HousingAnywhereReviews 199

They charge potential tenants immediately upon booking request for their desired rental period. If the landlord later approves the booking for a shorter stay, the company keeps the tenant's payment, claiming it's held for "verification," and doesn't release it to the landlord. They also take their commission upfront based on the original requested duration (often a year or more), rather than the actual stay the landlord agrees to or the tenant ultimately pays for. There is no protection or support for hosts — if a tenant stops paying, the company simply says, "It's your customer, figure it out." Overall, they overcharge upfront, offer no real security

I lost €1,335 to a scam through a so-called "verified advertiser" on HousingAnywhere. HousingAnywhere claims to "verify advertisers and listings," yet the ad they approved instructed me to communicate outside the platform, and transfer the payment directly by bank. When I reported the fraud, they admitted it was a scam but immediately denied all responsibility, hiding behind the excuse: "the payment was off-platform." Their customer service was robotic, cold, and avoided the real question: how did this fraudulent listing pass their verification? Why should I accept losing my money while they simply repeat "we're sorry"?! 🙃 Under EU law, this is not just poor service, it is illegal! - The Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (2005/29/EC) prohibits misleading claims such as their so-called verification. - The Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU) requires platforms to provide safe and truthful conditions for consumers. I submitted a complaint to the authorities in the Netherlands, where HousingAnywhere is based, and a Dutch lawyer has volunteered to assist me in the legal proceedings. I also filed a police report in Berlin, and a friend submitted a police report in Spain, since the landlord (the fraudster) is Spanish. I now genuinely question whether HousingAnywhere even maintains a reliable database of their advertisers or if they are as unaware as I was. I cannot believe how they deny their responsibility while presenting themselves as a "verified" platform. Fraud is fraud! HousingAnywhere acted as the intermediary that enabled this scam, and now refuses to return my money. That is not just negligence, it appears as complicity. To all students, do not trust HousingAnywhere's "verified" labels. If they failed me, they can fail you ~

Incorrect listing of basement room which is not as per legal requirements, after payment response of landlord was late.Asking extra money for safety measures.Tenant was ditched after receipt of amount of 850$. What a scam

I paid the rent and tenant protection fee, but when I tried to cancel for strong valid reasons, Housing Anywhere said my case didn't qualify and told me to negotiate directly with the landlord. I asked crucial questions to the landlord within the 24-hour cancellation window, but the landlord only replied after it expired. Housing Anywhere even told me the landlord is not obligated to reply within that window, which makes their cancellation policy useless. Later, the landlord updated the listing with details that were missing when I booked. Instead of helping, Housing Anywhere told me to cancel and shifted responsibility back to me. The landlord was dismissive and unhelpful. This experience left me with financial loss and unnecessary stress. I hope Housing Anywhere improves transparency and support for tenants.

Avoid using this site! After paying for a room through their platform, I encountered a situation where I was offered illegal and punitive conditions in a rental contract. I was then ignored and refused a refund of my downpayment I tried to resolve the issue through their support team, but they stopped responding. Be cautious and make sure you have everything in writing before making any payments.

I booked a room through HousingAnywhere, paid over €200 in platform fees, and expected protection, fairness, and verified listings. Instead, I experienced deception, chaos, and a complete lack of support. The listing promoted a quiet, modern space ideal for studying — but I was met with non-stop, deafening construction noise from a full-scale renovation just 5 meters away from the building. It started every day at 8 AM, echoed through the structure, and made it impossible to work or use the advertised common areas. There was zero mention of this in the listing — no photos, no warning, nothing. I paid €850/month for a tiny room with a toilet — a price that could get you a full private studio in central Valencia. When I filed for cancellation, the situation got worse:
The next day, I got an email from Federica, denying my cancellation because noise isn't considered a valid reason under their Terms and Conditions.
She provided no meaningful help or solution, just shifted the responsibility to me and the landlord to solve things ourselves.
She gave me a 48-hour deadline to reply — which I respected, replying just 58 minutes later — and then completely disappeared.
I sent a follow-up message the next day but got no response.
Only when I contacted them again to withdraw my cancellation request did they reply instantly. During the process, they offered alternative listings — but only if I paid another month's rent AND another tenant protection fee. I asked why, and they told me: because your cancellation hasn't been processed yet. So if you want to escape an unbearable situation, you have to pay double. Also, be aware about the deposit: HousingAnywhere allows landlords to demand deposits outside their platform. If something goes wrong, HousingAnywhere won't help you get your deposit back because it wasn't paid through their system. Luckily, I was smart enough to avoid this trap, but many renters could lose their deposit with no support. No dedicated support person, no clear instructions, no follow-through — just automated replies and agent name roulette: Mia, Mohamed, Linda, Tom, Federica… HousingAnywhere did absolutely nothing to protect me or hold the listing accountable. Their "Tenant Protection" is a false promise, and their so-called "verified listings" can turn into expensive nightmares. Avoid HousingAnywhere. If anything goes wrong, you're on your own — and you'll pay for it twice.

