A scam of Olympic proportions

As Olympic fever sweeps the globe, it’s important for travellers to retain a healthy degree of skepticism when it comes to accommodation, or risk being duped by scam artists pretending to be legitimate holiday lettings agents.

After the excitement of procuring tickets has worn off, those lucky few must book lodging well in advance, and for visitors staying for the duration of the Games, a short-term let can prove a cost-effective and comfortable form of accommodation, allowing them to truly make themselves at home.

The popularity of holiday lets has skyrocketed with the advent of owner-direct websites, and finding and letting properties online has never been easier. However, with this ease of use comes rampant potential for abuse.

Scam artists have already seized the opportunity to exploit unsuspecting tourists by posting listings for properties which they don’t have the rights to market, or which don’t even exist. They can easily copy the details and photos of a legitimate property from an estate agent’s website and put them up on websites, who take a deposit and then disappearing into thin air. Direct bank transfers are almost impossible to get back, and as transactions are done online it is extremely difficult to track down the con artist.

Many holiday lettings websites are little more than glorified free listings sites that put potential clients in direct contact with owners who may or may not be trustworthy.

Silvia Lawson Johnston, the owner of a legitimate London-based lettings agency A Place Like Home, started her short term accommodation company over 23 years ago. She is only too familiar with these schemes, commenting, “We’ve had three or four instances just in the past year where people have called us up in despair looking for last-minute accommodation after having arrived at the property that they believed they’d booked only to find that the address was a shop or non-residential property, and the photos they’d been sent bore no resemblance to the actual address. In other cases, the visitors arrived at their lodgings only to discover that they were already occupied, and the phone numbers of their booking agency had suddenly gone out of service. We have noticed fake websites which have stolen the listing information and photos from our legitimate website, taking deposits from customers despite the fact that they have no right to let out the property at all! It’s an awful state of affairs and visitors to London must be extremely careful about thoroughly checking the credentials of the agencies they are thinking of booking with, before parting company with their money.”

As new tools and companies make it increasingly easy to book directly online, questions have been raised about the need for travel agencies. Why use a travel agency to book a property when it is possible to simply find one online?

Roz Webster of Travel Agency Cream Travel notes, “I can’t think of a more dangerous way to book a holiday than by looking for a villa online as it’s completely unpoliced. It’s rather like trying to diagnose a medical condition by searching online- an expert is needed to properly evaluate each case.” Travel agents provide that expert opinion, as they are able to draw on a worldwide network of agents who are often able to give details of previous experiences with agencies or properties, sometimes even by speaking to previous visitors.

Agents can also serve as a support system for travellers when abroad. “If a sudden illness or other emergency were to happen, the connections between the travel community are so vast that help would always be available, no matter where the location,” Webster says.

The wealth of knowledge and experience provided by a travel agent can help one feel more secure about booking a holiday let, but even without one, there are many types of checks which can help determine the quality of a property or an agency.

To make sure Olympic dreams aren’t crushed by a bad experience with a holiday let, don’t forget to ask the right questions. Check to see if VAT is included in the quoted rate, if there are discounts for long stays, and if there are cancellation fees. Is a minimum stay required?

A small amount of research can be hugely beneficial. By knowing the market rate of flats in the area, it’s easier to identify fake listings, which usually quote half of the market rate or less. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Beware of platform numbers (numbers beginning with 070 or +4470), which allow the phone to be answered from anywhere in the world. Make sure to book with a London-based agency only. Never use cash transfer services, but pay with a credit or debit card so that funds can be traced. Take out travel insurance on all prepaid expenses for additional security.

It’s also a good idea to ask for references, speak to previous renters, determine whether the landlord is a member of Visit Britain and find out their rating if they are. Confirm with the agency that a “substitute flat” will not be provided in case of double-booking (to prevent a “bait-and-switch scam), and ensure that there’s a local contact in case of emergency. For additional security, look for rental agencies that are affiliated with consortiums such as the International Association of Villa Rental Agents, a company which thoroughly vets all members before allowing them to join.

By carefully evaluating prospective agencies or by using an experienced travel agent, it’s possible to avoid the hurdle of property scams and get on with watching the real Games!

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