Dom H
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Registered: 14th Jun 06
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I e-mailed a shed load of people last night enquiring about apartments that they have for rent in Barcelona.
Two replied today, still waiting for another 6 or 7 people to respond.
The first told me he didn't want 3 people living in his 3 bedroom apartment and wished me good luck.
The other e-mail seemed a little shady and I'm unsure what to do about it.. Just wanted your opinions, especially if you've done something similar. Mind you, I have booked short term apartments before (10-15 days) and they've all been through people who seemed sketchy as hell, but they were real nice places.
Anyway, what do you reckon to this?
quote: Hello, Thanks for your intereste in my flat, the flat is 750 € - per month and the location is below.
Address
Riera Alta, 1
BARCELONA
Barcelona 08002
Spain
This Townhouse is a very attractive,3 bedroom, available for long lease Situated in the area of La Perla midway between Benalmadena & Fuengirola with fantastic sea & mountain views. The property consists of newly reformed kitchen (with oven, hob & f/freezer), utility room (with washer & dryer), lounge/diningroom (with chimney, TV & telephone point),. Upstairs is a double bedroom with ample wardrobes, heat, A/C in wall/window, Hydro, cable, Garbage Disposal, Fireplace,Fridge, stove and shared laundry,Dishwasher breakfast bar,Appliance, Dining Table and Sofa Set Refrigerator.
Bedrooms Consist of :
Desk·Room with Bath·Sheets & Blankets·Wardrobe·Double Bed.
The Livingroom·Furnished·DVD·Sofa·Internet Connection·TV.
The Kitchen
Washing Machine·
Fridge·
Gas Hob·
Microwave·
Plates & cutlery·
Furnished
Dishwasher
Oven·Electric Hob
Views
·Mountain Views
General Description
·Furnished·Garden (own or comunal)·Air Conditioning·Gas Heating·Garage/Car park·Fireplace·Electric Heating·Terrace.
My reason for wanting to rent the house is because i was transfered from my place of work to WEST AFRICA where i now resides and work for my company as the new GENERAL MANAGER, after some weeks i got to find out that i will be staying there for a very long time so i decided to rent out the flat. Right now the house is available and i would like to have it rent out so as to keep it clean by whoever is going to live there. I can be reached at my new number +2348060398141.
I will want you to know that i am a kind and honest person and also i spent alot on my property that i want to give you for rent,so i will solicit for your absolute maintenance of this house and want you to treat it as your own. Please if you know you are ready to take the house as if it were your own and promise that you will take very good care of the house then be rest assured that you will get the house.
Get back to me if satified with the location and description of the house, and if you wish to see the pictures of the house i will gladly email you with them.
Thanks .
Regards.
Smith.
Just the part about Africa that puts me off...
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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Smith, how imaginative 
Only joking - with this guy would be going through an estate agent? Surely that gets you a bit of security etc?
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Dom H
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Registered: 14th Jun 06
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I don't think so, we're looking to rent from private landlords rather than an agency. I spoke to so many people last time I was out there that pay peanuts to rent! So it's not all dodgy.
Hmm.. will give him a call. Just waiting to find out if that has 3 bedrooms or if it's just 3 rooms. Sod living with 2 mates in a 3 roomed apartment!
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Ian
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Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
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Bits of sentence IN CAPITALS is classic scammer, plus his name is not a real name, plus why would you say own or communal garden. It is either but not both.
Disregard that one I reckon.
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Dom H
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Registered: 14th Jun 06
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True, true..
How would you recommend going about this, or is the only real way to do it through agencies?
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drunkenfool
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Registered: 7th Feb 03
Location: Hereford Drives: Audi R8 V8
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midway between Benalmadena & Fuengirola
I swear thats nowhere near barcelona?
