J.M. from outside of Connecticut writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
How do I get information about a condo owner? I am renting from someone I have not rented from before and I want to know that he is the true owner.
Mister Condo replies:
J.M., I appreciate your practice of due diligence. Nobody wants to get scammed by an impostor. The local land record office or equivalent is the keeper of such records. It is usually located in a City Hall or similar complex in the city or town where the property is located. Once you find out where the records are kept, it is usually as simple as visiting the office and looking up the record. Depending on where the property is located and the size of the records office, this could be a simple visit or it could take hours. There are also some online resources to assist but many charge a fee for the full information you are seeking. Still, if you have a genuine concern, that fee could be small potatoes compared to getting duped out of your first, last, and security deposit. Finding out the true owner is only half of the battle. Once you have that information, you’ll want to confirm the true identity of the person offering the lease. Just because I claim to be “Joe Smith” doesn’t mean I am “Joe Smith”. Also, you may find the property is owned by a business entity instead of a person. Again, you will need proof that the lease is offered by the business entity and not “Joe Smith”. My best advice to offer you is that if your gut is telling you that something is fishy, do your homework before signing the lease and paying your money. There may be other rentals available that you will feel better about signing a lease. Good luck!