Understanding what proper providers do helps you spot the fakes immediately. Here at London Homestays we recommend a few things to always check before booking.

British Council accreditation is the gold standard for homestay providers. We’re registered with the British Council as homestay accommodation providers for adults and under-18s. This means inspections, safeguarding requirements, proper standards.

Here’s what most people don’t know: many providers claim British Council registration but aren’t actually registered. You can verify any claim by checking the official list at britishcouncil.org. If a provider’s name isn’t on that list, their claim is false. Simple as that.

Established providers physically visit homes before listing them. We assess every homestay and check the actual room students will stay in, test the Wi-Fi, confirm the commute time, discuss dietary requirements. Scammers list properties they’ve never seen, sometimes properties that don’t even exist.

You can check if they’re a registered UK company. Search “[company name] Companies House UK” – proper businesses are registered and you can see when they were founded, who the directors are. We’ve been operating since 2007 with a London office. Scammers aren’t registered anywhere because they’re not legitimate businesses.

Ask which language schools they work with. We work with Speak Up London, ES, Stafford House, and Burlington School – schools that verify their accommodation partners properly. Your school can tell you which homestay providers they recommend. If someone can’t name any schools, or gets vague about it, that tells you something.

Clear terms and conditions matter more than you’d think. Before you pay anything, you should see clear terms and conditions covering what’s included, house rules, cancellation policy, deposit protection, what happens if there’s a problem. These form your contract when you pay. No terms and conditions document? Don’t pay.

Check who links to the agency. Major universities and accredited schools only recommend accommodation providers they’ve verified. We’re listed on university accommodation pages as a recommended provider. Search for the provider’s name on official university sites – if you can’t find them linked anywhere, ask yourself why.

These questions work because they require specific knowledge that scammers don’t have.

What’s the postcode? (You want to check the commute on Google Maps yourself.)
Are you British Council accredited? (If they say “What’s that?” you have your answer.)
Which language schools do you work with? (Established providers can name several immediately.)
What is your registered company number?

Right-click on listing photos and “search image with Google.” If they appear on multiple websites or hotel listings – stolen photos, not genuine.

Check Google street view once you have the postcode. Does it match the photos? Is it even a residential area? One student discovered her “beautiful homestay” was actually an industrial estate.

Contact your language school and ask which homestay providers they work with and recommend. Schools know who’s legitimate.

Google reviews are particularly useful because you can click on the reviewer’s profile to see what else they’ve reviewed. If someone’s only reviewed one accommodation provider and nothing else, it’s likely fake. Google is good at spotting fake reviews, but you should still check. Also check if the company replies to reviews – both positive and negative. Professional providers engage with their reviews and address problems properly. No replies at all? Suspicious.

Get everything in writing. Arrival instructions, host family details, what’s included, cancellation terms. Nothing verbal-only.

The process should feel professional, thorough, unhurried.

You contact the provider with your dates, school, and requirements. They ask you questions about dietary needs, arrival time, what you’re looking for. They show you verified options with postcode district, specific details, honest photos, clear pricing. You ask questions – they answer specifically and helpfully. They provide clear terms and conditions to review before you pay anything. You pay deposit through a secure system and get receipt and confirmation. They send detailed arrival information before you travel. You arrive and it matches what was described.

Anything less than this? Be suspicious.

Brazilian student found a listing in a Portuguese Facebook group last year. Looked perfect. Her mother said “It seems too cheap, can you check properly?”

She ignored her mother. Lost £1,000. (And felt terrible about it because her mother had been right all along.)

If someone’s telling you to verify properly – parents, friends, your school – they’re usually right. They’re not being paranoid. They’re protecting you from losing money you can’t afford to lose.

Verified homestays exist. Legitimate hosts are out there, properly vetted and ready to welcome students. But scammers also exist, specifically targeting international students booking from abroad who don’t know London and tend to be trusting by nature.

Paying slightly more for a provider with British Council accreditation, established reputation, and actual verification processes is cheaper than losing £1,000 to a scammer and having to start over.

Check they’re registered with the British Council using the official list. Check they work with accredited schools. Check they have a UK company registration. Read their Google reviews and click on reviewer profiles to see what else they’ve reviewed. Get clear terms and conditions in writing. Take time to verify properly. Don’t book based on price alone. Don’t send money to random bank accounts just because someone’s pressuring you.

It’s worth the extra hour to check.

Ready to see verified, inspected homestays with clear contracts and proper support? Email us with your dates and school. We’ll explain exactly how our verification process works and show you homes we’ve actually visited and approved.