HousingAnywhere.com

SCAM & SAFETY HAZARD: HousingAnywhere refused refund and kept 100% of my money

Una experiencia de pesadilla absoluta. NO confíen en esta plataforma. Reservé una propiedad (ID de reserva ***) y al llegar me encontré con una auténtica trampa mortal: cables eléctricos expuestos y cajas de conexiones arrancadas de la pared, colgando justo encima de la encimera de la cocina. El lugar estaba sucio, era inseguro y el propietario ni siquiera apareció para darme las llaves (tuve que esperar una hora en la calle hasta que otro inquilino me abrió). NO me quedé en la propiedad ni un solo minuto. Cancelé la reserva inmediatamente en la plataforma dentro del plazo de 48 horas para la mudanza, devolví las llaves al buzón (grabando todo el proceso) y subí fotos detalladas que evidenciaban los graves riesgos para la seguridad. El "soporte" de HousingAnywhere fue completamente inútil. Se pusieron en contacto conmigo, pero SOLO para proteger al propietario y poner excusas, calificando los cables de alta tensión expuestos en la cocina como un "defecto estético menor". Me obligaron a pagar el precio completo, se quedaron con el 100% de mi dinero (tanto el primer mes de alquiler como su inútil cuota de protección para inquilinos) y se negaron rotundamente a devolverme un solo centavo. Se quedan con tu dinero, te dejan abandonado en un lugar peligroso, no te ofrecen ninguna ayuda y se alían con los caseros explotadores. ¡Aléjate de HousingAnywhere si no quieres que te roben tu dinero!

I have tried Housing Anywhere a couple of times

I have tried Housing Anywhere a couple of times now and had a positive experience. They look after both the landlord and the leser well, making things easier.

Easy filters, clear steps

Created an account and set dates, budget, and rules in minutes. The booking flow explained the payment hold and check-in window plainly. Helpful for an expat landing.

Key pickup jitters faded

Standing outside with luggage, I messaged the host. He arrived 6 minutes later, keys in hand. My stomach unclenched.

Felt protected at move-in

I liked paying through HA because I had that tiny grace period to verify the room was as listed. The fridge was different than the photo but fine. Fee stung a little, still worth the less-stress arrival.

Smooth booking and safe hold

Applied to a studio, messaged the landlord, and paid first month through the platform. Funds were held until I checked in. Communication was timely, and the 48 hour window gave me comfort. Listing matched photos, so the payout released without fuss.

Safe process, fees add up

I felt safer using their flow and in-platform messaging. Fees add up a bit, but the protection and clarity were worth it to me.

Made my move simpler

Verified my ID, messaged two landlords, and sent a reservation request. Payments and the timeline were explained well. One host declined, the second accepted within hours. The process felt orderly and safer than random classifieds.

Worst platform ever

Housing Anywhere is the worst platform I have ever used. Once the 48-hour moving-in period passed, they completely ignored me. My landlord did not follow what was advertised: he entered the house constantly, restricted the use of rooms and spaces that were listed, made serious false allegations against me, and kicked me out of the house from one day to the next, despite knowing I had no alternative accommodation. I have received no help from Housing Anywhere, and they even told me to stop insisting. I've lost the tennant protection fee (290 euros for nothing).

Verification took time, worth it

Sign-up was routine but ID check added a short delay. Filters for price and area worked well, and the in-platform chat kept everything documented. Slight learning curve on fees, then crystal clear.

Clear answer on deposits

Agent responded in under 10 minutes in chat, linked the exact policy page, and clarified fees by city. My confusion vanished.

Found a room safely

Created an account, verified ID, and messaged two landlords inside the platform. Payments were held until move-in, which eased nerves. Support articles warned about common scams. What stood out was the calendar clarity and deposit rules explained before I clicked pay.

trustworthy process, clear steps

I felt secure sending the deposit because verification and messaging stayed on-platform. Move-in instructions were detailed and eased any last-minute stress.

listings were easy to vet

HousingAnywhere.com required ID checks, which built trust. Filters by date and amenities worked well. Messaging stayed in-platform and felt safe and efficient.

never book here

This has been an absolutely terrible experience and I strongly advise everyone: never book here. I rented an apartment through HousingAnywhere managed by Joivy and what I found upon arrival was completely unacceptable and honestly shocking. From the very first moment things went wrong. We were initially given the wrong key and only later received the correct one. When we finally entered the apartment, it was filthy beyond belief. The kitchen and bathroom were extremely dirty, clearly not cleaned before move-in. But the problem was not just dirt — the apartment was simply uninhabitable. There was no hot water in the shower and the shower itself was broken, with the shower rod detached and unusable. The washing machine looked damaged and in very poor condition. The oven and microwave did not work at all and need replacement. The stovetop was unsafe to use because the extractor hood above it was in such terrible condition that you would not dare to cook underneath it. The mattress was also unacceptable and unhygienic. This means you cannot shower, you cannot cook, and you cannot properly live there. These are basic human needs. An apartment in this state should never, ever be rented out. Trying to get help made everything even worse. The Joivy app, which you are required to use for payments and maintenance requests, did not work from the beginning. Because of this, I could not properly submit maintenance requests. I contacted them via WhatsApp, via the platform, and repeatedly sent photos as proof. Instead of taking responsibility and offering a real solution, I was constantly redirected to other “channels” and told to contact someone else. No one took ownership. No one provided immediate action. Just endless back-and-forth messages while I was standing in an unlivable apartment in a foreign country. On top of that, there are high admin fees, a mandatory final cleaning fee, deposit payments, and strict cancellation conditions. You are expected to pay everything perfectly and on time, yet they do not deliver even the most basic living standards in return. Moving to another country is already stressful enough. Arriving and discovering that your apartment is dirty, broken, and uninhabitable — with no real support — is devastating. This experience caused enormous stress and disappointment. If you are an Erasmus student, an international student, or anyone relocating, please be extremely careful. Based on my experience, I cannot recommend booking with Joivy via HousingAnywhere under any circumstances. This was a horrible experience and I would never book here again.

