Pay before visiting accommodation? An error that can cost you dearly

Finding accommodation sometimes falls under the obstacle course. Taking advantage of the distress of many candidates, some owners require early payment to reserve a property. Worse, in some cases, the apartment simply does not exist, you are then the victim of a scam …

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New notification on your phone: the real estate ad for your dreams has just appeared. Bright apartment, well located, attractive rent… everything seems perfect. But here is the trap: your interlocutor asks you for a sum of money for “to book” good. He will justify his request in this way: “I need to see your interest in good” or “There are a lot of requests”playing on the urgency to make you give in. Unfortunately, this is a scam, an abusive practice of an unscrupulous owner. In any case, this practice, often present in tense areas where applications are counted by hundreds, is illegal.

As the Seloger group specifies, specializing in the dissemination of real estate ads, on its website, “The law strictly prohibits the owner from requesting money from the rental candidate to reserve the accommodation». Clearly, no sum (check, transfer or other means of payment) may be claimed by an owner Before signing the lease. If such a request is made to you, you are likely to lose your money and never visit the desired property. In some cases, it does not even exist.

Can an owner ask you a sum of money?

If you have been trapped and the owner has already collected a payment to book a visit – which is illegal – you can demand a refund by sending a formal notice. In the event of refusal or if you are the victim of a scam after responding to a fictitious ad, you can bring a legal action.

It is therefore essential to remember that “The only legal way to reserve accommodation is to sign the leaseReminds Seloger. For several years, scams have multiplied, taking advantage of the distress of the inhabitants of the tense areas, especially in Ile-de-France … Last novelty in the scam sector: the crooks invest Tiktok. It therefore exists Simple gestures To avoid being fooled, such as sending your file after the visit, favor a physical visit or be wary of incoherent offers compared to the real estate market in your region.