Carlow Gardaí give advice on finding rental accommodation ahead of the academic term

Carlow Gardaí are advising people to be cautious when looking for rental accommodation.

1. Always pay in a way that is traceable and/or refundable. Ensure that any online payment systems are reputable and secure (Check for HTTPS, look for the “Lock” symbol beside the website URL). In general do not pay via a method which you are not familiar.
2. If you are unexpectedly referred to a seemingly legitimate link on a website such as Airbnb to pay for a property this is a huge warning sign. No long term accommodation lets should be using websites designed for short term accommodation.
3. Fully research the area to find out what the average asking prices are.
4. Ask for the exact address and verify the existence of the property. Check google maps to confirm that the property is the same as that advertised. Reverse image search any posted images to see if they appear elsewhere on the internet. Ideally the property would be registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). This can be checked on their website.
5. Ideally meet with the landlord for a tour of the accommodation. If this is not possible (this should be on your part, the landlord should not have an excuse), ask as many verifiable questions as possible.
6. Get a tenancy agreement that it is appropriately written (get someone to look at it if your unfamiliar with tenancy agreements). Question anything that doesn’t seem to relate to the property.