Very bad experience with HousingAnywhere and ***

Do not trust this website HousingAnywhere , do not book anything there and mainly with and ***. They take your money and even if property is not what is expected they do not return money, and put you in a chain of misleading communication.

Fraud as business model

Moved in a messy and disgusting home, reported immediately, made fotos, described everything, bought replacements for pillows, blankets etc. Moved out after 1st night. "Tenant protection" is a joke, claiming "When you pay to confirm your stay, your money is safe with us. We send it to the landlord only 48 hours after you move in unless you tell us the place isn't as promised. If you contact us, we'll help you." Support did not help. Had to pay EUR 315,-- tenant protection fee plus half of first months rent for one night. Unbelievable ... Support stopped answering emails. Landlord still talks big. Who gives them the right to judge their customers' money? What arrogance!

During my visit, a few small issues popped up

During my visit, a few small issues popped up - they felt bigger at first, but honestly, it was a very nice stay. The apartment is really comfy, the condo is great, and talking to them was simple. Next time I come back, I will definetly pick this place again.

The experience with Simone was very good

The experience with Simone was very good, with fast and clear communication. Simone was always ready to answer my questions. The rental process went smooth and simple. The studio itself is nice: the building, the facilities, and the access to transport are convenient. It’s not a luxury place, but it has the basic things you need (though there is no extractor fan in the kitchen), and it looks exactly like the pictures.

The landlord stayed very quick to answer

The landlord stayed very quick to answer and paid attention to any need. The place of the apartment was ideal. All things in the city centre are close by to walk.

HousingAnywhere is not a clear platform.

HousingAnywhere is not a clear platform. The payment rules were confusing and did not match what appeared on the listing. Hidden conditions and unclear information about fees caused extra stress and confusion. I hoped for honest and easy communication, but instead found the process misleadng.

Clear and easy comunication with the owner

Clear and easy comunication with the owner of the property and also through the platform. Whenever a question or issue came up, it was answered fast and things got sorted without delay.

The site provides a secure way to rent apartments in different cities.

The site provides a secure way to rent apartments in different cities. Payments go through HousingAnywhere, giving extra tenant protecion. Talking with the landlord was easy and fast.

I had a great experience with Anita from the real estate Anitas Apartments.

I had a great experience with Anita from the real estate Anitas Apartments. When some last-minute cleaning problems came up with our reserved apartment right before move-in, she acted quickly and very professional. She organized a cozy Airbnb for us with no extra charge while carefully finding another good apartment. Their quick response, attention, and effort to make sure we were comfortable really helped. I strongly recommend Anitas Apartments for their wonderful service and care for clients. Thanks!

What I liked about HousingAnywhere is how simple it is to navigate.

What I liked about HousingAnywhere is how simple it is to navigate. Finding dates and the place to stay was quick and clear. Details about rent and bills were also easy to get. I wish there was more info about the cancellation rules and payment methods though.

Booking was really easy, and my landlord Lara was a great help.

Booking was really easy, and my landlord Lara was a great help. She always replies fast, which made everything run smoothly.

I had a bit of a issue with my card payments

I had a bit of a issue with my card payments, but the landlord and the company were realy helpful sorting it out, happy that it got fixed fast.

I had a positive experience renting a flat through Housinganywhere.

I had a positive experience renting a flat through Housinganywhere. At first, I was pretty unsure since I had to pay before seeing the place for real. I checked lots of reviews, which made me even more unsure because some said it felt like a scam and the flats looked worse than pictures. But other sites wanted a 4-year contract and very high rent, which seemed way worse. I think the secret was being clear from the start about what I wanted, my budget, and having a backup plan if it didn’t work out. Maybe I was just lucky.

Nice platform, simple to talk, find, pay, and organize all.

Nice platform, simple to talk, find, pay, and organize all. It also accepts Amex, something many apps working in Europe don’t do.

Overall, a nice place to stay, but a few things should be clear before moving in.

Overall, a nice place to stay, but a few things should be clear before moving in. For example, the bed is a single one (90 x 200 instead of 140 x 200 like it said). Also, the washing machine isn’t inside the flat itself, but in the basement, and you need to share it with the coffee shop next door. So, you have to go buy coins there to use the machine. Lastly, the landlord’s work office is in the flat too, so don’t be shocked if you see some people during the day who aren’t living there—they are his clients. Still, I really liked staying here! My room was cozy and comfy, and I felt at home pretty fast. The bathrooms and kitchen have all you need and are quite clean (but it’s important to help with chores to keep the place nice). Also, the location is great if you enjoy bars and shops, and the view of Brüsseler Platz is really lovely!