The risks of renting rooms online in Kathmandu

Internet might have made hunt for a rental room easier, but it has also helped fraudsters profit off those in need.

When Suvekshya Giri left her hometown a few months ago, she was excited about a new job and independent life in Kathmandu. But that excitement didn’t last long. Rather, it quickly turned into frustration, given the ordeals she had to undergo to find a room to rent. Giri was looking for an apartment with a bedroom and a kitchen. She initially got in touch with people she knew in Kathmandu and went door-to-door asking for it. But even after a long and frantic search, she still didn’t find the apartment that suited her needs.