Housing Scams
Looking for housing abroad can be hard especially when you are not familiar with the housing laws or regulations. Since you are responsible for acquiring your own housing abroad, we thought we'd share some tips to help you out.
- When looking for accommodation look up the address on Google Maps (street view) to determine if the housing matches the photos you have seen.
- Never pay a deposit through Money Gram, Western Union, Pay Pal or E-Transfer.
- If you have to pay a deposit, make sure that you are aware of the Terms and Conditions listed in your lease and how you can regain your deposit at the end of your residency.
- Be cautious of where you are finding housing listings. Facebook may not be the safest method of finding suitable and safe housing. Many scammers search for their victims on Facebook.
- Ask for an in-person or virtual viewing if you are able to.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to the International Learning team at goabroad@uwo.ca