I am a student who was supposed to live abroad for some time. I booked a flat through this website and I paid a "Tenant Protection Fee" of 175e, which said precisely: "If anything goes wrong with your flat, you are able to cancel your reservation 48h after your move in." So, it went wrong in the end, and the agency told me that my conditions for cancellation are not valid for their Terms and Conditions, and they never refunded me my money back, neither the rent payment or the protection fee. Also, when you are making a cancellation at the end you have to upload some pictures and which was never mentioned as a condition for cancelation. Classic cheat for the people, especially for the students who usually have no money.

HousingAnywhere's pricing practices are deliberately deceptive to trick tenants. Anyone booking a property on this site for the month of February based a daily rate calculation is charged a PREMIUM per day.

A "monthly rate" for daily rate calculated properties should only be advertised if the daily rate is based on the monthly rate being annualized and then divided by 365 to get to a daily rate. Doing this any other way is DECEPTION. Why should I have to pay a premium per day, just for the joy of staying in a property in the depths of winter and during a 28 day month? It's ludicrous.

The lack of accountability and customer service by this platform after the booking is horrendous. I will be telling every landlord I know about this experience and recommending that she look elsewhere to serve her tenants. And I will never use or recommend this platform again.

Dont rent by housinganywhere.com its a scam
We also been scammed, house in Barcelona full of mold anywhere in the shower in the refrigerator and in some clothing cabinets. I have cancelled the room in the 48 hours cancelling window,i try to phone to housinganywhere.com but i could not reach anyone, i emailed to housinganywhere.com to cancel my renting house, they say you have to sort it out with the contact person. I dont want to sort it out i want my money back. The contact person had to fix the mold issues on first hand before i rent the room. We will order legal assistance. So dont rent with housinganywhere.com, its a big scam

#PLEASE AVOID #SHARE TO ALL
#WHO ALL LOOKING RENTAL HOUSE
#VERY WORST &UGLY RENT HOUSES
#DO NOT HAVE SPCILITY LIKE HEATER(WARMER)
AND OTHERS
#I AM BOOKED DIFFERENT COUNTRY
#CHEATING MORE MONEY FROM US
#IF YOU CANCEL YOUR BOOKING
#NEVER REFUND YOUR MONEY
https://housinganywhere.com/

Booked a flat in Spain for June 2025 on Nov 24 on Housing Anywhere. Had to cancel on Nov 25 when wife's dad went into hospital and we had to take care of him. On Dec 2, we got wife's brother to agree to take care of her dad in June so we could honor the rental, and informed Housing Anywhere of that. They refused to provide the rental OR return our payment. Total rip off, dishonest company and people.

I had an absolutely terrible experience with HousingAnywhere, and I cannot recommend this service to anyone. This platform claims to provide protection and a "stress-free move-in," but my experience was far from it.

The landlord actively encouraged me to move our conversations off the platform, claiming that HousingAnywhere takes a 25% commission. She offered me a "special offer" through the platform just so I could get her contact information and finalize the booking privately. This is a direct violation of HousingAnywhere's policies, and the platform failed to protect me as a tenant despite charging me a tenant protection fee.

When I arrived, the apartment was in appalling condition. The room was dirty, with unmade beds, a bad smell throughout the apartment, drying sheets scattered around, wet towels left behind, and even open water bottles that were not mine. The advertised "full closet space" was nonexistent, as the closet and drawers were full of the landlord's personal items, such as paint buckets, brushes, and clothing, leaving me nowhere to store my belongings or university materials. This was not only misleading but unacceptable.

I reported these issues within 24 hours, as HousingAnywhere's policy states, and provided photographic evidence. Despite this, I was told that my situation did not meet their criteria for a refund, even though the conditions were clearly poor and differed from what was advertised. I had no choice but to find alternative accommodations that same night at my own expense, as the space was unfit for living.

The lack of accountability from HousingAnywhere is shocking. They did nothing to address the landlord's blatant policy violations, nor did they ensure that I received the protection I paid for. This platform offers no real security to tenants, despite charging fees for tenant "protection."

Do not trust HousingAnywhere for your housing needs. Their policies are poorly enforced, their customer service is unhelpful, and they leave tenants vulnerable to exploitation by landlords who break the rules. My experience was stressful, costly, and utterly disappointing. Save yourself the trouble and look elsewhere for accommodation.

If you're considering using HousingAnywhere, think twice. My experience with them has been extremely disappointing. I informed my landlord of a cancellation more than 50 days in advance—well before the contract even started—and both HousingAnywhere and the landlord refused to issue a refund. Their customer service has been completely unhelpful, showing no regard for the rights or concerns of tenants.

