Start With a Video Call
A live call tells you more than a hundred WhatsApp messages. See the person, their room, and how they describe their schedule before exchanging documents.
ID & Reference Checks
Run through these three checks before any deposit moves:
- Ask for a government ID and read it together on a live call.
- Get one employment or professional reference and actually call it.
- Ask your prospective landlord or agent for the property’s ownership documents at viewing.
Never Pay Alone, Never Pay First
First deposits should land only after you’ve both inspected the property, agreed the split in writing, and exchanged key documents. If a deposit is required, agree how the joint payment is recorded — receipts in both names.
“One afternoon of checks felt awkward, then we never worried about it again.”— A Trust & Safety community member
