How to Avoid Rental Scams When Renting an Apartment

Five signs of a fake listing

The price is noticeably below the neighborhood average; the owner insists on prepayment before an in-person viewing; the apartment's photos show up in several different listings; you're pressured with "someone else is already looking at it, decide now"; the owner is "abroad" and offers to settle everything via a card transfer.

How to verify the owner before transferring a deposit

Ask to see a document confirming ownership (the technical passport or a registry extract), and check the name against the ID of the person you're talking to. An in-person viewing is non-negotiable — no excuse justifies renting "blind" based on photos alone.

What must be written into the lease

The exact rent and deposit amounts, the date and conditions for returning the deposit, who pays utilities, the condition of the property at move-in (ideally documented with photos), and the notice period required from both sides before move-out.

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