Is a landlord asking for a holding deposit before I have signed any paperwork normal?

Holding deposits are used in rental markets to reserve a property while referencing checks are completed. In the UK a holding deposit is capped at one week's rent and must be refunded unless you withdraw, provide false information, or fail referencing. Similar rules apply in many other jurisdictions. The fraudulent version involves a 'landlord' who collects holding deposits from multiple prospective tenants simultaneously, then disappears. Warning signs include a landlord who will not let you see the property first, urgency about paying before other applicants take it, and a deposit request exceeding local legal limits. Always get the landlord's full name and verify they have the right to let the property before paying any holding deposit.

Verification is easier than it sounds. Land ownership records are publicly searchable in many countries for a small fee, letting you confirm the name on the title matches the person asking for money. A genuine landlord or agent will also happily accept payment methods that leave a clear trail and will provide written terms without being asked twice. Reluctance on any of these points — or a request to pay by bank transfer to an account in a different name — tells you more than anything the listing itself says. In competitive rental markets, scammers deliberately price properties slightly below the going rate to generate a queue of applicants willing to pay quickly.