Temporary housing can give you time to learn a new city before choosing a longer lease. It can also create pressure to send money from abroad for a property you have never seen. Verify the accommodation, the person offering it and the terms before paying. A convincing photo or employer introduction is a lead, not the end of the check.
Check the listing and the person separately
Search the address and provider name through independent sources. Compare duplicate listings for conflicting contact details, prices or availability. Use the provider's genuine website or verified contact to confirm the property and booking. The US Federal Trade Commission warns that scammers copy real listings and replace the contact information.
Where possible, view the property yourself or ask someone you trust to visit. A live video can answer practical questions but does not prove ownership or the right to rent it. The FTC notes that even a tour is not a guarantee. Use local property and agent checks appropriate to the destination.
Read the total and the cancellation rules
Confirm the exact dates, total price, currency, taxes, fees, deposit, included services and payment schedule in writing. Ask what makes a deposit refundable and how repayment works. Do not assume that an advertised nightly price includes utilities, cleaning or a late arrival charge.
Check what happens if your start date or travel changes. A flexible-looking description may still have a deadline or non-refundable part. Understand the supported cancellation route and keep the terms that apply to your booking, rather than relying on a screenshot of an earlier search result.
Verify that the accommodation works for your arrival
Confirm the address, check-in contact, access hours and a fallback if your flight is delayed. Ask about internet, a usable work area if needed, accessibility and the actual sleeping arrangement. Map the commute for the working hours you expect, not only the distance on a map.
If the employer arranges housing, ask who contracts with the provider, what you pay and whether leaving the job changes your right to stay. Separate a temporary room from any promise of permanent accommodation. Check local tenancy protections through an appropriate official or qualified source.
Do not let urgency choose the payment route
The FTC flags pressure to decide quickly and demands for payment only by gift card, cryptocurrency or cash-like money transfer services. Verify the payee and use a legitimate payment route whose protections you understand. Do not move off a booking platform merely because someone offers a discount without checking the consequences.
Limit personal information to what the verified process requires. Keep the contract, receipts and provider contact available during travel. If identity or terms remain unclear, choose a verifiable alternative rather than paying to preserve a bargain that may not exist.
Sources and further reading
Source guidance checked on October 28, 2026. The exercises and examples above are editorial suggestions, not hiring guarantees. Follow current employer instructions and destination-specific official requirements.
Continue your job-abroad plan
- Read our guide: what a relocation package does and does not tell you.
- Read our guide: before you resign check what still has to happen for your move.
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