Know the landlord is who they say they are

The gap we close

An ownership document says nothing about who sent it.

You and a landlord are already talking on a listing site or WhatsApp. They have sent an ownership document you can check yourself in Portugal. What you cannot check from a chat is whether the person on the other end is really the owner named on it, and whether your deposit is going to reach them.

Why this is hard to fake

The deposit reaches only who passed the check.

A scammer using someone else's ownership papers runs out of road. Refuse to verify, and that is your answer. Verify as themselves, and the name will not match the document. Even pass the link to the real owner to get through the check, and it is the owner, not the scammer, who then fills in the account the deposit is paid into. The money follows the verified identity, so a stranger in the chat cannot collect it.

Verify the right person

The name on the ownership document is the name to verify.

Not everyone renting out a flat owns it. It may be an agency, a property manager, a relative handling things, or a company that holds the property. So ask for the ownership document first and see whose name is on it. That is the person the check needs to reach, and it is not always the person you have been chatting with.

• They say the flat is theirs

  This is the case we are built for. Send them the link, then compare the verified name with the one on the document.

• They say they act for the owner

  An agency, a manager, or a relative. Verifying them tells you who they are, not that they are allowed to rent the flat out. Ask them to pass the link to the owner named on the document, and to show written authority. Whoever completes the check is the one who enters the deposit account, so the money reaches the verified owner, not a go-between.

• They will not show the document

  Then a verified name has nothing to be compared against, and on its own it proves very little. Ask for the document before you pay us anything.

If you only find out afterwards, you can cancel for a full refund at any time until the landlord starts verifying.

What we do, and what we do not

Built to be low-risk for both sides

• The landlord gives their ID to an independent verification service, not to us. We only ever receive the verified legal name.
• The deposit account is entered by the person who passed the ID check, so the money follows the verified identity.
• The document image, selfie, and ID number never reach us.
• For the landlord it is about two minutes, on their phone, with no account.
• You can request a refund at any time until the landlord starts verifying.

If you are the landlord

Verifying costs you nothing and moves the deal forward.

A prospective tenant wants to rent your place and is asking you to confirm your identity before they commit. You verify once, then enter the account your deposit should be paid into. The renter has already paid the fee.

• You verify through an independent, trusted verification service. We never see your document.
• It takes about two minutes on your phone.
• No account, no password, nothing to install.

Frequently asked questions