Jessica Mighton <[email protected]>
Good morning,
You have contacted my daughter, Mrs Borsons, showing your interest in our apartment located on: 6 Bevern Street,10997 Kreuzberg, Berlin.
The apartment is fully furnished, equipped and renovated. I have the option of sending all my furniture into storage if you want to bring your own.
I am the owner of the apartment. My daughter lived there during her studies in Berlin, but now she's back home permanently (in Copenhagen) so I'm renting the place for unlimited time.
The rent for 1 month is 600 € ( for the entire apartment ) including all utilities ( water, electricity-heating, WIFI ).
The security deposit is 700 € and you get it back when you decide to leave the apartment ( you will have to give me at least 1 month notice ).
I want to rent the apartment in legal condition, so I want to sign a contract from a notarial office or a real estate agency, also you can be registered on the apartment's address without any problem.
This is the second time when I try to rent my apartment, I had a "deal" with a "nice couple" before, who said that they will definitely rent the apartment and convinced me to come over to Berlin. So I got a plane ticket and they didn't show up. I lost money and precious time on their promise.
So don't get me wrong and don't take it personally, but now I don't want to buy another plane ticket to come and fall for it once more.
To come again you will have to show me a proof of your seriousness in renting my apartment, I do not need any advance payment sent to me until you see the apartment, documentation and decide to rent it.
But I will need to have some kind of warranty, of course. We can set up an appointment to see the apartment next week.
Kindly let me know if you are really interested in renting my apartment so that we can proceed further.
Sincerely,
Jessica
Jessica Mighton <[email protected]>
If you are really interested and decided, you can secure the apartment from now on, and I would keep it available for you until we meet.
It is unfortunate that my past bitter experience of inviting people to come and view my apartment without any form of confirmation of their financial ability and not keeping up to time as at when scheduled, has brought about great loss to me.
I'm sure you are honest person so please don't understand me wrong but some tenants are not really decided or do not have the money to pay the rent and yet they disturb me to arrange a viewing with their friends.
My husband and I have decided to carry out a simple test on seriousness and financial ability before coming for viewing.
I want to be sure that when we'll meet in Berlin, it might be a chance that we'll do the renting papers, sign the renting contract, give you the keys and return to my home if you really like the flat conditions. I will not ask for money in advance before moving in, I don't need any deposit from you or pay me any money at all.
But as a warranty that you really can afford to rent my apartment, I require that you arrange a money transfer, on YOUR name. Because I used this system with my daughter when she lived in Berlin, here is what I propose:
You must ask a family member ( or a trusted friend ) to find the nearest MoneyGram agency and do a money transfer with the cost of the security deposit + one month cost ( 700 € + 600 € = 1300 € ) sent to you, and on your name.
This transfer will be a warranty, so I can be sure that you will wait for me in Berlin when I will arrive.
Example of transfer:
sender’s name : family member's name
receiver’s name : Doris Banks
After the transfer is done, you will receive a receipt. You have to take a picture of it and send it to me attached trough e-mail, as evidence. This proof will be enough for me to see that your interest in renting my apartment is real.
At my turn, I will book the flight ticket immediately and send you a copy of it. Then, we will set up a place and a time when we should meet in Berlin.
After we meet, you will inspect the apartment and if you want to keep it, we will go to a notary office and do all the needed paperwork. Then, we’ll go together to a bank branch nearby that has a MoneyGram Office and you will collect your money and make a bank deposit in my personal account where I want to receive the rent payment monthly.
Please note that I will pay for my flight ticket, and also all my trip expenses to Germany and back to Denmark - 200 € ( including the notary fees 100 €, after we sign the rental contract ).
Thank you for your time and understanding,
Jessica
This person asks for a deposit payment via Western Union, MoneyGram, pre-paid credit card or bank transfer with a promise that you can have the keys to a property that does not belong to him.
Sounds safe. It's not!
At other times, he will ask for proof that you are able to pay the deposit and rent due to a string of time wasters.
This proof is in the form of a Western Union or MoneyGram payment to a lawyer,a friend or family member.
In either case, if payment is made and you give this person the details, they will collect the money.
You will not hear from them again.
All the details such as names, addresses, pictures etc. that the scammer uses in order to back up his story, are stolen from elsewhere.
If you are reading this because you are looking for property to rent, and you are in contact with this thief you are probably searching Craigslist, Gumtree or similar listing sites. If you receive any requests from 'Landlords' asking for some kind of payment before viewing, then it will also be a scam. Please forward the mail to me at the address in my signature line and I will investigate and list them if necessary.