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drunkenfool
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Registered: 7th Feb 03
Location: Hereford Drives: Audi R8 V8
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aye, 1028km away
http://www.multimap.com/maps/?t=r#t=r&map=39.92267,0.77359|6|4&route=ES,-4.54213:36.58975;2.16992:41.38792,0|benalmadena:barcelona|Benalmádena,%20Andalusia,%20Provincia%20de%20Málaga:Barcelona,%20Cataluña
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drunkenfool
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Registered: 7th Feb 03
Location: Hereford Drives: Audi R8 V8
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just read the rest of the email too, def a scam. If you want me to translate anything into spanish for you to send emails to the owners then just give us a shout
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CorsAsh
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Registered: 19th Apr 02
Location: Munich
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I tried lots of agents and didnt really get anywhere. In the end I booked a hotel room for two weeks, and found something when I was out here. If you do it this way, you can at least have a look before you commit.
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Dom H
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Registered: 14th Jun 06
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Yeah, this is really the first one I've looked into.. The address he gave was real though, ah well. No biggie!
I think we'll do what you did Ash, but use a hostel instead.
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Dom H
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Registered: 14th Jun 06
User status: Offline
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quote: Originally posted by drunkenfool
just read the rest of the email too, def a scam. If you want me to translate anything into spanish for you to send emails to the owners then just give us a shout
You might be just the man I'm after. Cheers mate. Was hoping you and Ash would reply with something..
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CorsAsh
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Registered: 19th Apr 02
Location: Munich
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Glad to help. You might just luck onto something like I did when out for a walk then.
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Dom H
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Registered: 14th Jun 06
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We'll get it sorted. 
Just the majority of the replies we've been getting have been in a similar format to the above.
Going to start trying to get in contact with a few people that have lived there before and find out the low down.. What's your place like in Deutschland if you don't mind me asking?
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CorsAsh
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Registered: 19th Apr 02
Location: Munich
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http://www.corsasport.co.uk/board/viewthread.php?tid=366035&page=1
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drunkenfool
Member
Registered: 7th Feb 03
Location: Hereford Drives: Audi R8 V8
User status: Offline
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Si quieres que traduzca algo para ti, hombre, es gratuito Cuando quieras, solo hay k preguntar
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drunkenfool
Member
Registered: 7th Feb 03
Location: Hereford Drives: Audi R8 V8
User status: Offline
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quote: Originally posted by drunkenfool
Si quieres que traduzca algo para ti, hombre, es gratuito Cuando quieras, solo hay k preguntar
Haha, i was a bit pissed when i got in last night by the looks of it. I said... "If you want me to translate anything man, it's free of charge Whenever you want, all you gotta do is ask"
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Dom H
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Registered: 14th Jun 06
User status: Offline
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Another email I received.. Now this - looks genuine. 
quote: Hello
Thanks for emaling me about my house, I am currently on an lds mission to the west africa in a country called Nigeria and I came down with my family. . I need a Clean and upright person that will be able to take good care of the house .
We don't know when we are going to return to Barcelona and from the look of things, me and my family has decided to stay here for sometime so as to help spread the word of God; we are looking at a period of 3years, so please the address of the house will be forwarded to you in case you want to view for yourself, so feel free to go and check it up and get back to us as soon as you take a good look at the palce,as we will be giving it out at no cost,cause all we need is a responsible person to take good care of the house.
The accomodation comprises; entrance hall/landing (21'1x5'10), reception room (17'0x16'0), kitchen breakfast room (13x11), bedroom 2 (12'10x10'5), bathroom and separate WC on the first floor, with the remaining double bedrooms and loft storage space .
FURNISHED
PERIOD PROPERTY
SPACIOUS AND LIGHT
KITCHEN BREAKFAST ROOM
POPULAR AREA
3 DOUBLE BEDROOMS
GOOD TRANSPORT LINKS
Landing 22'1" x 5'10" ( 6.73m x 1.78m )
Reception room 17'0" x 16'0" ( 5.18m x 4.88m )
Kitchen 13'0" x 11'0" ( 3.96m x 3.35m )
Bedroom 2 12'10" x 10'5" ( 3.91m x 3.18m )
Bathroom 6'10" x 5'10" ( 2.08m x 1.78m )
Guest WC 5'0" x 2'10" ( 1.52m x 0.86m )
pls get back to me as soon as you are intrested in having the application form so we can have your full data with us in case of visiting and some other issues.Remember you will have to give us your word in taking good care of the house,we wont want to be at risk for no reason since its for free.
