RUGBY PLAYER’S RENT SCAM FURY
ARUGBY player has been left on the streets and more than £1,000 out of pocket after falling victim to a property scam. Yannick Sheehan, 27, had only been living in what he thought was his new rental flat for a few days when the real estate agent was astonished to find him living there and ordered him to leave.
Mr Sheehan, who has just moved back to South Wales from London, found the flat at The Grand, Westgate Street, in Cardiff city centre, on website Gumtree after his mother spotted the advert.
He visited the property and spoke to a man named “Laurence” who claimed to be an agent looking after the property.
He provided Yannick with contracts to sign and gave him two sets of keys after a deposit and first month’s rent worth £1,200 had been paid cash in hand.
Yannick moved into the property on April 2 and moved all of his belongings in. But on Tuesday the Frenchman was visited by an estate agent from ACJ Properties and was told he had no right to be at the property, as the property owner had no knowledge of a new tenant taking up residence at the flat.
Self-employed builder Yannick, who plays hooker for Pontyclun RFC and used to play for Biarittz in his home country, said: “A lady from the agency came to the apartment and asked me who I was. I said I was the person who was renting the apartment, but they told me the homeowner was not aware of it.
“They called me back later that day and told me they wanted me out of the apartment, giving me just two and a half hours before the locksmith would arrive to change the locks.”
Yannick managed to move some of his belongings and gave them to a friend who was staying in a hostel, but his expensive electronic belongings such as his TV and radio remained behind.
As he had no place to go, Yannick stayed up all night in Cardiff city centre before heading to work the next day.
ACJ Properties tried to get in touch with the agent but they discovered the organisation did not exist.
When they tried to contact an email address given to Yannick, it was found to be invalid.
They apologised to Yannick for being the victim of a scam and they have contacted the police in relation to the incident
He said: “The agency has sent me emails saying they don’t know what’s going on or who the person who rented the flat to me was. If I could get in contact with the owner I could maybe have a bit more time or arrange to rent the property legally. I could figure out what’s going on.
“I am out of money and technically I have been kicked out on the streets. I’m running around trying to find a place I can stay.
Sarah Plumley, of ACJ Properties, said the current tenants had left the property early and they had no idea how someone was able to get hold of their keys, which they had posted through the letterbox.
She said: “As far as we’re concerned it’s our landlord’s property and our immediate response was to get possession of the property for the landlord.
“How this company got the keys we don’t know so it’s in the hands of the police.
“We’ve contacted the management company in Westgate Street to let them know this has happened because potentially they could be targeting other properties.
“We do feel for Yannick because he is the victim of this.”
South Wales Police have been contacted for comment.