鈥淒ESPERATE鈥 Islanders whose search for a home has been made more difficult by UU裸聊直播鈥檚 housing qualifications system are being preyed upon by scammers.
Financial investigator Faith Shalamon said that such scams, which often involved false advertisements for rental accommodation posted on social media, have had a 鈥渢errible impact鈥 on some families looking for a place to live.
Some families have lost more than 拢1,000 after being tricked into parting with money to secure a viewing for a property that does not exist.
Speaking at a pop-up event about fraud and financial abuse, Ms Shalamon revealed that rental property scams had 鈥渞eally affected our community here in UU裸聊直播鈥.
She explained: 鈥淚t鈥檚 hitting the section of society where you have got young families, who possibly don鈥檛 have housing qualifications. They are struggling financially and are desperate for accommodation.鈥
The former head of social housing provider UU裸聊直播 Homes Trust, Michael Van Neste, last year levelled scathing criticism at the Island鈥檚 鈥渄iscriminatory鈥 housing qualifications system 鈥 through which statuses affecting Islanders鈥 access to property and employment are assigned.
He argued that those with the more restrictive 鈥渞egistered鈥 status were limited to a dwindling pool of accommodation and were more at risk of being 鈥渞ipped off鈥.
Reacting to Ms Shalamon鈥檚 comments, he said: 鈥淲herever you have a lot of demand and desperation, people are more liable to being scammed.鈥
Ms Shalamon also said scammers were aware of the 鈥減remium鈥 cost of local properties 鈥 something they could turn to their advantage.
She continued: 鈥淥ne property, if it鈥檚 a good price, you are going to get ten, 15, 20 people asking after it.
鈥淪o many people who are desperate will contact the fraudster to say they are interested in the property. The fraudster will come back almost immediately and say they have had about 20 people who are interested 鈥 and that if they [the victim] want it they will have to pay a month鈥檚 deposit.鈥
She revealed that she had dealt with 30 complaints relating to rental property scams across a 2陆-year period.
鈥淚t鈥檚 had a terrible impact on some of these people, unfortunately.
鈥淭hey might have lost 拢500, they might have lost 拢1,000 鈥 to some people that鈥檚 not a lot of money, but to others that鈥檚 a week鈥檚 wages.鈥
Housing Minister David Warr said: 鈥淐learly this is one of those things where, as a consumer, you need to be very careful 鈥 especially if you are being asked to pay upfront.鈥
Assistant Chief Minister Lucy Stephenson, who has political responsibility for the Control of Housing and Work Law, said earlier this year that the legislation would be reviewed to make sure it is 鈥渇it for purpose, effective and fair鈥.
FACT BOX
Housing qualifications
– Those who have lived in the Island for less than a decade 鈥 and who are not considered essential employees 鈥 are restricted to leasing 鈥渞egistered鈥 accommodation, which primarily consists of units in guesthouses and lodging houses. However, if they have lived here for at least five consecutive years they can buy property jointly with an 鈥渆ntitled鈥 or 鈥渓icensed鈥 spouse or civil partner.
