Looks like you got scammed! Have you viewed the apartment? You already paid some money?
And the question is?
FYI, you still have a valid rental contract and it’s not just an easy case of canceling it willy-nilly for your landlord. It is your landlord’s duty to provide you with living space during the renovation. How? Not your problem to figure, but rather your landlord’s. Your landlord also ought to be insured for that, and in turn then insurance can hold the previous tenants liable. You need to be very clear in communicating this to your landlord that you insist on keeping the rental contract and that you expect the same from them (assuming you actually do).
Defo a scam. The owner doesn’t happen to live abroad, do they? And will they send the key via post?
If the effective dates for the date the lease begins have not started yet, then maybe they can back out. Your lease wasn’t scheduled to start for 2 more weeks?
Two months rent AND deposit in advance = scam. Apartment owner abroad = scam.
At least you got to know about it earlier than moving in date. 🙂
You got scammed. The whole email you received stinks of it. The earlier you acknowledge and take action the less time and effort you’ll lose. Mentally say goodbye to your deposit and pre-rent. Nobody here pays rent in advance by the way.
I’m Sorry, but I’m 100% positive that you got scammed. First it’s not common to pay rent before renting. Also the security deposit is due when you actually start the rent. It’s not uncommon for landlords to ask you to pay it upfront, but still it’s due the first day of the renting period.
Also: how did the former tenants flood the apartment? It it was a Wasserschaden, than you would still be able to access the property and if so, ask them for pictures to prove it. As some people stated: if it’s not scam, than the landlord must provide another accommodation for you, and if unable, than you’d rent a hotel room and have them pay for it.
All the best
In a week you won’t be able to get your money from the bank. What they do is to make you wait as long as possible so you bank wont be able to freeze money on their account. Call your bank immediately or consider this amount lost.
This has all the markings of a scam especially this part ‘I was just informed about the situation….’ and ‘will personally assess the damage when I arrive in Berlin’.
Anyway, Berlin is in the middle of a housing crisis. Other than temporary airbnbs, I’d say it’s almost impossible to close a regular rental contract from overseas. The documentation most landlords require is quite extensive and chances are that there is always someone on site who meets the requirements the same way or even better. (Unless you’re renting high-end/luxury properties.)
This looks like a scam. No landlord requires two months of rent in advance PLUS deposit. This is not how it works in German (I am German and I lived 45 years since birth in Germany before emigrating).
That “landlord” looks like never ever wanted to provide you an apartment – perhaps this apartment does not even exist or it had photos stolen from a serious / legit real estate listing site.
But even if that is NOT a scam – a landlord cannot act like this. If you signed the rental contract and the landlord did too, he is obliged and required to give you accomodation. He HAS to provide you with an alternative housing or a hotel for the time the renovation takes.
So its time for you to draw up a plan B. Do you have at least jobs secured in Berlin. Where from the USA are you from? I really wish you good luck.
14 *working* *days* is three weeks. They want to stall you with the hope that the longer time pass they harder it is to trace them/cancel payment etc
I’m sorry OP this whole thing screams of scam. Yes it is terrible that these thing happen in Germany.
You can make an only police report and submit every documentations you have. But yeah they are long gone by now
Obvious scam 🙂
Not only was OP scammed, but he is stubborn and in denial. Out of dozens of comments explaining why this is likely a scam, he has thanked just the one that doesn’t hurt his pride and will likely waste the next 2 weeks demanding alternative accommodation from a non-existing landlord instead of pursuing other avenues.
What “deposit” is the email referring to? In Germany, you don’t pay the deposit to the landlord. Your “Kaution” is kept in a separate bank account opened specifically for that purpose. Unless you are trolling here, you should realize that the email you posted has enough red flags that almost anyone who has spent any amount of time in Germany can immediately recognize that this is a scam. Try to get your bank or credit card involved immediately.
18 comments
Looks like you got scammed! Have you viewed the apartment? You already paid some money?
And the question is?
