Mallorca rental scam fears over €700 Palma flats

Mallorca rental scam fears: adverts in Palma, Mallorca, offer three-bedroom flats for barely €700 a month. On 4 October, the Balearic Islands Consumers and Users Association (Consubal) warns that the listings show clear signs of fraud. Similar adverts are appearing on social media and digital platforms in other Balearic municipalities.

Why the cheap flats raise concern

The adverts describe spacious, renovated and furnished homes with two bathrooms, a living-dining room and an equipped kitchen. Consubal says the prices are hard to believe in the current Balearic property market.

The group warns that a supposed landlord might not exist, a flat might not be available, or its photographs might have been copied from another property site. In a rental scam, the advertiser asks for a deposit, a reservation payment or a month’s rent upfront, while making excuses to prevent a viewing. Once paid, the supposed landlord disappears and the renter is left without the money or the flat.

What renters can check

Consubal urges renters to question unusually cheap offers, check who is advertising the property and avoid paying upfront without safeguards. It also advises against sending personal documents to strangers. Anyone who suspects fraud should keep the evidence; if they have paid, they should contact their bank immediately and report the matter to the police.

The association wants platforms to check property adverts more closely, remove fraudulent listings quickly and make suspected scams easier to report. It is also calling for closer scrutiny by the relevant authorities.

Topics: Housing · Politics · Palma

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com