How to Avoid Being Scammed on the Swedish Rental Market

January and August have two things in common: Divorce rates soar after vacation times and scams are on the rise on the rental market. We have several filters for our ads but the scammers are getting savvier. As Sweden is a challenging rental market, these scammers prey on the desperate and even the wisest people fall victim.

Here are warning signs that you are dealing with a scammer in Sweden:

1. The rental level is too good to be true. Often that is how they lure you in. Use common sense on rental levels. If the average rental level for a studio apartment is SEK 10.000, chances are slim that someone is renting theirs for SEK 4.000 out of the goodness of their heart. If you need advice on what trends we see in rental levels on the market, shoot us an email or give us a call and we would be happy to assist!
2. The "landlord" says she/he is renting the apartment from another country and they simply do not want to incur the cost to travel to show you the apartment. A serious landlord will unlikely rent their home to someone they, or a trusted friend or family member, have not met.
3. They try to lull you into false security by using a third party "rental payment" site that is secure and trusted.
4. They tell you to send money before a contract is signed. If you need help with the contract, shoot us an email or give us a call. We offer a contract service during which we also do a credit check on the landlord; ID control and check proof of ownership of the property.