How it works:
- Situation: landlords in Lima are infamous for “squeezing” foreign tenants.
- Opening: like in Argentina, one trick is to require an inflated deposit, with no intention of returning it. For instance, when you return your key, they claim to have forgotten to bring the deposit.
- Set-up: they promise to return it in another way, but you will never hear from them again. Most tourists let it go as they do not have time on their side – after returning the key, they probably have pre-arranged transport to head somewhere else soon.
Places to beware:
- Lima
What to do:
- Platform: use one with buyer protection rights: e.g. Booking.com (Frommer’s tests found it to have the best selection and rates).
- Deposit: when it’s time to return the key, insist not to return it until you get your deposit back.
