Summer has arrived, which means the holiday season is at its peak. Scammers are also at their peak, as a new rental season allows them to scam people. The best way to avoid falling for a scam is to be aware of it.
I strongly advise holidaymakers to look for holiday accommodation in reputable property portals, such as Rentalia, owned by idealista (Spain’s number one). They filter and weed out any suspect landlord profiles. This avoids almost all property scams.
I have collated below eight tips that may help you avoid being scammed on renting a holiday home in Spain.
- Fake listings. Scammers use enticing photos from legitimate sites for their phoney property listings. When you arrive at the property, it's either not up for rental or it is occupied by someone else.
- Bait-and-switch. The property shown in the photos is not the same one when you arrive.
- Below the market price listing As they say, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. You know that €2,000 a month villa in Ibiza you are being offered? Yep, it’s a scam.
- The person you are dealing with is not the owner. This is normally a telltale sign you are being scammed. Excuses given will be that they have been left in charge of the property as the owners live abroad, etc. Always ensure the person you are dealing with is the owner, realtor, or property manager.
- You are asked to pay in cash or by other exotic means which are not traceable (i.e. Bitcoin). Paying through a property portal, such as IDEALISTA, adds security and avoids this issue.
- You are asked to make overseas payments to a country other than Spain.
- Always in a rush. Pay up or give up. They typically give you under 24 hours to pay them as they have “a long waiting list”.
- You are asked to pay in advance the full rental price without meeting them in person or physically touring the place yourself. Virtual property tours are a huge red flag.
At Larrain Nesbitt Abogados (LNA) we have over 21 years of experience specialising in immigration & residency visas. We also assist clients in buying, selling, or renting properties in Spain. You can contact us by e-mail at info@larrainnesbitt.com, by telephone at our UK line (+44) 0754 3838 218 or Spanish line (+34) 952 19 22 88, or by completing our contact form.
Please note the information provided in this article is of general interest only and is not to be construed or intended as substitute for professional legal advice. This article may be posted freely in websites or other social media so long as the author is duly credited. Plagiarizing, whether in whole or in part, this article without crediting the author may result in criminal prosecution. Ní neart go cur le chéile. VOV.
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