Renting accommodation from abroad - how to avoid con men?
 

Hello,

I am moving to Australia soon (in May), so I started to look for short/long term accommodation in Sydney. After I posted my advertisement on a flatmate search website I got a couple of responses within 15 minutes or so. All of them were obvious fraud.

Now, I keep getting some responses that don't look suspicious on the first glance. But maybe I fail to see it because I am not experienced in Australian rental market. I am afraid of being conned and on my arrival day to find out that I both lost my money and don't have accommodation.

So, is anybody here has the experience of renting a room in Australia from abroad? What is the standard procedure? How do I sign the contract, lodge bond money, etc? How can I be sure that the person who lets a room is genuine? What question should I ask before I agree to rent?

Many thanks in advance.

Re: Renting accommodation from abroad - how to avoid con men?
 

The only way you can be sure the person is genuine is if you rent from a reputable estate agent (easy enough to check).

If you only want to rent a room, then you can't rent from an estate agent. In that case: book yourself into a hotel, motel, cheap bed & breakfast for a couple of weeks. Then look for a room to rent while you are here in Australia. You can then meet the person and check out the room, meet the other flat mates - that way you'll know it's genuine.

Re: Renting accommodation from abroad - how to avoid con men?
 

Well, this is what I tried to do. However, these "cheap" hotels are insanely expensive (like starting from $150 per day and getting much higher quite quickly). I have no problem living in a hostel for a couple of weeks, but I can't see anything within reasonable budget in Sydney. I need something up to $250 per week. Is it realistic? Do you have any of such motels in mind?

Re: Renting accommodation from abroad - how to avoid con men?
 

Are you serious? I am willing to be proved wrong but I wouldn't think there is anything for $250/week.

Re: Renting accommodation from abroad - how to avoid con men?
 

Have a look at the hostels on www.hostelworld.com

For around $35 a night ($250/week) you may be able to live in a shared dorm. If you are going to stay somewhere for more than a week you're probably better off contacting the hostel directly and ask them if they have special rates.

Re: Renting accommodation from abroad - how to avoid con men?
 

Can anyone recommend decent short-term accomodation in Brisbane?

Re: Renting accommodation from abroad - how to avoid con men?
 

Well, that's why I am asking these questions here to figure out how reasonable I am. :)

Actually, I don't know. I am browsing sites like Gumtree ot Craiglist and I can see that people offer fully furnished rooms in shared appartments/houses (all bills included + internet) for 200AUD and often even less. So, 250AUD per week sounds not that bad.

I don't need anything fancy. Just a bed with a shower and internet connection for a couple of weeks (maybe month) until I settle down properly.

Re: Renting accommodation from abroad - how to avoid con men?
 

Hi Deutschmaster, thanks a lot for this link!

Re: Renting accommodation from abroad - how to avoid con men?
 

Hi

Try this domain.com.au they do shared houses by estate agents for example. http://www.domain.com.au/Property/Fo.../?adid=6294042

Hope this helps and good luck
Kat

Re: Renting accommodation from abroad - how to avoid con men?
 

Hi Kat, thanks for the link. Frankly, this ad looks too good to be true. :) I don't understand why there is such huge difference in prices. For example, backpackers hostel with 4 persons in a room charges about $250 per week. Now I can see this fabulous appartment for $200-220 per week. Or is it per day?

Re: Renting accommodation from abroad - how to avoid con men?
 

This might help:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=658319

Re: Renting accommodation from abroad - how to avoid con men?
 

If you are in a share house you pay your rent ($200 per week) plus electricity (maybe $10 per week), gas ($10 maybe), internet etc. Plus you are doing the cleaning etc.

In a hostel - it is bills inclusive and they do the cleaning!

They also make a profit.

I wouldn't expect to pay more than $200 per week for a house share. I also wouldn't EVER rent a room without first a) seeing the room/house b) meeting my co-tenants and c) making sure it was in an area suitable for me.

You're better off to book a hostel for a couple of weeks and then find a house/flat share.

Good luck.

Re: Renting accommodation from abroad - how to avoid con men?
 

They may do the cleaning, but most of the time they don't do it well. Also, in a hostel I need to share a bathroom with a bunch of dirty backpackers and they are partying/shagging around the clock. Not the most relaxing environment, to put it mildly. I don't mind cleaning after myself, BTW.

Yes, there is always the risk to end up with wackos when renting over the internet. Other points are correct, too. Though with Google maps and street views one can get the vague impression of the place.

Thanks. I definitely will need it. :fingerscrossed: