Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Letting Agent Today. Read the original article for full details.

Chestertons Calls for Stronger Tenancy Checks to Prevent Rental Fraud

Chestertons is urging the property industry to implement better referencing and ongoing tenancy checks to help prevent fraudsters from securing rental properties under false pretences. This follows a BBC Panorama programme that highlighted how fraudsters use fake IDs, forged references, and falsified bank statements to obtain tenancies.

The agency's call comes in response to concerns raised by the Panorama investigation, which examined the methods used by individuals to commit rental fraud. Chestertons is advocating for more robust processes to protect landlords and letting agents from these risks.