Student housing scams: how to avoid them?
If vigilance is required, be sure to check all these steps before you commit to taking up a home.
Find out about market prices
An essential precaution to protect yourself against housing scams is to be familiar with the rent prices in the city and neighborhood where you are looking for housing. Often, scams take the form of extremely attractive ads offering high-end services at incredibly low rents. So it's crucial to be careful if you encounter an ad that seems too good to be true.
Beware of overly attractive offers
If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Be careful of excessively low prices or exceptional benefits offered, as this can be a tactic to lure students into a scam.
Verify that the accommodation exists using Google Maps
Before continuing the process and making a greater commitment to a home that interests you, it is recommended that you adopt a simple measure: search on Google by typing in the address of the accommodation. Use the Street View feature to visually check whether the corresponding building actually exists in the location shown. You can also compare the photos in the ad with those obtained through this search. This step will allow you to ensure the physical existence of the home and to avoid potential false ads or scams.
Look closely at the photos online
In an announcement, photos play an essential role. It is advisable to avoid ads that do not have photos. A serious owner will take care to take care of his ad by including attractive photos to arouse the interest of potential tenants and quickly rent his home.
However, you should also be wary of ads with photos that seem too perfect, worthy of a decoration magazine. It is common to be deceived by the images shown in an ad.
If you are in doubt, it is a good idea to do a reverse search on Google Images by uploading the ad photo to the site of Google Image. If you find the same image elsewhere with different authors, there is a good chance that you are facing a scam.
Also, watch out for spelling mistakes and suspicious turns of phrase, as this can also indicate a fraudulent ad.
Visit the accommodation in person
If you already live in France and are looking for student accommodation, avoid making a deal without having visited the accommodation in person. Online photos can be misleading, so it's important to check the condition of the home yourself and how it fits your needs.
Pay attention to advance payment requests
Be on the lookout for landlords or real estate agents who require full payment or a high deposit before you've even signed a rental agreement. It is best to respect payments that comply with market standards.
Don't send money until you sign the lease
It is absolutely not recommended to send money to an owner or agency before you have visited the property. Moreover, it is even less recommended to hand over cash before signing a rental agreement. If the owner or agency asks you to pay money to book a visit or to block the accommodation, it is best not to follow up on this request and to explore other options.
Sign a written rental agreement
To avoid misunderstandings and disputes later, be sure to sign a written rental agreement detailing the terms and conditions of the rental. Read the contract carefully before signing it and ask for clarification if necessary.
Trust rental platforms
Choose reputable and reliable rental platforms that offer guarantees and protections to renters. These platforms can be a sure way to avoid scams and resolve potential issues. Check out this article on reliable student housing platforms.
Find accommodation easily with Studely
Thanks to the “Search and Find” service, foreign students can benefit from personalized follow-up to find the right student accommodation in all cities in France. To find out more, click hither.
The icing on the cake, Studely is doing well guarantor with your landlord.
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