I’ve been wading through the ImmoScout swamp, trying to do the dreaded “find an apartment from abroad” thing. I thought I’d finally found one, but this is what the contract looks like. Is this scammy?
by Witty-Internal9260
3 comments
This definitely sounds at least suspicious. Legally you aren’t even required to pay the full deposit within the first month and could pay it down in 3 monthly rates. So the landlord demanding full payment of the deposit and rent before you get to move in would be a deal breaker. I’d tell them you pay your deposit and rent once you’ve recieved your keys. If the landlord refuses that I would step back from this.
Well it’s somewhat suspicious.
Rent and deposit shouldn’t be due before you move in. So you shouldn’t pay anything until you have full access to the flat. If it’s furnitured you should ask the neighbors if it’s a Ferienwohnung. Those scammers are going so far to rent bnb for those scams. Also furniture flats are rare in Germany
Two things that throw me off In the contract itself:
The world kostenlos for the money transfer.
The empty field for the landlord
The task for getting an apartment from abroad is basically impossible unless it’s organized through university or the employer.
What you should do: look for cheap hotels and start looking for apartments when you are here
I have heard of scams where people rent flats via airbnb and pose them as their own so they can grab the deposit. Are there ways you can make sure the rent is really up for renting?
3 comments
This definitely sounds at least suspicious. Legally you aren’t even required to pay the full deposit within the first month and could pay it down in 3 monthly rates. So the landlord demanding full payment of the deposit and rent before you get to move in would be a deal breaker.
I’d tell them you pay your deposit and rent once you’ve recieved your keys. If the landlord refuses that I would step back from this.
Well it’s somewhat suspicious.
Rent and deposit shouldn’t be due before you move in. So you shouldn’t pay anything until you have full access to the flat. If it’s furnitured you should ask the neighbors if it’s a Ferienwohnung. Those scammers are going so far to rent bnb for those scams. Also furniture flats are rare in Germany
Two things that throw me off In the contract itself:
The world kostenlos for the money transfer.
The empty field for the landlord
The task for getting an apartment from abroad is basically impossible unless it’s organized through university or the employer.
What you should do: look for cheap hotels and start looking for apartments when you are here
I have heard of scams where people rent flats via airbnb and pose them as their own so they can grab the deposit. Are there ways you can make sure the rent is really up for renting?