Freshers: How to avoid cheating, when you need to rent a home

Demand is high for attractive rental housing, especially in the larger Danish cities. It can be tempting to act quickly and deposit large sums of money in deposits and the deposit to be first in the queue to secure a place to stay, perhaps just before the commencement of the programme.

But, unfortunately, is a part of fake landlords ready to take desperate boliglejere by the nose. So it is a good idea to keep a cool head and follow a set of advice, before you sign a lease or transferring money for a new apartment.

How to find a rental home

According to Jacob Johansen, communications in boligportalen Boligninja.dk, there are generally two types of scams with rental housing.

Fake listings, where the dwelling does not exist.

the Ads created for existing housing, but where the fraudster either not own the residence or does not have the right to rent it out.

what you should know before you rent an apartment

It is difficult to put a precise figure on how many danes are each year exposed to boligsvindel. But according to Boligundersøgelsen 2016 approximately every tenth student or students nationwide have been exposed for cheating in the housing market. The survey is conducted by Danish pupils and Students Kollegieråd among 3.982 pupils and students.

Among the respondents, five percent experienced to be charged with ’money under the table’ to the seller/landlord, while three percent have experienced being cheated out of an advance or deposit, that the landlord is either leased or sold to a non-existing dwelling.

In 2019 the police 324 reviews about boligsvindel, and most came up to the study.

How to complain you, if you live for rent

If you want to ensure you the best possible against boligsvindlere, so follow these tips when you are searching for new rental property:

Use large and reputed boligsites to find your new rental home.

Beware, if you encounter a all for cheap housing. The monthly rent is very low compared to other rental units in the same area, there is a big risk of fraud.

A low deposit can also be a sign of possible cheating – typically you must pay 3 months ' rent in deposit.

always Ask to get shown the rental property, so you ensure that it is available. Thus you can also meet the landlord personally.

Get the full name of the landlord, and check out who owns the property on the Homeowner.dk. Enter the address in the 'Search in ejendomsdata' and search and then check the ownership under the 'Ownership' and 'owner Information'. Bed like to the landlord to show identification, so you can also ensure you that it is not the one that just pretending to be the landlord. Other options are to ask neighbors or check the name on the dørskiltet.

Check the lease carefully before you sign it. Check out for example, who has responsibility for what in relation to damages, maintenance, etc. – so you can avoid misunderstandings if something should go wrong. Nærlæs also paragraph 11 of the lease – here, the landlord can describe the particular conditions, e.g., time-limited rent, or whether you are allowed to keep livestock.

Be wary if the landlord wants you to sign the same.

don't ever Pay extra money ’under the table’ to a landlord. You have legally no way to get the money back.

the Transfer never money to the landlord until you have a signed lease and have seen the keys.

Write along with the landlord and pay at the udlejningsplatform, where you have found the home. Type the website into your browser window instead of click you go to the dwelling via a link from, for example, social media or sms - so you reduce the risk of falling on a fuphjemmeside.

do not ever Pay rent, deposit or prepaid rent cash or Mobile Pay, bank transfer or foreign remittance services, as the money cannot be traced or reversed. Pay always by credit card.

alarm bells should ring if you need to transfer money to a foreign account, e.g. via Western Union or similar services. Transfer always the money to a Danish bank.

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If you still get scammed, but have used the credit card for payment, you must make objection to the bank against the payment no later than 14 days after, you should have received access to the apartment received lease or otherwise (such is the Nordea rules, check out the evs. the rules of your bank). However, you must first have tried to solve the problem with the landlord.

the Rules for renting and subleasing – how it works the rent act

Even if you have taken all your precautions and yet are being deceived by a landlord, for example by having paid the deposit for an apartment that does not exist, there is only one way forward: Report the matter to the police. It e.g. you can do online on the police.dk here.

keep the following documents ready when you want to report the fraud with the rental property:

Documentation for all communication with the landlord, e.g. a screenshot of text messages, e-mails or Facebook correspondence.

A signed lease.

Proof of payment, e.g. a screen print of your account transfer via online banking.

Lejeboligens address.

Your NemID. You can only report the fraud by the use of NemID.

Remember to save all the above documentation, also after you have sent it to the police. After your review you will get a receipt in your e-Box, and then you hear from the police, when they have dealt with your case.

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