Await your reply.
Thanks and God Bless
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Dom H
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Registered: 14th Jun 06
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.. and another!?
quote: Thanks for your email and it is my gladness to hear from you.I
am Rev.Bright John,the owner of the house you are making enquiry
of and it is located at Carrer d'Hurtado, 22
08022, Barcelona.Actually I resided in the house with my family,such as my wife and my only
daugther before and presently we had packed due to my transfer from my
working place and now situated in the Miami,FL and presently my house
is still available for rent for 700 Euros including the utilities like
hydro,washer and security,it is furnised.Moreso Now, i went for a Crusade
in the West Africa and i will like you to get in touch with my wife in
the state for more discussion as She is with the keys and the document
to the house.Pls i want you to note that,i am a kind and honest man and
also i spent alot on my property that i want to give you for rent,so i
will solicit for your absolute mentenance of this house and want you to
treat it as your own,is that taken,it is not the money that is the main problem
but i want you to keep it tidy all the time so that i will be glad
to see it neat when i came for a check up.i do that once in a while.I
also want you to let me have trust in you as i always stand on my word.
Email my wife Mary, on (trymaryluv06@yahoo.com )and she will attends to
you better.
Thanks and you are welcome
Regards.
Rev.Bright John
Think I'll stay away from that particular website! How do these people think they're going to fool? I could understand it from one of them, but from everyone?
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CorsAsh
Member
Registered: 19th Apr 02
Location: Munich
User status: Offline
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West Africa/Nigeria needs wiping out.
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Dom H
Member
Registered: 14th Jun 06
User status: Offline
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Indeed..
I've found some apartment via an agency, just unclear on a few things. Maybe you could help me out drunkenfool?
http://www.shbarcelona.com/ficha2.php?idi=eng.php&id_piso=834&id_tipo=AL&tipoImg=margen
On there does it say about any hidden charges? Like what does Agency Fee + IVA mean?
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drunkenfool
Member
Registered: 7th Feb 03
Location: Hereford Drives: Audi R8 V8
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IVA is spanish VAT (Impuesto de Valor Añadido) Ill have a read of it now for you and see what it says
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drunkenfool
Member
Registered: 7th Feb 03
Location: Hereford Drives: Audi R8 V8
User status: Offline
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BTW, IVA is 16% so a bit less than in england
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Dom H
Member
Registered: 14th Jun 06
User status: Offline
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Ah cheers mate. I'm really stuck on what to do about the apartment situation.. I don't want to pay over the top for a snazzy apartment aimed at tourists.. just want your bog standard apartment, rented out by a local matey. Are there any online communities or anything that can help with this?
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drunkenfool
Member
Registered: 7th Feb 03
Location: Hereford Drives: Audi R8 V8
User status: Offline
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How long are you looking to rent for? If its a few months and you dont mind living with students then you could always try the erasmus website for barcelona, look in the forums and find people looking for flatmates, thats what I did.
Aside from that, the best way to find an apartment is just to go out there, stay in a hotel/hostel for a few days and just go out looking - there are adverts everywhere, down the streets, on the bus stops etc, and that way, you could decide which part of the city you want to live in. I had the added advantage of having 2 locals in teh flat so they already knew the best place to look for a cheap flat close to all the best places in town, and its worked out well!
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Dom H
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Registered: 14th Jun 06
User status: Offline
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I want to move for at least six months, but hopefully permanently! I'll give that erasmus website a shot, that Idea sounds perfect mate. Just hope I've not left it too late. I fly out in 15 weeks!
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