The «landlord abroad»
It is one of the most common rental scams in Spain, and students and newcomers are a favourite target. It almost always follows the same script, and knowing it is the best defence.
How it starts
- A nice, well-located flat, noticeably cheaper than others in the area. The photos are often copied from another listing or from a holiday let.
- When you write, the «landlord» explains they live abroad: transferred for work, a doctor in another country, working on an oil rig, caring for a relative… They often add that the money matters less than finding someone trustworthy.
- They ask to continue on WhatsApp or by email, away from the rental portal.
How they ask for money
- Since they cannot show you the flat, they suggest you pay first: the deposit and the first month, or a «booking fee».
- The keys and the contract would arrive by courier, or through a supposed platform, agency or lawyer that «holds the money» until you see the flat. Those middlemen and their emails are usually fake.
- The bank account is often in another country, or they ask for a money transfer service. And there is nearly always a rush: «other people are interested».
Why it works
The low price and the hurry push you to secure it quickly. The story explains why they cannot show it. And the promise that your money is protected makes paying feel safe. If you are arranging a flat from abroad before your Erasmus starts, the script fits your situation perfectly.
What to do
- Do not pay anything before visiting the property in person and signing a contract. A landlord who lives abroad can ask a relative, a friend or an agency to show it.
- If you are not in Spain yet, ask someone you trust to visit for you, or book a short stay and look for a flat once you arrive.
- Ask whose name the account is in and who will show you the flat. If they dodge the questions, that is a bad sign.
- Search the listing's photos with Google Lens or Google's image search: if they show up in another listing, in another city or on a holiday-rental site, be wary.
- If you saw it on a portal, report the listing from its own page: they review it and may warn other people who contacted it.
What if the landlord really does live abroad? It happens, and it is not unusual. The difference is that a genuine landlord finds a way for you to see the flat before paying and signs a contract with you. What gives the scam away is not that they live abroad, but having to pay without seeing anything.
More on paying up front in «They want a deposit before you see the flat». If you have already paid, see what to do now.