How do you avoid rental scams in Seychelles in 2026?

Stop when someone refuses an in-person viewing on Mahé, claims to be overseas, or asks for a holding deposit before you stand in the flat. Stop when the same photos appear under different Victoria, Bel Ombre, or Praslin addresses, or when the ask sits far below renovated corridor norms: How much is rent. Stop when the person showing the keys cannot prove ownership or a clear mandate, or refuses any written lease.

Stop when the landlord will not put deposit return, PUC responsibility, and inventory into writing. Workcation lodging proof needs a real address that matches the island you inhabit: Apply for a residence permit. Scammers push chats into private messengers and invent competition for the only “available” beach flat. Portal ads lower some noise and still need viewing discipline: How to rent a home.

Walk the exact address, check AC and humidity claims, and photograph meters at handover once a deal is real. Reverse-image-search listing photos when the deal feels too soft for Beau Vallon or marina stock. Prefer bank transfers that match named parties after signing, not anonymous personal accounts under time pressure: Open a bank account.

Use a written English lease that separates first rent, security deposit (commonly one to two months, sometimes more), and any agency fee, with a clear deposit-return deadline and inventory list. Put PUC and fibre responsibility into the draft before money moves. Shortlist real corridors first so fake bargains stand out: Living in Beau Vallon, Living in Victoria, and Where to live in Seychelles. Bridge with a paid short stay while you view rather than wiring from abroad: Short-term housing for newcomers. Keep dated photos of every room the day you move in.