Quick Help Needed - Renting with absentee landlord

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RyeWhiskey
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Quick Help Needed - Renting with absentee landlord

Post by RyeWhiskey »

Greetings all,
I'm on a bit of a tight schedule here as I am in talks to rent a house, yet the landlord lives across the country. I was a bit hesitant to provide my name/birthday/current address, etc... via email but opted to do so as I drove by the home and spoke to the renter moving out who said everything was great with the landlord. Furthermore, the house looks perfect.

The landlord said that they will send me a scan of the lease and payment details and where the security deposit is to be sent, at which point they will make arrangements to hand over the keys here in town. I have not spoken to this person as we are in communication via text and email.

Is this normal? What precautions should I take as a renter to ensure that my deposit will be respected? What precautions should I take with the lease to ensure that it is valid and that I have a valid copy? Please advise. :beer
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desiderium
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Re: Quick Help Needed - Renting with absentee landlord

Post by desiderium »

Check the county records to verify that the landlord is the owner of the house.

If you sign two copies of the lease document, ask the landlord to send you back a signed copy. You will have all the emails, bank records etc. that document your transactions. I am not sure that any of this will protect you from a contentious relationship with the landlord, or prevent them from turning out to be a troll. To a certain extent it is an act of faith. I would speak to them on the phone. Probably your best guide is the landlord's reputation. Ask around in the community and talk to the former tenant.
SimonJester
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Re: Quick Help Needed - Renting with absentee landlord

Post by SimonJester »

There are some warning flags going off in my head over this. I have read stories of people sending off a money order or a bank wire to the "landlord" of a house, then a few weeks later the sheriff shows up when the real owner finds out there is someone in the house. The "landlord" is scamming the folks who are not out the rent and a place to live.


Since there is a current tenant ask them for the landlord contact info, I also agree contact the landlord by phone and have a conversation with them, use your gut feeling. If something doesn't seem right walk away.

I would ask how they handle repairs, do they have someone locally? What happens if there is a plumbing emergency in the middle of the night. How they will handle inspecting the property after the current tenant moves out and before you move in.
"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
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RyeWhiskey
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Re: Quick Help Needed - Renting with absentee landlord

Post by RyeWhiskey »

Turned out it was a scam. I didn't send any money but did send basic info: name, bday, current address, age, all stuff one can find online with diligent research. No SSN or driver's licence number. Any advice from here?
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eddiejov55
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Re: Quick Help Needed - Renting with absentee landlord

Post by eddiejov55 »

If you drove by the house and spoke to the current occupants, why can't you just get the contact information of the landlord from them? Then let the real landlord know that there is someone impersonating them on the internet.

Or...

The current occupants are in on the scam.
StretchArmstrong
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Re: Quick Help Needed - Renting with absentee landlord

Post by StretchArmstrong »

How did you find out it was a scam?? And the current people living there are in on it?

You could try doing a police report or reporting it to the FBI (search something like FBI online scam internet complaint center). Other than that not much you can do. As you said all of the information you gave them is probably out there somewhere anyway.

I'm renting from an absentee landlord right now, pretty much same situation you described. In my situation no lease was required and I didn't provide any information (no DOB, no references, no driver license). Of all the places I've lived this situation has been by far the best. The landlord has his LinkedIn and a link to his bio at a major nonprofit where he volunteers so from my end it was pretty easy to verify the person I was dealing with was legitimate.
Saving$
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Re: Quick Help Needed - Renting with absentee landlord

Post by Saving$ »

Sorry to hear this particular incidence was a scam.

Just wanted to post to let you know this type of thing is not necessarily any sort of scam. There are all sorts of reasons a LL can end up living across the country, and all sorts of ways to make this work well. The advice to look up the owner in the tax records is good advice, as is asking the current tenant and/or neighbors. Good luck with your search for housing.
investor1
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Re: Quick Help Needed - Renting with absentee landlord

Post by investor1 »

How did you find out it is a scam?
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MilleniumBuc
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Re: Quick Help Needed - Renting with absentee landlord

Post by MilleniumBuc »

In the same situation for over 3 years with no problem. Did research him As well and did a phone interview with him and the wife. They sent a signed leased fd ex overnight and i signed, scanned back and mailed. The main thing was that we take care of most of the repairs and only bother him with major ones (AC). For this we negotiated a lower lease over 2 years, and a small increase after. Took pictures of every thing how the previous tenant left it, and will do the same when leaving.
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RyeWhiskey
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Re: Quick Help Needed - Renting with absentee landlord

Post by RyeWhiskey »

Since folks asked I'll fill everyone in.

It was indeed a scam. What happened (and is happening a lot I have since learned) is that people are basically copying rental ads and putting them on craigslist saying 'email for more details.' They then explain that they are a landlord who is out of state (usually across the country somewhere for some reason) and that they want to rent out their house. They have you fill out a set of basic informational questions and then try and get you to send the security deposit and/or first-month's rent to their account. I assume they disappear at this point. The house in question is very real but is renting for far more than they are asking.

How'd I find out? I went by the house and spoke to the current (leaving) tenant who said their was an open house the next day. The "landlord" did not mention this open house and, as I was suspicious, I didn't mention it either. I went to the open house and spoke to the actual landlord who said multiple people had come in thinking it was renting for less than it was.

Lesson: If it's too good to be true, it's not real. Always have at least a phone conversation with someone before getting too deep into negotiations. If it feels like a scam, it is.

:sharebeer
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travelnut11
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Re: Quick Help Needed - Renting with absentee landlord

Post by travelnut11 »

From the other side of this coin, I'm a landlord who refuses to rent to anyone I have not met in person with a photo ID. No exceptions. It has probably cost me a few good tenants over the years who were moving here from afar and were totally legitimate but you just never know. It's too risky to me even from my standpoint of being the landlord.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrowmindedness ...and many of our people need it solely on these accounts. - Mark Twain | | Life is either a daring adventure or it is nothing. - Helen Keller
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RyeWhiskey
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Re: Quick Help Needed - Renting with absentee landlord

Post by RyeWhiskey »

travelnut11 wrote:From the other side of this coin, I'm a landlord who refuses to rent to anyone I have not met in person with a photo ID. No exceptions. It has probably cost me a few good tenants over the years who were moving here from afar and were totally legitimate but you just never know. It's too risky to me even from my standpoint of being the landlord.
Makes sense to me. You wouldn't happen to be renting in the Portland, Oregon area would you? :wink:
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travelnut11
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Re: Quick Help Needed - Renting with absentee landlord

Post by travelnut11 »

RyeWhiskey wrote:
travelnut11 wrote:From the other side of this coin, I'm a landlord who refuses to rent to anyone I have not met in person with a photo ID. No exceptions. It has probably cost me a few good tenants over the years who were moving here from afar and were totally legitimate but you just never know. It's too risky to me even from my standpoint of being the landlord.
Makes sense to me. You wouldn't happen to be renting in the Portland, Oregon area would you? :wink:
Nope, sorry! :D
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrowmindedness ...and many of our people need it solely on these accounts. - Mark Twain | | Life is either a daring adventure or it is nothing. - Helen Keller
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