How the Delusion Score works

The formula

The score is computed entirely from the listing's objective, public data. No person - not a moderator, not the submitter - decides how delusional a listing is; the formula does. It is a weighted sum of four factors, each measured on its own 0-100 scale:

1. Overprice vs the local market (40%)

We compare the listing's price per m2 to a reference for its country and area tier (capital, major city, mid-size town, small town, village). Not "is it expensive" - "is it detached from reality."

• At or under 1x the local rate -> 0 points.
• 2x the local rate -> 50 points.
• 3x or more -> the maximum, 100 points.

A €2,000 shoebox beats a €2,000 mansion, exactly as it should.

2. Space & dignity (22%)

Absolute livability, regardless of price. Below 14 m2 per person starts adding points. On top of that:

• No window: +35
• No heating: +25
• A shared bathroom beyond 2 people: +5 each
• Not a self-contained home (a room/bed/couch): +20

3. Contract exploitation (21%)

• Deposit above 2 months: +15 per extra month
• Rent demanded up front: +12 per month
• Agency fee charged to the tenant: +20
• A paid subscription or fee just to respond to the listing: +25
• Temporary contract: +15 (and +25 more if it still locks you in for 12+ months)
• Automatic mid-contract rent increases: +15
• Income requirement above 3x the rent: +15 per extra multiple (demanding you earn 5x the rent shuts most people out)

4. Red flags & discrimination (17%)

The illegal or dystopian stuff - each ticked flag adds 22 points:

• No address registration allowed
• Housing tied to working for the landlord
• Surveillance cameras inside the home
• No guests / visitors ever allowed
• Curfew imposed by landlord
• Landlord sleeps in the same room/space
• Gender-restricted (discriminatory)
• No children allowed
• Students only
• Religious attendance / belief required
• Cash only, no receipts (off the books)
• Unpaid chores / caretaking required as rent

What we document

We report companies, agencies and listing platforms - never private individuals - using public listing data only. Submissions containing personal or contact information are blocked automatically and rejected.

Country rankings

Each country is ranked by the average score of its worst listings, so one freak listing doesn't crown a country - sustained insanity does.

Local reference rents (€/m2/month)

These baselines power the overprice factor. They are editable starting estimates from public market data, and the ranking is harsher where local rents are genuinely low.