How do you avoid rental scams in Romania in 2026?

Stop when someone refuses an in-person viewing, claims to be overseas, or asks for a booking deposit before you stand in the flat. Stop when the same photos appear under different addresses or prices far below Floreasca, Dorobanți, or Cluj Centru norms: Rent in Romania. Stop when the person showing the keys cannot prove ownership or agency authority, or refuses any written lease.

Stop when the landlord will not register the contract with ANAF. That filing is legally expected and practically required for many residence and address steps: Apply for a residence permit. Scammers push chats into private messengers and invent competition for the unit. Portal ads lower some noise and still need viewing discipline: How to rent a home.

Walk the exact address, check floor and heating claims, and photograph meters at handover once a deal is real. Prefer bank transfers that match named parties after signing, not anonymous personal accounts under time pressure: Open a bank account. Use a written lease that separates first rent, security deposit, and any agency fee, with a clear deposit-return deadline and inventory list (proces-verbal).

Ask for confirmation that ANAF registration will happen, and keep a copy of the registered contract for IGI and banking folders. Shortlist real districts first so fake bargains stand out: Living in Bucharest, Living in Cluj-Napoca, and Where to live in Romania. Keep dated photos of every room the day you move in, and share that evidence with the owner immediately.