Urgent renting and agents

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Dannoush Member

Member since 18 January 2016

DannoushMember27 June 2019 16:10:11

Good evening,
Hope someone can help here with some advice.

I need to rent a flat in Lisbon within 4 days next week as I have to leave immediately for work after that.

I have been looking online at many sites and can see how fast flats go and how most sites don't even bother responding because I'm not renting this second.

I have contacted an agent who is willing to help by checking out flats, taking me around for 2 full days then on the third day hopefully i can rent and sign the contract. She wants to charge 1000 euros for this service which I find extremely high.

My question is, is this doable on my own? It seems that agents might take advantage of the limited time and the fact that i don't speak the language. Has anyone here managed to find a flat on their own and seal the deal? I was advised to use an agent to avoid 'hassles'.

Thanks for your insight and really appreciate the help.

anzarina Active member

Member since 05 July 2010

anzarinaActive member27 June 2019 16:58:15

What!! 1000 euros!!! You're being had/scam! Do you have a pet? If not, if I were in your shoes, I'd rent a room.

Dannoush Member

Member since 18 January 2016

DannoushMember27 June 2019 17:03:10

Hi,
Thanks for your response. I thought the amount was way too high. I don't have a pet now but I intend to have one so I'd rather make sure the flat allows that beforehand. If I were not to use an agent do you think it's something I can do by looking around?

anzarina Active member

Member since 05 July 2010

anzarinaActive member27 June 2019 17:26:57

Hello,

That was a scam. What's your nationality? Are you already in Lisbon?. I got in touch with a girl who was living in Lisbon GRAÇA (the place). She was living in a very nice room, with a patheo. Once you settle down, then you could look for an apartment.

PS: I got in touch with the girll who lived there and she was paying about 380 euros per month.
regards,
M.

anzarina Active member

Member since 05 July 2010

anzarinaActive member27 June 2019 18:00:39

I see that you're not interested. No reply. So, I'm going to phone the young lady I know to call it off.

Dannoush Member

Member since 18 January 2016

DannoushMember28 June 2019 08:21:47

Hi,
Sorry for not responding earlier, I only saw your messages now. I live in Dubai and I will be in Lisbon 1-5 July only. I need to rent a place as I'll be back and forth so not a room. I wish I had the time to stay there and look around but I cannot because of work. I guess that's why the agent was trying to rip me off because she knew my time there is limited.
Thanks for your advice.

Strontium Serial expat

Member since 27 April 2019

StrontiumSerial expat28 June 2019 15:26:23

349

Have you spent time here? The "renting NOW" is not a common Portuguese way of looking for somewhere to live but is mainly confined to the foreign tourist sector. People here wanting to live somewhere will spend time meeting agents in person, checking classified adverts and looking at the local area, if you do not meet the agents in person they are unlikely to respond to emails or phone messages. Their time and effort costs them money so they will only respond if they think you are likely to rent through them, foreign speculative enquiries are treated (from ongoing experience) as a waste of time and effort. If you troll round parts of Portugal there are a large number of empty and possibly crumbling properties but you'll not find them listed as available online.

anzarina Active member

Member since 05 July 2010

anzarinaActive member28 June 2019 16:14:38

Hello,

But that would not be a problem. As long as you rented it on a monthly basis, the owner (lady) in my opinion, could care less how long you'd stay every time you came over to Lisbon…

Bye

Iqbal barak Member

Member since 28 June 2019

Iqbal barakMember29 June 2019 15:34:52

Hi I am looking for a room with legal contract.. could you please help me..thanks

Strontium Serial expat

Member since 27 April 2019

StrontiumSerial expat29 June 2019 20:14:47

#10

349

Book something through Ai**nB or similar online randomness in the place you have chosen to live, then you need to look yourself and put in the effort yourself by going to agents and talking to them, looking at local adverts, local websites, shop windows. etc.

Dannoush Member

Member since 18 January 2016

DannoushMember12 August 2019 08:38:13

#11

Thanks. I ended up doing that by staying in a a hotel and actively looking and got lucky on the day before I left. Thanks for the advice.

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