House-Hunting From Abroad: Checking Listings, Contracts and Scam Red Flags

Finding somewhere to live in Oxford is competitive, and doing it from another country adds a layer of risk: you can't view the property, you may not know typical prices, and scammers know international students are under pressure to secure something quickly. A careful process protects both your money and your first months in the UK.

Red flags in listings

Walk away, or at least slow down, if you see:

• A price well below similar rooms in the same area.
• A landlord who is "abroad" or "a missionary" and can't show you the property.
• Pressure to pay immediately to "secure" the room before others do.
• Requests to pay by money transfer services, crypto or to a personal account overseas.
• Refusal to do a live video viewing — pre-recorded videos and photos can be stolen from real listings.
• Stock-looking photos; a reverse image search sometimes reveals the same images elsewhere.

Our wider guide to scams targeting international students covers other common tricks.

Verifying the landlord or agent

• Letting agents in England should belong to a redress scheme and have client money protection; they usually display this on their website.
• Ask for the landlord's full name and check they are named on the tenancy agreement.
• For HMOs (shared houses with several unrelated tenants), check whether the property should be licensed — Oxford City Council operates HMO licensing.
• Search the agent's name with "reviews" and "scam".

Reading the tenancy agreement

Most private student lets in England are assured shorthold tenancies. Before signing, check:

1. Names and address — correct and complete.
2. Term and dates — especially whether they match your course. A 12-month contract for a 9-month course means paying for summer.
3. Rent and what's included — bills, Wi-Fi, council tax (full-time students are usually exempt from council tax).
4. Deposit — amount, and which government-approved scheme will protect it.
5. Joint or individual liability — on a joint tenancy, you can be liable for housemates' unpaid rent.
6. Break clause — whether you can leave early and on what terms.
7. Repairs and responsibilities — who handles what.
8. Fees — most fees beyond rent, deposit and a capped holding deposit are banned under the Tenant Fees Act 2019.

Our deposit protection guide explains what happens to your deposit at the end of the tenancy.

Guarantors and rent in advance

Many landlords ask for a UK-based guarantor, which most international students don't have. Alternatives include paying several months' rent upfront or using a commercial guarantor service. If you pay rent in advance, make sure the agreement records it clearly and pay only to a verified account.

If you're not sure where to live

Oxford areas vary a lot in price, commute and atmosphere. See our guide to where to live in Oxford before committing.

How the Arrive UK online add-on helps

Our Remote house-hunting support (£45) is done entirely online. Send us the listings you're considering and any draft contract, and we'll:

• review each listing for common scam red flags,
• go through the tenancy agreement and point out terms worth questioning — dates, liability, fees, deposit protection,
• give you a short written summary and a list of questions to put to the landlord or agent.

We know Oxford's rental market well, but we're not solicitors, so we'll flag anything that needs formal legal advice. See our online services.