Rental scams
Is it safe to go to an apartment viewing alone?
Updated By the Housing Rocket moderators
Short answer
It's usually fine with a few precautions: tell someone the address and time, go in daylight, share your location, and keep your phone charged. If you're meeting a private person rather than a leasing office, bringing a friend is the safer choice, especially when viewing a room in a shared house.
- Get the exact address and the person's full name before you go, and send both to a friend.
- Arrive a few minutes early to look at the street and the building from outside.
- Keep your phone in your hand, not your bag.
- Don't get into anyone's car to "see a few other places".
- Leave if the person isn't who you expected or the address changes at the last minute.
Don't bring cash to a viewing, even if someone suggests paying the deposit on the spot "to save time". A real landlord will give you a lease to read first and take payment in a way that leaves a record.
The same care applies if you're the one showing a room. Ask viewers for their full name and profile in advance, have a housemate home if you can, and put away valuables, mail and documents with personal details before anyone arrives.
Want the whole picture? Read How To Avoid Housing Scams.