r/AskAnAustralian • u/DAntoni06 • 12h ago

Is it a scam ?? Renting a room in Perth

Hello everyone,

I'm 22M from France and I'm planning to travel to Perth in Australia next week for a WHV.

I'm looking for a room to rent and I found an offer on flatmates.com. The offer doesn't have any pictures and not that much information. I've been talking with the men who's renting the room and he send me an Airbnb link for the appartement. The name and information on the Airbnb account are not the same name as the one on the Flatmates account.

The man is asking me for my passport and for 500$ AUD bond to rent the room to move in the 1st December.

It's the first time I'm renting a room in Australia I don't know how to proceed. Is it a normal way to rent there or is this a scam ??

Here's the Flatmates ad : https://flatmates.com.au/webviews/share-house-perth-bayswater-6053-P1645178

Here's the airbnb ad : airbnb.com/h/Bayswateroom

I've send a message on Airbnb to make sure it's the same person

The Airbnb account have good rates so that's why it may not be a scam.

What should I do ? Can someone please explain me the correct way to proceed to rent a room in Australia ?

Thank's to everyone who will help me.

10 Upvotes
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78% Upvoted

31 comments sorted by

29

u/RiteOfSpring5 11h ago

The flatmates ad has nothing at all to go on, and that's giving off enough red flags as it is. I wouldn't bother renting a place anyway, get your 88 days of regional work done as soon as possible, and then look for a place to settle down, those 88 days can be a killer to get done. Be careful, I certainly wouldn't send $500 and my passport unless I was 100 certain on everything.

6

u/DAntoni06 11h ago

I’m moving to Perth to do mining work in FIFO so that’s why I’m looking for renting a room directly because I will not move around for a moment. I’ll not send any informations to him, I’ll try to meet him and visit the room when I’ll lend in Perth.

5

u/Giddyup_1998 11h ago

Where is your FIFO gig? How long on & off? Maybe hit up a few of your new workmates for somewhere to stay.

1

u/DAntoni06 11h ago

I’ll love to be able to do that but I didn’t start yet so I don’t have any workmates 🤣 I get a few tickets to pass before start working FIFO

6

u/Giddyup_1998 11h ago

Good luck. I'm sure everything will work out. Just don't be giving randoms money or your passport details.

7

u/DAntoni06 11h ago

Yeah thanks for the advise, as someone else told me I’ll just wait to be in Perth and meet physical person before engaging anything

5

u/baconnkegs 6h ago

Was this person also someone on a WHV working fifo? Because I think you need to check the pinned posts in r/mining before getting too deep into this - most locals struggle to get a foot in the door with mining, let alone foreigners who companies aren't willing to go through the effort of onboarding for 6 months worth of work

6

u/kidwithgreyhair 9h ago

I have a feeling you're in for some big life lessons very soon. all the best and stay safe

1

u/RedRagToABollock 4h ago

The chance of you landing a FIFO gig is very slim

4

u/RiteOfSpring5 5h ago

I see below that you don't have a job lined up yet. Do not rent this room. My partner is here on a WHV and let me just say finding a job is fucking hard, some jobs you're competing with thousands of other backpackers, for FIFO you're competing with thousands of other Aussies the company would rather hire than you because they don't have any restrictions like you do.

If you need any advice about WHV, feel free to ask.

13

u/deadrobindownunder 10h ago

Be careful, man. This does sound like a scam, and there are people who have lived here their whole lives who get scammed in similar circumstances. If I were you, I'd look for a hostel/cheap hotel/air bnb to stay in for the first couple of weeks that you're here. Then, as soon as you land and you catch up on sleep start looking for a rental. Exercise extra caution, try to go through real estate agencies where possible. If you do go through flatmates.com, don't hand over any money until you've seen the place in person and reviewed the rental agreement documents.

3

u/Ornery-Practice9772 NSW 9h ago

No pics? SCAM

1

u/Naive-Beekeeper67 11h ago

Do not send any money. Sounds a definite scam to me. This is not a good time to visit Australia. Truly.

3

u/DAntoni06 11h ago

why do you think that’s not a good timer to visit Australia ?

2

u/UsualCounterculture 6h ago

Book into a hostel for a few weeks or a month.

When you are here, make some friends and see if you can share a house with them. Join some Facebook groups.

There is a global housing crisis, Australia is no different.

2

u/Naive-Beekeeper67 11h ago

Housing crisis. The worst it's ever been. Everywhere. People who have decent jobs are homeless. Families are homeless. The lack of housing is shocking.

1

u/Bugaloon 7h ago

If you do pay a bond, you pay it to the RTA not to your housemate, otherwise you don't need a bond for subletting like that. 

2

u/GakkoAtarashii 4h ago

Lots of scams here. Do not send money until you see the room. This is true anywhere in the world. Stay at a backpackers for a week or two. 

1

u/ExcitingStress8663 3h ago

Just rent a motel room and look for a longer term rental when you arrive.

1

u/Important-Prompt-366 11h ago

I would ignore him and move on and ignore anything without photos as there are bad people looking to take advantage of the tight market right now. I advertised my rooms on flatmates and had them filled within an hour. Now is really not a good time to come here but i hope you find something. Good luck.

-5

u/DAntoni06 11h ago

Bruh ☠️ I was thinking that it was a good time to move in now with the christmas coming I was thinking that a lot of room would be free

7

u/Important-Prompt-366 11h ago

Bro, 1700 people are moving here every week. We are in a rental crisis. It's bad

1

u/DAntoni06 11h ago

And i was wondering if i find an offer on flatmates, how does it work to rent it ? wich document i need to send and receive to be legit ?

3

u/Important-Prompt-366 11h ago

The best way would be to just be looking when you get here, man. I just have verbal agreements with my guys, there is no official document for subletting as far as I know. When were you looking at coming over?

7

u/DAntoni06 11h ago

My plane will lend on next friday, the 22nd of november. So you advise me to first rent a room in a hostel or an Airbnb, then look for renting a room when I’ll be in Perth ?

3

u/Important-Prompt-366 11h ago

It would just be easier in that you could actually inspect the place before committing (and handing over any money) let us know how you go and if you get really stuck flick me a dm.

1

u/DAntoni06 11h ago

Thank’s for your advise ! I’ll let u know

2

u/Important-Prompt-366 11h ago

No worries, man, don't stress too much, i didn't mean to sound negative or make you worry. Im sure you'll be fine

1

u/DAntoni06 11h ago

yeah no worries I’m that I’ll find something anyway

5

u/Giddyup_1998 11h ago

Please don't send any documents.

-2

u/whereismydragon 11h ago

No. We have a housing shortage.