moin

Hi everyone,

quick question. I'll be flying in to Melbourne (can't wait) mid september. Browsing through flats/apartments/house for rent, single room with house share.

I have been using several "popular" websites for this purpose.

Recently having registered on one of the website I have started receiving emails from various flat owners looking to rent out their property. Emails are very detailed accompanied by brilliant pictures of the residence. Issue is it all seems too good to be true!!! I have also read about a fraud targeting immigrants in my situation. Few similarities I have noticed in almost all.

1- Asked rental prices are between AUD 500 - AUD 600 per month. fully furnished and including bills.

2- All are prepared to draw up a contract lease document that presumably requires me to eventually transfer some kind of deposit (bond) payment to reserve the place.

3- One or two have offered that their lawyers will handle this. (I have asked for lawyer's firm details, references etc. no reply yet)

4- ALL of the flat owners (6-7) that have contacted me are females. humm...

5- Couple of them are abroad for varying work or personal reasons. They have to told me that they have deposited spares keys with FedEx.


What do you guys think? Is this a clear scam and I am just being naive? or are these common procedures followed in which case I would look like a
mug!

Cheers!!

P.S Mods I tried searching for topics similar to this and found nothing so please don't chuck this in the wastebin

Bikergirl

The fact that they are not coming back to you with lawyer details, and that the keys will be with fed ex strikes me as dodgy - it may not be.

Everything i have read on here and other forums is saying stay in youth hostel/hotel/service apartments for the first few weeks then you can look at a rental place and see for yourself if it is legi and if the pictures are doctored at all. Also you dont then transfer money into the unknown, as you will know what is happening with your deposit.

moin

yes! and the fact they are also using sort of scare tactics like "Oh it will be spring time then and loads of people come to Melbourne you might not get a place to stay"

they all are good story tellers I give them that!

Thanks for the response though

Bikergirl

Think you should definitely go with your gut on this and ignore these "lettings".

Which visa are you coming out on?

Good pic btw

moin

yea I think staying at hostels in the beginning is a sound idea! decent prices too! might book one soon.

PR Independent visa. Applied way back in July 2009. Almost forgot about it until my agent came up with a list of additional documents this past April. Have been excited ever since!

thanks! LFC through and through

Bikergirl

Saw somewhere that the hostels have noticeboards with info on them about houseshares etc that you can look at. believe that they also have info about potential jobs etc.

moin

Yes they do! that's what I have been reading up now actually. Clearly you have done the research proper and I haven't! me slacking as usual.

I see your location says Preston so reckon still in UK. What visa are you trying to get?

Pomster

the price is way out unless it is a room in a shared house.
Fully furnished rental properties are as rare as hens teeth.

We have a house in Melbourne which is let while we are back in UK a while. A decent agent has the keys, is responsible for everything related to letting, maintenance etc.
They advertise and when they have a potential renter/renters list, they advise us and tell us what rent it has been let for.
So tenants can see the place, meet the agent and deposit the bond through the mandatory bond lodgement scheme (in Vic)- placed with a third party.

And the rental market is less fraught so don't get panicked into agreeing something because you might be left behind. At a push you can stay in a caravan park for a while. Nice one in Williamstown, but can't remember its name (is on Kororoit Creek Road), which would give you some breathing space.

moin

Prices mentioned are for one room with house share! it's close to a grand or more for the entire flat etc.

It's the whole idea of people emailing me with brilliant offers and trying to rush me to sign lease documents etc that just doesn't seem right. Plus I read about similar frauds that's making me more cautious.

I'll be moving in on my own so I only have couple of luggage bags. Good hostels with storage and other basic facilities would suit me. I like the idea of caravan parks but worried about luggage then? Definitely pencil it in for later though for recreation

Do you rent out the whole property or rooms seperately? if it's rooms then I'll be happy to take a look if it becomes available and I am still homeless!

Zambia

Yeah I would be avoiding this big time.

What area are these properties?

Bikergirl

We are heading out next month on a 457 visa - husband is transfering to the sydney office, permanent job thou temp visa. We are looking at applying for pr (husband is in IT) if we like it when we arrive/cope with the distance from family - dont think that will be too much of an issue mind.

moin

All central with really good prices. Agreed! probably a con. Best to stay cautious.

moin

haha yea whatever suits you. Moving abroad has everyone's own personal tale. Hope it works out for you. Good luck!

spottydog

google gumtree rental scam and you'll find lots of information on what you are receiving

rozellem

My friend in London had to go to Canne, France for a big conference, one of those where every bed in town is taken. His secretary found a lovely flat online (great pictures), booked and payed for it, they even arranged for their car to pick him up at the airport (at extra cost). No car was waiting at the airport, so he caught a taxi to the flat, just to find that it did not exist! He had to sleep on a colleagues hotel room floor.