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On Roomlala, reserving online guarantees a secure and insured rental in case of any bad surprises upon arrival.
A little extra: so that your accommodation search goes as smoothly as possible, in this guide you can find all of our tips to spot any suspicious ads and how to handle them.

When to suspect a scam?

  • The landlord asks you to pay a down payment or security deposit in advance and outside of Roomlala
  • The landlord asks you to pay, often urgently, by one of the following methods: money order, on platforms such as Moneygram or Western Union, cash by post, PCS coupon...
  • The landlord asks you to make a transaction to a foreign bank account
  • The owner claims to live abroad
  • There are numerous spelling mistakes in the ad and and the photos used in the ad are "too glamorous", "too perfect", almost "like in magazines"
  • The landlord won't allow you to come and visit the accommodation
  • The rent of the accommodation is too good to be true: a furnished rental near the Eiffel Tower for only 200€ per month is suspicious!
  • The landlord refuses to draw up and sign an inventory of fixtures

Having any doubts about an ad? Report it ►

What to do if you doubt an ad?

If you haven't reserved yet:

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Check the authenticity of the accommodation with Google Images

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Check if the ad is unique with Google Images. From the photos published on the Roomlala ad, you can see if the same photos are on other sites.
  • If on the other sites, the ad containing the same photos is in Manchester while Roomlala's ad was in London, it's suspicious;
  • If the information in the other ad is the same as on Roomlala, it is less likely to be a scam;
To find out how to find identical photos on Google Images in just 2 clicks, it's here.
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Read reviews left by previous tenants

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After renting, tenants are invited to publish a review. We recommend that you give priority to advertisements with evaluations and read them well in advance.
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Ask the landlord for more information

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Need to know more about the landlord and their accommodation? Go to the landlord's profile on Roomlala and do not hesitate to use the contact form, available for this purpose, on the ad. You can then continue the conversation via Roomlala's messenger.
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Report a suspicious ad

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When an ad meets several criteria listed in this guide, report it to us using the "Report This Ad" link on each ad.
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Compare the rental price with those of other accommodation

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When the rental price seems low, compare it with other ads in the same area or city, and you'll know if it's typical or not.
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Pay attention to the e-mail address used by the landlord, especially if you start talking outside of Roomlala. Scammers often use false e-mail addresses and may sometimes use the "Roomlala" brand without our knowledge. To be sure, check if the email ends with "@roomlala.com".. If this is not the case, we are not the source of this message. We would appreciate it if you could report these email addresses to us.

If you have sent a rental request or if your rental is confirmed:

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Ask the landlord your questions via Roomlala's messenger.

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Feel free to talk to the landlords and ask them all your questions via Roomlala messaging. It is there to help you learn more.
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Check specialised forums and sites

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Once the reservation is confirmed, you will receive the landlord's email: enter the email address on Google to check that it does not come up in forums and sites specialised in scams.
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Ask the landlord for additional photos

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Feel free to ask the landlord to send you additional photos if you feel that those in the ad are not enough. Be aware of any inconsistencies with the other photos in the ad.
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Confirm the unavailability of the accommodation

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To go further after reserving your rental, do not hesitate to call the landlord via a friend to check that the period you have booked is indeed unavailable.
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Test the landlord by phone

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On the phone, test the landlord on the area, neighbourhood, housing. If they' re very hesitant or give you inconsistent information, you'll have a good idea.
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Talk to our Customer Service advisors

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Contact our Customer Service to let us know why you are in doubt. Our advisors will guide you.

The safest way: online reservations on Roomlala

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• Your payment is secured by the 3D Secure system


• You do not transfer money to a stranger, Roomlala acts as a trusted intermediary

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• You are insured in case of any bad surprises upon arrival -
Learn more


• You will always have the possibility to cancel your rental (view conditions)

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