Housing Red Flags – Pay Attention!
Watch out for swindlers! They will try to persuade you to pay in advance for a room that is not theirs to rent out or doesn’t even exist. Always take the following precautions:
- NEVER pay rent and/or the deposit in advance when you haven’t seen the room yet!
- DO NOT pay Dutch postal companies like TNT and Post NL who supposedly will send you the key of the room after you’ve paid them. They do not provide this service!
- NEVER use Money Gram or Western Union to pay your ‘landlord’!
- NEVER send copies of your ID!
- DO NOT trust the copy of the ID that was sent to you; it probably belongs to a previous victim.
- Google the name and email address of the person you’re in contact with.
- Be on your guard when the ‘landlord’ doesn’t live in the Netherlands.
- Nevertheless, a victim of swindling/fraud? Report it to the police or contact Rent Support Center Groningen!
Red flags:
Do NOT engage in a renting contract if one of the following applies:
- Unexplained service costs
- Not allowed to register your address with the municipality ( which is required btw)
- You have to sign before you can see the room
- You have to pay administrative or intermediary fees