appartment visit is this allowed before payment if one lives in the same city

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appartment visit is this allowed before payment if one lives in the same city

I wanted to rent an apartment in  Geneva area, the owner said she will send to me a airbnb link to make payment then an agent will meet me to visit and give me the keys.

I told her is it possible to visit first she said that was not an option

 

does anyone know how it works for long term rentals?

 

thank you

Jane

1 Best Answer
Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

Hello @Jane2948 

 

What do you mean by saying that the owner said they will send you a link to their Airbnb listing? Did you find details on another website such as Craigslist. If so this could be a sign that this is a scam and the person is sending you to a false website and it is a scam, particularly if they are asking you to pay for a deposit outside of Airbnb.

 

If you want to make a long term booking through Airbnb you should use their website to search for properties in your chosen location, for the dates you want and you can set a budget to see what comes up as being available.

 

Hosts normally wouldn't have you visit in advance before making a booking.

 

If you want to view a property before you book for a long term booking, you would be better registering with local estate agents so you can view properties and have a tenancy contract for the booking which gives you legal rights.

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9 Replies 9
Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

Hello @Jane2948 

 

What do you mean by saying that the owner said they will send you a link to their Airbnb listing? Did you find details on another website such as Craigslist. If so this could be a sign that this is a scam and the person is sending you to a false website and it is a scam, particularly if they are asking you to pay for a deposit outside of Airbnb.

 

If you want to make a long term booking through Airbnb you should use their website to search for properties in your chosen location, for the dates you want and you can set a budget to see what comes up as being available.

 

Hosts normally wouldn't have you visit in advance before making a booking.

 

If you want to view a property before you book for a long term booking, you would be better registering with local estate agents so you can view properties and have a tenancy contract for the booking which gives you legal rights.

thank you very much Helen3 it must be a scam because she said she was going to send to me a airbnb link

 

Sandra856
Level 10
Copenhagen, Denmark

@Jane2948 It is a well known scam!!!! 

Elena87
Level 10
СПБ, Russia

@Jane2948 

 

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help/Rental-scam-using-Airbnb-How-should-I-go-forward-if-at-all/...

 

It is a scam - the link above shows many examples of how it operates.

 

 

 

Thank you very much for your response !
You seem like a very nice person, and I would be more than happy to have you as my tenant ! 🙂
As per our family lawyer advice, and since this would be our first transaction, we have been advised to use an authorized third party to intermediate our first deal, so I will list my apartment on Airbnb - the biggest and the most secure rental company in the world at this moment - I am sure you heard about it, or used it at least one time in the past.
Due to Airbnb's extenuating circumstances policy with this horrible Coronavirus, and since travel is restricted, Airbnb has updated their company policy, and they will help us to conclude the transaction in a safe manner.

For the next step, I will activate and provide you the link of my listing on Airbnb. You will have to make the booking only for one month. Then, Airbnb will send you the invoice and the payment instructions for 1 month + the security deposit (CHF 859 + CHF 1'000 = CHF 1'859).

The moment Airbnb receives your payment confirmation, they will assign one of their agent's located in Switzerland to meet with you, and make the inspection of the apartment. The agent will have the keys and all the necessary documents, including the power of attorney signed by me.

At this point, after you've made the inspection, there are 2 options:

1) If you like the apartment, and if you decide to rent it for long term, you will close the transaction with the representative from Airbnb, who is fully entitled and authorized by me through the power of attorney to rent the apartment to you. The rental contact is fully flexible, in order to suit both of our needs, so if you want to add something in the contract, or remove something from it, we can do it, I am a reasonable person, no need to worry about anything :).
Then you will have to authorize Airbnb to release the funds to me.

2) If, after the inspection of the apartment, you decide that you don't want to rent it (for any reason whatsoever), Airbnb will refund you the money in full, as the cancellation policy is fully flexible. (I am more than certain that you will fall in love with the place, anyway 🙂 ).

I hope you understand the steps of the transaction, you will NOT send the money to me, you will send it to Airbnb. I can't have access to the funds without your authorization, so you are 100% protected.
So basically, you have nothing to lose, and I also have the certitude that you are indeed interested in renting it.

This Airbnb transaction will be a one time transaction, if you decide to rent the apartment after the inspection, the rest of the monthly installments will be sent directly to me. We will discuss these details after you make the inspection.

I would also like to inform you that a previous "tenant" made me fly to Switzerland for nothing, and decided not to answer his cellphone when I arrived ...

Thanks in advance for having the time to read my long email, and please inform me if I can activate the ad and provide you the link to my Airbnb listing.

Kisses,

Daria

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

Clearly a scam this is not how Airbnb works @Jane2948  glad you got help here to alert you.

 

Please report it to Airbnb and on the website where you found the ad

**36@gmail.com

 

this is the email she or he used from spain too

let me try to copy the e-mail I was sent here

@Jane2948  This is not how Airbnb works; it's a known scam. Do not transfer any money to this person. Best of luck in your housing search.