Almost 80% of UK landlords believe tenant fraud has become more common over the last three years, according to new research from LegalforLandlords, highlighting growing concern across the private rented sector following the recent BBC Panorama investigation, There's a Gangster in My Flat.
LegalforLandlords surveyed 1,000 UK landlords to understand how attitudes towards tenant fraud have changed, how many have experienced it first hand, the financial impact of fraudulent tenancies, and how cases are ultimately resolved.
The research found that 77% of landlords believe tenant fraud has become more common in the last three years. Within that figure, 39% said it has become significantly more common, while a further 38% believe it has become somewhat more common. Concern is widespread as a result, with 41% saying they are very concerned about tenant fraud in today's rental market and a further 37% somewhat concerned.
Those concerns are backed up by landlords' own experiences. One in 10 said they have fallen victim to tenant fraud, with deliberate non-payment of rent after providing misleading application information the most common incident, accounting for 34% of cases.
Almost one in five (19%) said they had unknowingly seen their property used for criminal activity.
10% experienced unauthorised rent-to-rent or subletting.
False employment or income information and undisclosed occupants each accounted for 9% of the most significant incidents reported.
The financial consequences can be considerable. Almost a quarter (24%) of landlords who had experienced tenant fraud said the most significant incident cost them £5,000 or more, while a further 22% reported losses of between £2,500 and £4,999. Just 2% said they suffered no financial loss.
Recovering those losses also remains a significant challenge. Nearly a third (31%) of landlords said they ultimately absorbed the financial loss with no recovery, while 22% resolved the matter through formal eviction proceedings. More than one in 10 (12%) said the issue remains unresolved.
Most landlords who had experienced tenant fraud said it had happened once during the last five years (69%), but almost one in three reported multiple incidents, suggesting that fraudulent tenancies continue to present an ongoing risk for many property owners.
"The recent Panorama programme has shone a light on some of the most serious examples of tenancy fraud, but our research suggests the wider concern among landlords extends far beyond the cases that make the headlines," said Sim Sekhon, group chief executive at LegalforLandlords.
"Most tenants are genuine, but the financial impact when fraud does occur can be significant. Whether it's misleading affordability information, undisclosed occupants, fraudulent identities or organised criminal activity, landlords often don't discover there's a problem until after the tenancy has begun, when resolving the issue becomes considerably more expensive and time-consuming.
"The most effective defence is prevention. Thorough tenant referencing, robust identity and affordability checks, and the right legal protections can dramatically reduce the likelihood of fraud succeeding in the first place. As fraud becomes increasingly sophisticated, landlords need to ensure their due diligence evolves alongside it.
"Landlords shouldn't assume they can spot every fraudulent application themselves. Professional referencing and legal protection provide an additional layer of security, helping to identify potential risks before a tenancy starts and giving landlords greater confidence that both their property and investment are properly protected."
