Rental Scams in Yerevan: 7 Schemes and How to Check the Owner
By WSE.AM editorial team, edited by Mark Muzyka · Updated 12 October 2026
Prepayment before a viewing, the owner abroad, stolen photos, illegal subletting: common rental scams in Yerevan and how to check the owner via the Cadastre.
How do you avoid rental scams in Yerevan?
The short answer: the main rule is no money before you have seen the apartment in person and checked the documents. Almost every scam is built on prepayment. The classic is "everyone wants this apartment, send a deposit": after the transfer, the owner disappears. The second scheme is the "owner who lives abroad", where the keys are promised by courier or through a trusted representative: in a real deal there is always a person with the right to sign and the original documents. The third is cloned listings with someone else's photos and a price 20-30 percent below the market; a suspiciously low price is always a reason to check twice. You may also run into illegal subletting, when the "landlord" is renting the apartment himself, so ask for the ownership document, not just the keys. Hand over any deposit only against a signed receipt or under a lease with both parties' passport details. Everything you pay must be listed in the lease before you move in.
Overall, Yerevan's rental market is safer than many neighboring capitals, but the scams are the same as everywhere, and they mainly target newcomers who are in a hurry and do not know the local rules. Here is what you need to know.
7 common scams
1. Prepayment before a viewing. "Everyone wants this apartment, send a deposit and it's yours." The classic: after the transfer, the "owner" disappears. The rule is simple: no money before you have seen the apartment in person and checked the documents. 2. The "owner who lives abroad". You are promised the keys by courier or through a "trusted representative" after a prepayment. In a real deal there is always a person with the right to sign and the original documents. 3. Stolen photos and cloned listings. A real listing is copied, the price is cut by 20-30%, and deposits are collected. A suspiciously low price is a signal to check twice. 4. Illegal subletting. The "landlord" is renting the apartment himself and has no right to rent it out again. Ask for the ownership document, not just the door keys. 5. A deposit with no paperwork. Money is handed over "on trust". Any deposit should be paid only against a signed receipt or under a lease with both parties' passport details. 6. A rented "viewing". The scammer rents an apartment by the day and "rents it out" to several people at once, collecting a month's deposit from each. 7. Sudden extra charges after moving in. "Utilities are now three times higher", "internet is extra", "the furniture is rented". Everything you pay must be listed in the lease before you move in.
How to check the owner
- Certificate of ownership. Ask for the original. Since 2019, new-style certificates can be verified online by document number on the website of Armenia's Cadastre (the State Cadastre Committee), e-cadastre.am. You can also order an extract from the property register there (the standard processing time is about three working days).
- Passport. The name in the passport must match the name on the certificate. If a representative is renting the apartment out, they need a power of attorney.
- A written lease. In Russian and/or Armenian, in two copies, with the amount, the term, how utilities are paid and the deposit return terms. Notarization is not required by law, but for a long lease it is sensible insurance. We cover the rights and duties of both parties under a lease in a separate article.
The one-meeting rule
A normal rental deal in Yerevan looks like this: viewing the apartment, then checking the documents, then signing the lease, then paying the first month and the deposit against a signature, then the keys. All of this happens at one meeting, and no step requires you to "transfer money in advance to reserve it".
The most reliable filter is to work with verified listings: in our catalog every property and owner is checked before publication, and the lease signing and payment happen with an agent present. If you have already found an apartment elsewhere but have doubts, write to us and we will help check the documents before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay a deposit for an apartment in Yerevan before viewing it? No. The main rule is no money before you have seen the apartment in person and checked the documents. Almost every scam is built on prepayment, after which the supposed owner disappears.
How do I check the owner of an apartment before renting in Armenia? Ask for the original certificate of ownership and the passport; the names must match. A new-style certificate can be verified online by document number on the website of Armenia's Cadastre, and if a representative is renting it out, they need a power of attorney.
Why should a very cheap rental make me suspicious? Scammers copy real listings, cut the price by 20-30% and collect deposits. A suspiciously low price is a reason to check the property and the documents twice.
Does a lease in Yerevan need to be notarized? Notarization is not required by law, but for a long lease it is sensible insurance. A written lease itself is always needed: in two copies, with the amount, the term, how utilities are paid and the deposit return terms.
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