Every week, tenants lose thousands of rand by paying deposits to people who have no legal authority to rent out a property.Many victims believe they are safe because:

✅ They viewed the property.

✅ The property exists.

✅ The photos matched the property.

Unfortunately, none of those things prove that the person requesting payment has the right to rent the property out.In many cases, scammers gain temporary access to a property, obtain photographs from legitimate advertisements, impersonate owners or agents, or create convincing stories to make tenants believe they are dealing with an authorised representative.

At A+ Properties, we offer a Property Authority Verification Service designed to help tenants reduce their risk before making payment.

Why Authority Matters More Than Ownership

One of the biggest misconceptions among tenants is:"If I viewed the property, it must be legitimate."A viewing only proves that the property exists.It does not prove that the person showing it has authority from the owner to rent it out.The important question is not:"Does the property exist?"The important question is:"Does this person have the legal authority to rent out this property and receive my money?"Our service is designed to help answer that question.

How the Service Works

For a once-off fee of R250, we will:

✅ Verify the registered ownership of the property.

✅ Assess whether the person advertising the property appears to be one of the registered owners or has authority to act on behalf of the owner.

✅ Review the information supplied by the prospective tenant.

✅ Identify common warning signs associated with rental scams.

✅ Guide you on the questions you should ask before making payment.

✅ Provide an independent opinion based on the information available at the time of the enquiry.

What We Will Not Do

To protect privacy and comply with applicable laws:

❌ We will not disclose private ownership information.

❌ We will not provide personal details of property owners.

❌ We will not provide confidential ownership records.

❌ We cannot guarantee that any transaction is risk-free.Our role is to help determine whether the person requesting payment appears to have the authority to rent out the property.

Questions Every Tenant Should Ask

1. What Is Your Relationship To The Property?

If the advertiser is not the owner, ask:

• Are you an estate agent?
• Are you a property manager?
• Do you manage the property on behalf of the owner?
• Do you have written authority to act?

A legitimate representative should be able to explain why they are authorised to rent out the property.

2. Can I View The Property?

Be cautious if someone requests payment before a viewing.Most legitimate landlords and agents expect prospective tenants to inspect the property before paying a deposit.

3. Who Will Receive My Money?

Before making payment, confirm:

• The account holder's name.
• Why payment is required.
• Whether a lease agreement has been provided.
• Who is legally entitled to receive the funds.

4. Is There A Written Lease Agreement?

A professional landlord or agent should be able to provide a lease agreement before requesting payment.

5. Why The Urgency?

Be cautious when you hear:

🚩 "You must pay today."

🚩 "Someone else is paying in an hour."

🚩 "Pay now or lose the property."

🚩 "Pay first and view later."Scammers often use urgency to prevent tenants from thinking carefully.

Common Rental Scam Warning Signs

🚩 Deposit required before viewing.

🚩 Advertiser cannot explain their authority to rent out the property.

🚩 Property advertised significantly below market value.

🚩 Refusal to provide supporting information.

🚩 Communication limited to WhatsApp only.

🚩 Pressure to make immediate payment.

🚩 Excuses for why documentation cannot be provided.

🚩 Claims that multiple tenants are ready to pay immediately.

Why Use A+ Properties?

We work with landlords, tenants, agents and property owners every day.We understand how legitimate rental transactions operate and we understand the methods commonly used by scammers.For only R250, you can obtain an independent verification assessment before sending thousands of rand to someone you may never have met.Considering that rental deposits often amount to several thousand rand, a small verification fee could save you from a very expensive mistake.

Remember

Viewing a property proves that the property exists.It does NOT prove that the person showing it has the authority to rent it out.That is the question every tenant should answer before making payment.

Need A Property Authority Verification?

Download the file

Contact A+ Properties today.

📞 Call or WhatsApp: 061 475 0383/0113833316

📧 Email: riccardo@apluspro.co.za🌐 www.apluspro.co.za

Property Authority Verification Service – R250 per property enquiry.

Disclaimer

The Property Authority Verification Service provided by A+ Properties is intended to assist prospective tenants in reducing the risk of rental scams by conducting ownership and authority assessments based on the information available at the time of the enquiry.

A+ Properties does not guarantee that any transaction is legitimate, risk-free, or free from fraud.

 Our assessment is limited to determining whether the person claiming authority to lease the property appears to have a reasonable connection to, or authority from, the registered owner.

We do not provide legal advice, financial advice, or insurance against loss.

The final decision to proceed with any rental transaction remains solely the responsibility of the prospective tenant.