Be aware of accommodation scams

Unfortunately accommodation in Dublin is very scarce. The lack of supply of housing has pushed up the cost of renting accommodation drastically. It has also caused a significant increase in rental scams. Peoples’ desperation to find accommodation  has caused them to make errors in judgement which some people are taking advantage of.

This problem has been highlighted by a number of people interviewed on DubJobs . The most common method of tricking people out of their money is by advertising a property which doesn’t exist and requesting a deposit to be sent before viewing the apartment. Often the person claims they are based outside of Ireland.

Before you hand over any money please make sure you know who you’re dealing with. Ideally you should meet the person at the property first before handing over any money. If you are renting long term accommodation it’s very unusual to request any money from tenants before the potential tenant has viewed the apartment. Generally, if someone starts asking you for money before you’ve viewed the apartment it would be better to stay away.

If you are not in a situation to view the apartment try to book your accommodation through trusted third parties. For example, often universities will have a list of recommended host families. For short term accommodation, airbnb will provide you with feedback on each host. Student accommodation can be very scarce, particularity short term accommodation during the summer for English language students. It is normal practice to request a payment for upfront for short term accommodation.