People looking to rent a property in the Algarve in which to spend their holidays are being urged by the head of the region’s Hotel and Tourist Development Association (AHETA) to check with local town halls and ASAE first to verify the legality of the property and avoid being ripped off.

Eldérico Viegas, president of AHETA, said he recommended that people check with local town halls or with ASAE, the authority responsible for legalising holiday rental properties, “to find out whether the house in question is legal”.

Every year many individuals are duped out of their savings after paying rent on properties that don’t exist.

Attracted by adverts announcing properties for rent at enticing prices in newspapers or on the Internet, scores of people pay a deposit only to find that when they arrive at .......