Landlords have been reminded to double check tenants’ documents with their employers after several London landlords were handed fake payslips.

The NRLA reports that would-be scammers supplied forged payslips and employment contracts purporting to be from Glossop-based firm Revolugen Ltd during pre-tenancy checks, with the company saying it is being contacted on a weekly basis by landlords. On checking, the company found no record of any of the people named as ever having worked at the firm, with seven different names used by fraudsters.

Mark Rodger, cybercrime investigator and accredited financial investigator at Derbyshire Police, confirmed there was no suggestion the firm’s systems have been compromised, and that the fraudulent documents were created using Photoshop or similar software by what is believed to be an organised gang.

Representation

“The potential tenants are committing fraud by false representation whenever they present the documents to landlords,” he explains. “The Met Police has been informed and any landlords who receive faked documents should contact their local police force directly and report the fraud.”

The NRLA advises landlords do not accept documents provided by the tenant as proof of employment or income, instead – as these landlords did – they should contact the employer directly for confirmation.  

Identification

Checks vary depending on the provider but typically include identification check (using a passport or driving licence), proof of income, credit check, confirmation of employment (a written employer’s reference confirming the tenant’s employment and salary) and references from former landlords.

The NRLA also has a full tenant referencing service and a guide.

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