Despite multiple attempts to resolve the issue and providing ample notice for the room to be relisted, HousingAnywhere has sided with the landlord, leaving me with no support and a significant financial loss. It's clear that HousingAnywhere prioritizes its advertisers (Laura) over the rights of tenants, offering little to no protection in cases like mine.

If you value fair treatment and responsive customer support, I strongly advise against using HousingAnywhere. Their policies are rigid, and their lack of empathy for customers is beyond frustrating. I am still waiting the refund of my money.

Shura Apartments, Elena Nardella advertised Tortona Stylish Studio having a dryer in the unit. (since taken down) I wired Elena $2100 euro the day before my stay per her request. The next day I arrived and there was no dryer in the unit and I immediately notified them stating I could not stay there for months without a dryer so I needed to cancel. Elena is keeping my deposit even though Housing Anywhere states if the unit is not as promised you are entitled to a refund. They are both playing a game saying I should seek the refund from the other party, although the wire was sent to Elena. Do not send her any money as you will not get a refund if the unit is not as advertised! Now we need to seek legal counsel.

I booked an apartment for a couple of months, starting on 30th September, only to realize that the property is paid on a monthly basis, meaning I was being charged €550 for a single night!

The so-called "tenant protection fee," which is supposed to offer also support in situations like this, was completely useless. I reached out immediately to change the dates, but despite paying so much for this protection, no one responded the entire day. This left me with no option but to cancel and rebook, hoping they would be understanding about the situation.

I was wrong. Instead of offering any understanding or resolving the issue they had failed to address, they dismissed my request and laughed at the idea of refunding any of my money.

So with one small mistake I ended up losing €220 in their horrendous tenant protection fee and, honestly, I'm relieved I canceled. I can't imagine trusting them with larger sums, given how unprofessional and uncaring they've proven to be.

Maybe this company could be reliable for something as simple as ordering groceries online, but please stay far away from them when it comes to something as important as renting property. They don't care about their tenants, their money, or basic decency.

Don't believe them. I ask them for help, follow their guidelines, and finally they tried to kick me out of place right away despite I have paid rent for a month. They are total tricksters and fraud oriented only for provision from booking.

If you are a student doing an internship or you find a job and want to live before you move, then you have to be absolutely sure that the internship or job will work out. Because if you can't take up the internship or job, you will lose ALL the money you have transferred to "Housinganywhere" in advance.
Almost all small apartments are offered with a "strict cancellation policy". You sign the contract, transfer the money in advance, but the money is held by "Housinganywhere", NOT the landlord.
If you do not cancel within 24 hours of reserving the apartment, "Housinganywhere" keeps ALL the money. Without any service. The landlord gets nothing either. They steal the money! What are these Dutch people smoking! And that in the EU!
If you rent in May for August and they cancel your internship or job in June, you will also have lost ALL your MONEY to these stoned thieves if you cancel "strictly".

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

HousingAnywhere has not behaved correctly.
Tenants are promised protection from bad housing or unfair landlords. But the tenant is not protected from unfair, hidden contractual conditions vis-à-vis HousingAnywhere:
1. Temporary employment contract signed in another city, 6 weeks before the job starts.
2.6 weeks before the new job, arranged an apartment through HousingAnywhere. Deposited 800 euros rent + 266 euros fee with HousingAnywhere.
3.4 weeks before the new job and 4 weeks before the planned move-in, I receive the rental contract from the landlord, but I don't sign it yet (forgot). The landlord says that the money is still with HousingAnywhere.
4.3 weeks before the new job, the company wrote that the job was not going to work out.
5. so I canceled the apartment 3 weeks before the new job and 3 weeks before the planned move-in. I have not yet signed the rental contract from the landlord and sent it back.
6. but HousingAnywhere pays NOTHING back because there is supposed to be something like a Strict Cancellation Clause, but I haven't found it.
7 Today, 2 weeks after the planned move-in, I find out from the landlord that he has nevertheless rented the apartment to someone else.
8. despite the notice and confirmation from the employer, I get nothing back from HousingAnywhere! They have collected twice without any service.
Now I'm looking for help from a lawyer. If anyone is also in this situation and knows a lawyer, please post here. Maybe we can reach a class action lawsuit and take action against this dishonorable behavior?)

I liked a place and contacted advertiser, Mr Alexander. I gave him all the documents he wanted. Then he sent me booking request which I accepted and paid 945 euros. After few hours he cancelled the booking without giving any reason. I got message saying my money is refunded, but I don't know when will I get it. This is full of scam. Please avoid it.

After moving in to find the place was Infested with CAT piss n strays building about to fall down to get no refund never rent anything from the host DESPINA SHE'S A THEIF and the company stands behind her the pictures isn't what you get, be careful who you rent from and where it's located,this place was in Athens Greece beautiful country dirty nasty places to stay and housinganywhere rent them scam scam scam