arrange for you to view and then cancel when you view and rearrange. It will lead to sending a deposit etc, I have known people to fall for this loose a lot of money.

I wouldn’t pay another 400 quid and I think that you have been messed around. If you are still interested, say you can’t afford the money and suggest a FaceTime meeting?

Is it sort of a communal living place, rather than a house share per se? I’m wondering how you came across this quite specific living situation as it’s not how things usually work with renting.

It was only for one night so would be a 12 hour journey within 2 days and although I really wanted have a walk around the village I thought it would be a long way to go just for that.

@WaffleWaffles will definitely have to be a lot more careful. Like I said in OP I’m not really sure how this all works so would appreciate any advice around renting.

They never get go see the property and eventually find the property doesn't exist or is owned by someone else.

Best thing to do when you got there was turn up at the property anyway and confirm with current occupants it was being let by person you are talking to.

Stick to using letting agents to avoid these scams

Would they consider an initial meeting via Zoom?

At least then you'd have an idea if it was worth booking another trip for.

@NoSquirrels it’s a 4 bedroom house. The 3 women are related or friends not quite sure as I didn’t ask, but all own the property and hoping to get some extra money with renting the 4th bedroom out.

I wouldn’t live there - it’s unequal and you’ll feel like an outsider if they all own it.

Best thing to do when you got there was turn up at the property anyway and confirm with current occupants it was being let by person you are talking to.

OP didn't go.

Have you been there to the village before? How did you find this let advertised?

They've been perfectly reasonable. It's a big thing - opening up your home to a tenant. it's not their fault that you spent £400.

@NoSquirrels I’ve been on a few holidays there with DC when they were younger and loved the area. And found the AD on a house share website.

I've had a kind of similar experience OP. As a pp said you've dodged a bullet. I travelled a long, expensive way to see a rental house, which I subsequently took. The woman turned out to be completely untrustworthy for various reasons including wanting to move a family member in, 6 months down the line on a 1yr contract and I had to move out.

Any LL who cba to set up a zoom call/video tour etc is not the kind of person who'll be concerned about tenants' welfare. Swerve & find another.

With houseshare’s you have to be really quick. It really would be best to go up to the area for the week and just see as many as possible.
They have messed you about, but due to you booking a hotel and train it is much worse than if you lived down the road. In my experience as well it is possible that they have filled the room but the person has not moved in so they don’t want to shut down opportunities.