Finding housing without getting scammed

Book temporary housing for the first few weeks, ideally paid by your employer, so you can view flats in person. Rental scams aimed at newcomers are common in Dubai, Berlin, London, Dublin and Tokyo. The usual pattern: a flat well below market price, a landlord who is abroad and cannot show it, and a request to pay a deposit by transfer before viewing or signing.

Never pay before you have seen the flat or a verified agent, read a written lease and checked the landlord or agent through official registers where they exist. Learn the local rules on deposits, notice and what registration a lease must allow. Ask colleagues where they live and how they found it.