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Twenty-year-old Mide Awosika believed she had found her perfect flat last summer before beginning a new academic term at Queen Mary University in London. Alongside two flatmates, she paid a hefty deposit of £12,000 for a four-bedroom property located in Poplar, east London. However, on the day they were meant to move in, no keys were handed over, and Awosika was stunned to see several other groups—nine in total—arriving at the same property, all expecting to move in.
The property had been listed on major rental platforms Zoopla and OpenRent. After viewing the flat in July, Awosika was informed by the letting agent, who introduced himself as Derrick Fringe, that demand was fierce and immediate payment was necessary to secure the tenancy. Trusting him, Awosika and her flatmates paid an upfront sum including three months’ rent along with holding and security deposits. Just before their scheduled move-in in August, they were told by Fringe that current tenants refused to vacate and bailiffs would be needed; thereafter, he ceased communication. The next day, upon visiting the property, Awosika realized the extent of the issue as wave after wave of hopeful renters arrived, all expecting access to the same flat. To coordinate and share updates, she created a WhatsApp group for those affected.
Despite contact attempts by the BBC, neither Fringe nor the landlord responded to inquiries. Awosika revealed that since the incident, 23 others have come forward alleging similar experiences involving the same flat and agent. Rental fraud has been on the rise, with data from Report Fraud showing that losses reported in such scams nearly doubled over five years—from £7.2 million in 2021 across 4,642 cases to £14.5 million in 2025 with 4,178 cases reported across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Among those involved were five flatmates including 24-year-old
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