Students warned of bogus lodgings 

AS SETU and Carlow College prepare to welcome back students, those seeking accommodation are being urged to be wary of scams. Gardaí have warned that one-third of all accommodation fraud reports occur during August and September. 

‘Red flags’ include if it seems too good to be true, it probably is; properties advertised only on social media, communication via Messenger or WhatsApp, unsolicited contact, a sense of urgency like "a one-time offer”, grammar or spelling mistakes, and where a landlord is unable to show the property to the prospective tenant.

Where students are taking up an offer of accommodation, they should never hand over a cash payment, ensure the property is registered with the Residential Tenancies Board, that the keys work and proper contact details of the landlord are provided. Any suspicious incidents of fraud should be reported to the gardaí.