FYI, you still have a valid rental contract and it’s not just an easy case of canceling it willy-nilly for your landlord. It is your landlord’s duty to provide you with living space during the renovation. How? Not your problem to figure, but rather your landlord’s. Your landlord also ought to be insured for that, and in turn then insurance can hold the previous tenants liable. You need to be very clear in communicating this to your landlord that you insist on keeping the rental contract and that you expect the same from them (assuming you actually do).
Defo a scam. The owner doesn’t happen to live abroad, do they? And will they send the key via post?
If the effective dates for the date the lease begins have not started yet, then maybe they can back out. Your lease wasn’t scheduled to start for 2 more weeks?
Two months rent AND deposit in advance = scam. Apartment owner abroad = scam.
At least you got to know about it earlier than moving in date. 🙂
[https://allaboutberlin.com/guides/housing-scams](https://allaboutberlin.com/guides/housing-scams)
You got scammed. The whole email you received stinks of it. The earlier you acknowledge and take action the less time and effort you’ll lose. Mentally say goodbye to your deposit and pre-rent. Nobody here pays rent in advance by the way.
I’m Sorry, but I’m 100% positive that you got scammed. First it’s not common to pay rent before renting. Also the security deposit is due when you actually start the rent. It’s not uncommon for landlords to ask you to pay it upfront, but still it’s due the first day of the renting period.
Also: how did the former tenants flood the apartment? It it was a Wasserschaden, than you would still be able to access the property and if so, ask them for pictures to prove it. As some people stated: if it’s not scam, than the landlord must provide another accommodation for you, and if unable, than you’d rent a hotel room and have them pay for it.
All the best
In a week you won’t be able to get your money from the bank. What they do is to make you wait as long as possible so you bank wont be able to freeze money on their account. Call your bank immediately or consider this amount lost.
This has all the markings of a scam especially this part ‘I was just informed about the situation….’ and ‘will personally assess the damage when I arrive in Berlin’.
You should file a police report online, just in case: https://www.internetwache-polizei-berlin.de/
But I wouldn’t put too much hope into it.
Anyway, Berlin is in the middle of a housing crisis. Other than temporary airbnbs, I’d say it’s almost impossible to close a regular rental contract from overseas. The documentation most landlords require is quite extensive and chances are that there is always someone on site who meets the requirements the same way or even better. (Unless you’re renting high-end/luxury properties.)
This looks like a scam. No landlord requires two months of rent in advance PLUS deposit. This is not how it works in German (I am German and I lived 45 years since birth in Germany before emigrating).
That “landlord” looks like never ever wanted to provide you an apartment – perhaps this apartment does not even exist or it had photos stolen from a serious / legit real estate listing site.
But even if that is NOT a scam – a landlord cannot act like this. If you signed the rental contract and the landlord did too, he is obliged and required to give you accomodation. He HAS to provide you with an alternative housing or a hotel for the time the renovation takes.
So its time for you to draw up a plan B. Do you have at least jobs secured in Berlin. Where from the USA are you from? I really wish you good luck.
14 *working* *days* is three weeks. They want to stall you with the hope that the longer time pass they harder it is to trace them/cancel payment etc
I’m sorry OP this whole thing screams of scam. Yes it is terrible that these thing happen in Germany.
You can make an only police report and submit every documentations you have. But yeah they are long gone by now
Obvious scam 🙂
Not only was OP scammed, but he is stubborn and in denial. Out of dozens of comments explaining why this is likely a scam, he has thanked just the one that doesn’t hurt his pride and will likely waste the next 2 weeks demanding alternative accommodation from a non-existing landlord instead of pursuing other avenues.
What “deposit” is the email referring to? In Germany, you don’t pay the deposit to the landlord. Your “Kaution” is kept in a separate bank account opened specifically for that purpose. Unless you are trolling here, you should realize that the email you posted has enough red flags that almost anyone who has spent any amount of time in Germany can immediately recognize that this is a scam. Try to get your bank or credit card involved immediately.
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