- Around 20 people are believed to have been targeted.
- Victims paid deposits and rent upfront for a property not available to let.
- Police say multiple reports were received between January and July 2025.
Tenants in north London have reportedly lost thousands of pounds after fraudsters posing as a letting agent and landlord used a short-term holiday rental to carry out fake property viewings.
The scam is said to have centred on an address in Chapel Market, where victims were shown around a flat they believed was available for long-term rent. Everything appeared legitimate. Viewings were arranged, paperwork was provided and payments were requested upfront, as is common in London’s rental market.
But when some of the tenants arrived on their agreed move-in date, they were met not with keys, but with a cleaner. It was then they were told the property was in fact a short-term holiday let and not available for tenancy at all.
One victim reportedly said the process “mirrored exactly what a tenancy process looks like”, adding: “I had never heard of this sort of thing happening, I didn’t understand how it could happen,” as quoted in a news report.
It is understood that roughly 20 people may have been defrauded using the same address.
How the scam allegedly worked
Industry figures suggest this type of fraud can be hard to spot. Criminals can rent a property for a few days or weeks, advertise it as a long-term let and line up multiple viewings before disappearing with deposits and advance rent.
Alison Farrar, Lead Officer for Property and Lettings at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, explained that scammers can operate convincingly because they control access to the property for a short window. She advised renters not to feel pressured into quick payments, reportedly warning that genuine landlords or agents would not rush prospective tenants into transferring money.
In a market where tenants are often asked for a deposit and a month’s rent upfront, sometimes totalling several thousand pounds, the financial hit can be severe.
Reports passed to police
The case has been reported to Report Fraud, formerly known as Action Fraud, and referred to the Metropolitan Police. A spokesperson for the force confirmed that officers had received “multiple reports” of alleged rental fraud linked to the address between January and July 2025.
The incident adds to concerns about rental scams across the capital. With demand for housing running high and properties often snapped up within hours, tenants can feel under pressure to act quickly. That urgency, experts suggest, may be exactly what fraudsters rely on.
