Beware of fake agents! Some practical advice

adamitok wrote:

Hey guys!
From my experience, if u are not yet in Malta, don't pay anything to your future landlord. Try to book without any payments. If you have not seen the flat in real, don't trust on a word. The landlors I contacted through this site has given his fake name: Massimo Martino (from Italy), address, personal details, bank account. He made a good story, sent a good contract, even instructions how to behave in the apartment. He has taken 500 euro of deposit and I hope the police is to find him. Don't have to add that it wasn't his flat afterwards.
Some advice?
Lie to your potential landlord that your friend from Malta can see the flat before you pay, if he is to agree it is a good sign.
Take as many details as you can from him. If he doesn't have a facebook account you should be more than careful.
Try to postpone the payment as long as it is possible (just invent some nice story of banking problems) to make it finally be paid as you come.
Ask about details of the area, not just shops because he can check it in the internet easily.
Buildings in Malta should have its original name!
Don't trust foreigners. My fake landlord was supposed to be from Italy, had foreign bank account.
If the documents he will send you are the examples taken from the Internet, be careful.

At last, just don't be naive, don't believe your landlord because you got to like him and seems to be professional!

I have lost count of the number of times I have seen posts on this forum and others saying 'Do not rent anywhere without seeing it first'.
It applies to everything in life and everything you buy or rent. You would not buy a car without seeing it first and checking that the seller was genuine and the actual owner so why rent in a foreign country without visiting first!
Common sense says, do not do it!

Ray

You need to be in Malta to rent a property, book a cheap hotel  and start looking once you get here.

Its just common sense and we have said it again and again!

Terry

am not liking the fact that this poster says he rented thru this site...... yet all the warnings are here for all to see.

Toon wrote:

am not liking the fact that this poster says he rented thru this site...... yet all the warnings are here for all to see.

I find it hypocritical that he says not to trust foreigners; while himself being a foreigner also, is advocating lying and inventing stories to landlords in order to secure an apartment.  From a landlords point of view, that doesn't sound like a desirable or trustworthy tenant. 

Simply, he got taken and should have done his due diligence for such a type of transaction.

Ye, it's all true you say. I just wanted to mention that I have spoken with many people now, including financial crime expert and they say that if you believe that a landlord is a foreigner it is much easier for him. He can tell you that he is not yet in Malta but will be in several days etc.

I didn't post this comment for people to avoid all foreign landlords or any landlords at all I found a trustworthy one and I'm really happy staying now in Malta.

I'm not experienced in renting flats, this is probably why I got taken an there are many other young people like me. I have spoken with some university coordinator to make a note for exchange students to avoid paying in advance. I think this is much more convenient for tenants to book a place before and it is not that obvious how not to be taken. If you have some similar advice just mention them below...

Still I haven't seen the advice, posts bewaring of paying, which you mention now...maybe it is not repeated as frequently as you think!

adamitok wrote:

Ye, it's all true you say. I just wanted to mention that I have spoken with many people now, including financial crime expert and they say that if you believe that a landlord is a foreigner it is much easier for him. He can tell you that he is not yet in Malta but will be in several days etc.

I didn't post this comment for people to avoid all foreign landlords or any landlords at all I found a trustworthy one and I'm really happy staying now in Malta.

I'm not experienced in renting flats, this is probably why I got taken an there are many other young people like me. I have spoken with some university coordinator to make a note for exchange students to avoid paying in advance. I think this is much more convenient for tenants to book a place before and it is not that obvious how not to be taken. If you have some similar advice just mention them below...

Still I haven't seen the advice, posts bewaring of paying, which you mention now...maybe it is not repeated as frequently as you think!

This is a post that is always at the top of the page "hints & tips for considering when looking to rent a property in Malta"

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=425461

If people choose not to read the advice "what can you do".   

Not sure how we could make it clearer that its a must to look at any property before paying out money!

Terry

I can surprise you, I have read this post before contacting the fake agent. But it didn't suit my situation, I didn't find it helpful if I was not in Malta that time.
My experience and advice is for people who want to book their place before, maybe you are not aware but many students I met here booked the place before coming. In practise, it is more than convenient to find a place to stay which is not a hotel somewhere...
It is obvious that I wouldn't buy a flat without checking everything. But it is just renting, so many people feel that doing it online and having a place when you come is worth the risk!

adamitok wrote:

I can surprise you, I have read this post before contacting the fake agent. But it didn't suit my situation, I didn't find it helpful if I was not in Malta that time.
My experience and advice is for people who want to book their place before, maybe you are not aware but many students I met here booked the place before coming. In practise, it is more than convenient to find a place to stay which is not a hotel somewhere...
It is obvious that I wouldn't buy a flat without checking everything. But it is just renting, so many people feel that doing it online and having a place when you come is worth the risk!

The whole point of our posts is that you MUST be in Malta when you want to rent.
As you have found out its not as "convenient" as you think.
How many of these students who rent on line finish up loosing their deposit because the flat is not as described and they have to move to another flat?
If you want to risk buying or renting anything before you have seen it then its up to you but its just as easy to book a cheap hostel or hotel for the first couple of weeks and then look for a flat that actually exists!
Save yourself a lot of money and disappointment.

Terry

If you dont want to get caught out rent only once you are here.... yes its inconvenient but hey - its your choice to take that risk and what we have all said here is its not a risk worth taking when you have the level of unscrupulous landlords that we have here.....who are more than willing to take the money and run, refusing your deposit, making false claims against you, garnishee orders, property not fit to live in,  taking rent for property that is not even theirs to rent  ... believe me renting without being here is a massive... anyone choosing to do so without being here is taking a risk they do not need to take... and losing money maybe they cant afford to lose.