Safety tips for renting

Security Guide: How to rent a room or apartment in Spain

Finding the ideal roommate or apartment is quite an adventure. In high-demand cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga, Sevilla, or Granada, competition is high. At Gabinohome, our priority is to make your experience 100% safe.

1. Initial Contact

• Gabinohome Messaging: Always write through our platform. Keeping the conversation history here allows us to provide technical assistance and security if any issues arise.
• Safe Payments: For reservations, we have an internal payment system that protects your money until your arrival. Immediately report any user who asks for direct payments to their account (before you arrive at the property) via Western Union, MoneyGram, cryptocurrencies, or transfers to other countries.
• The "bargain" does not exist: If a room in sought-after areas of Málaga or Madrid costs half as much as the rest, be suspicious. Excessively low prices usually hide irregularities.
• Social Verification: On Gabinohome, advertisers can publish their social networks; you can check them under their profile in the ad listing. If they do not appear, request their Instagram or LinkedIn. A real and active profile provides peace of mind.

2. Beyond the Photos

• Get to know your roommates: If you rent a room, you are not just renting four walls, but a shared living experience. Talk to those already living there about cleaning rules, visits, and bill sharing. Gabinohome allows you to contact the roommate or owner directly via internal messaging or WhatsApp (available in the profile details or the booking message).
• Property Details: Verify exactly what the price includes: do you have the right to use the living room?, is there a laundry area?, are utilities included?
• Live Videocall: Whether you are a university student (Spanish or Erasmus), digital nomad, expat professional, or reside in another province, always request a tour via videocall. Avoid accepting pre-recorded videos.

3. Contract and Payments

• The Contract: It is signed directly with the owner or roommate. It must specify in writing the exact address, the breakdown of expenses, the deposit, the duration (1-10 months for students), and the inventory.
• Gabinohome Reservation System: It guarantees that the money remains held in escrow until your arrival. If you reject the accommodation due to non-compliance with what was agreed upon arrival, we refund your money. It is the most reliable option for securing your reservation.

4. Red Flags

• "The owner is away": The excuse that the owner lives abroad and will send the keys by courier after payment is a common method of deception.
• Psychological pressure: Do not yield to unjustified urgency ("pay now or I will give it to someone else"). If the advertiser refuses to use our reservation system, be suspicious and report it to Gabinohome.

5. How to detect fake ads

• Use of phone numbers different from the one published, few images, profiles without social networks, prices far below average with unusually high deposits, or requests for confidential bank details and passwords.

6. What to do if you suspect an ad?

In each listing, under the advertiser''s profile, you will find the "Report ad" link. We will analyze your report immediately and cancel the offer if we detect any fraudulent activity.