Beware of scammers

Rental fraud is a growing problem in this time of housing shortage

Tips to prevent scams:

• Be careful. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
• Be critical when looking at the pictures of the house: Through google image search you can see where a picture on the internet is available. Is the picture of exactly the same room for rent in Eindhoven as in Amsterdam? Or with a different landlord? Then something is wrong.
• Check who officially owns the house. For € 2.95 you can find out exactly who owns a house in the Netherlands (and make sure it matches up with your potential landlord). Head to the Kadaster property register.
• Avoid renting an apartment that you haven’t seen If you can’t see an apartment yourself, try to find someone who you can ask to view the apartment on your behalf.
• Always sign a written lease.
• Beware of illegal sublets. If you’re not able to register at an address, you may be dealing with an illegal sublet.
• Never just send a copy of your ID or passport. Only give your details when you are about to sign the lease.
• Be extremly careful with how you pay. Try to avoid cash where possible. If you’re paying for your rent via bank transfer, be critical of the account details.Do not accept anonymous payment methods, such as Western Union, Airbnb and Moneygram. Also be wary of landlords from abroad.
• If you do end up falling for a scam, take action straight away! Contact the police.