Landlord want me to pay cash but to someone else

carefullycautious

I would check with land registry if he actually owns the property. This all sounds like scam or something equally dodgy to me

corky6c

Yeah, just checked the land registry and it’s the same person (address doesn’t match up though, but probably moved since then?) even though I have never actually met the guy only spoken over the phone with him when I first moved in.

Mojisola

corky6c said:

Yeah, just checked the land registry and it’s the same person (address doesn’t match up though, but probably moved since then?) even though I have never actually met the guy only spoken over the phone with him when I first moved in.

How do you know that it's the same person?

I could look up the ownership of a house on the LR and then claim to be a person of that name.

corky6c

Yes, you can’t 100% tell it’s the same person but the information regarding the name I received from the estate agents and on the land registry match up. The addresses don’t match but they are in the same town so could be he has moved to a different place since brought the flat. Checking that isn’t going to confirm it’s the same person but how else am I to confirm as the only information/contact details I received from the estate agents, would hope they checked and made sure they were correct.

Smodlet

This may be wrong, corky6c but, if you found this place through an estate agents, is there no way you could ask them to accept payment of your rent on the LL's behalf after informing him, of course? This whole situation screams of a scam to me.  Who uses cash for anything any more now?  OK, maybe the window cleaner but I can't remember the last time I paid cash for even a pint of milk since the lock down began.  This stinks.

corky6c

Not sure, I have thought if that is something they would provide but when I moved in basically the estate agents handed everything off to me and that from now on all dealings will be with the landlord direct as he is managing the property and not them. 

greatcrested

Unless I've forgotton, this is the first time you've mentioned a letting agent. That puts s different perspective on the landlord's identity and reduces the risk of it being a scam. Assuming the agents are themselvs kosher (members of one of the ombudsman schemes?).

Paying them is another alternative - but only with the LL's permission. It sounds likely he paid them a fee for 'tenant find', and not for tenancy management or rent collection, so paying through them would probably cost the LL addiional ongoing regular agent's fees....

You say: " the information regarding the name I received from the estate agents and on the land registry match up" but what about the named landlord on the tenancy agreement? Also the same?

Nothing I've read on these 3 pages of responses convinces me to alter my earlier advice to use some variation of the draft letter I supplied.

Smodlet

All I can suggest is to listen to all the cautions on here and to offer the "aunt" a cheque, after she has produced a receipt signed by the landlord.  If the "aunt" has a problem with that, ask her to provide bank details and, in the unlikely event she does, confirm them with the landlord in writing, stating you will set up a standing order.

You could also consider reporting him/her to HMRC but that might be better left until you have found somewhere else to rent.  I know it is hard but, at least, you have this forum.  Good luck.