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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: Scams to avoid when choosing a flat?
I got caught tricked once when choosing my first flat here with agents, and pretty soon i should be on the lookout for a new flat.
What scams have people encountered when choosing a flat? What things should I look out for?
You have to trust your instinct, Mihoutao. Look at the agent straight in the eyes and hold as long as possible. If they waver, ask for more details, more! This will make them uncomfortable, while you just get more inquisitive. I've got 3 agents to admit they would not work as hard as they advertised to, saved me a tons of currency!
Also, Mihoutao, you should always try to compare with your network. Ask people you know, friends around you. As foreigners, we're less acquainted with how all those hings work, so we're easier target. It's very veeeeery important to keep a strong social network, more so meeting new people, like friends of friends.
So, Mhoutao, get out there and get the Baiju kicking!
Mihoutao (hey aren't you Ross's monkey from Friends?)
You should bear in mind that if you go through an agency you will usually have to pay at least ONE MONTH's rent as fees to them, but the monthly rent can be negotiated.
Sometimes if you go through other avenues like Craigslist, gumtree or other sites (actually the listings on this site is pretty good, see Link 1) you won't have to pay an introductory fee, or it might be cheaper. e.g I actually found my current flat via the echinacities classifieds webpage, and the guy didn't need a deposit and only wanted 600 RMB fees (as opposed to a month's rent which would have been 2000 RMB).
But as Poutine says, be brave, stare them straight in the eyes and you will know if they're scamming you! Best is to take a (local) friend along, who will know if it's a good deal or not.
well... definitely u need to avoid fandongs with covetous glance ( I hope I'm using this phrase right, I'm not sure)