Dubai: A property agent said a fresh rent scam has hit International City in Dubai.
Wasim Shaikh said his tenant vanished after illegally subletting a one bedroom flat for about Dh24,000 in the residential development’s China cluster.
Shaikh, an Indian sales manager at Vierra Property, claimed the Pakistani renter posed as the landlord’s agent and cashed an annual rent cheque from a third party.
He added that the tenant had in July presented four post-dated instalment cheques for Dh30,000 in total, one of which bounced in October.
The mode of operation is identical to another alleged con in International City that surfaced in October, also said to involve a Pakistani who posed as both tenant and broker to third parties.
It appears to be a copycat tactic used by alleged swindlers in a series of multimillion-dirham property scandals, which emerged in September, involving “property brokers” embezzling rent money from landlords in dozens of Dubai properties.
Tenants, meanwhile, were left with contracts that are not valid and as such may face eviction.
Shaikh, 31, said his tenant had used copies of the title deed and landlord’s details – given to him during the leasing paperwork – to dupe others that he was the apartment’s agent.
Shaikh added he has filed a police complaint and is taking legal action against the tenant, who appears to have gone into hiding.
He said he is also trying to open a case with the Rent Committee to convince the current occupants – workers using the flat as shared accommodation – to vacate.
“They say it’s not illegal as they’ve paid fully for the apartment. But the landlord, who lives in the US, has been scammed out of tens of thousands of dirhams and we can’t rent it to anyone until they leave. The power bill is still in the tenant’s name, he planned this carefully,” Shaikh said.
“I deal with property; I know this has happened to others in International City. I didn’t think this would happen to me too.”
He added: “You’ve got to be alert, don’t give out one cheque payments – certainly not to anyone who is not the landlord.
“Only deal with registered agents and check original paperwork. If the landlord is overseas, you can wire the rent to them directly – it doesn’t have to be a cheque payment plan.
“Do your checks with the land department about brokers, don’t deal with ‘freelancers.’ And insist on having the power and water bill in your name as Dewa (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority) doesn’t accept unregistered contracts. They check documents, so that’s one safeguard.
“Sign only with Ejari (registered contracts, not some generic S&P (Sales and Purchase) sheet of paper.”
