What are the most common rental scam red flags?
Scammers rely on urgency, distance and the fact that you cannot easily verify what you are seeing. Watch out for these signs:
The price is noticeably below the market rate for the area and type of property. The landlord or agent refuses to do a video call or live video tour of the flat. You are asked to pay a deposit or reservation fee by bank transfer before signing any contract. The listing photos look too professional or appear on multiple different platforms under different names (reverse image search can help here). You are told the flat is very popular and you must pay immediately to secure it. The person communicates only by message and avoids direct questions about the property or their identity.
If any of these apply, slow down. A legitimate landlord or company will not pressure you.
How can you verify a landlord or rental company from abroad?
Before transferring any money, take steps to verify who you are dealing with. For a company, search for their name in the Polish business register (KRS or CEIDG, both available online and free to search). Check reviews on Google Maps and student forums. Look for a real office address and a working phone number you can call.
For a private landlord, ask for their full name, address and a copy of a document proving they own or have the right to sublet the property. A legitimate landlord will not object to this.
If something feels off, trust that feeling. Losing a flat to someone else is recoverable. Losing your deposit to a scammer is much harder.
Why is renting from a company safer than renting from a private individual?
A registered rental company has a legal identity, a registered address and a track record you can check. If something goes wrong, you have a clear counterparty to hold accountable. Disputes with private individuals, especially cross-border ones, are much harder to resolve.
A company also typically has standardised contracts written in both Polish and English, a defined process for handover and deposit return, and a team you can contact when something needs fixing. This matters a lot when you are new to a country and do not know how things work locally.
How does safe remote renting actually work?
A legitimate remote rental process looks like this: you find a listing, ask questions by email or video call, receive a contract to review (in your language if needed), sign it electronically using a service like DocuSign or a qualified e-signature, pay the deposit and first month via a proper bank transfer to a verified company account, and receive a key code or pickup instructions for a secure key box once everything is signed and paid.
With citymate, this is exactly how it works. You sign the contract online before you arrive, and your keys are waiting in a secure lockbox. You do not need to be physically present to complete the rental. The team is available in both Polish and English to answer questions at every step.
What should you never do when renting from abroad?
Never transfer money to a private person's account before signing a contract. Never pay via methods that offer no recourse, such as gift cards, cryptocurrency or cash sent by post. Never skip reading the contract because it looks long or is in another language. Never assume that a WhatsApp message from someone claiming to be a landlord is proof of anything.
If you are asked to do any of these things, stop the conversation and look elsewhere.
What documents should you receive before arriving?
Before you travel to Poznań, you should have a signed copy of your rental contract, a receipt or confirmation of your deposit payment, the address of the property and instructions for collecting your keys, and contact details for whoever you should call if there is an issue on arrival.
If any of these are missing, ask before you get on a plane. A professional rental company will have all of this ready for you.