"The consistent drop in rental fraud reports over the last three years is incredibly positive news for the rental sector."
- Clark Ross - Just Landlords
Rental fraud across England, Wales and the Crown Dependencies has dropped significantly over the last three financial years, new research from Just Landlords has found.
The analysis of data obtained via Freedom of Information requests from Action Fraud and the Metropolitan Police reveals that the total volume of rental fraud reports fell by 18%, from 4,982 cases in FY 2023/24 to 4,092 cases in FY 2025/26.
The drop in rental scams has been felt most at a local level, with several regions experiencing reductions of over 50%.
Derbyshire saw the biggest drop at -64%, closely followed by Bedfordshire at -61%, while Wiltshire and Dyfed-Powys both fell by -57%. Cleveland rounds out the top five at -53%. Meanwhile, Nottinghamshire dropped -51%, Jersey and the Isle of Man both fell by -50%, and Avon & Somerset and Gloucestershire closed the top 10 at -49%.
Two regions saw an uplift in rental fraud. Warwickshire reported a 19% increase in cases over the last three years, while Devon & Cornwall saw a 16% increase.
Despite the strong decline in overall volume, Just Landlords says that the data also presents a warning. While there are fewer individual scams taking place, the financial severity of each incident has increased.
Total financial losses from rental fraud climbed by 20% over the same period, rising from £10,740,933 to £12,840,664, with a total of £35,640,174 taken from victims over the last three years.
At the same time, the average amount lost per report increased by 46%, from £2,156 per victim in FY 2023/24 to £3,138 in FY 2025/26. Just Landlords reports that this shift could suggest that fraudsters are moving away from low-level, high-volume spam in favour of more complex, higher-value identity deception, such as fabricating listings or illegally duplicating genuine property photos to target larger deposits.
"The consistent drop in rental fraud reports over the last three years is incredibly positive news for the rental sector," Clark Ross, managing director of Just Landlords, said.
"However, the sharp rise in financial losses shows we cannot afford to be complacent. Rental fraud is a dual-victim crime; it leaves innocent tenants financially impacted while dragging down the reputation of honest, hardworking housing providers. These scammers are not real landlords; they are sophisticated identity thieves hijacking the credibility of a vital industry.
"Landlords and tenants must both treat verification as the absolute bedrock of any agreement. Landlords can help reduce the risk of fraud by protecting deposits through official government schemes and providing clear tenancy documentation, helping to ensure the sector continues to provide a vital service."
