Frequently Asked Questions

RoommateAds.com is a free roommate-finder covering all 50 US states. People with a room to rent post ads; people looking for a room browse, filter, and contact posters directly. There are no fees, no premium tiers, and no hidden charges — ever.

Yes, completely free. Posting an ad, browsing listings, sending messages, ID verification, push notifications, the compatibility quiz, saved searches, tour booking, the roommate agreement builder, and the rent splitter are all free. There are no paid upgrades.

No. Anyone can browse and search without an account. You only need a free account to post an ad, send a message, or use personalised features like saved searches and the compatibility quiz.

Click "Post Free Ad" in the navigation. Create a free account, fill in your room details, upload up to 8 photos, and your ad goes live immediately. The whole process takes about 3 minutes.

Use the search page or type a city name on the homepage. Filter by rent, room type, move-in date, lifestyle preferences, and verified status. Each listing shows a compatibility percentage if both you and the poster have completed the quiz.

Ads stay active for 60 days and can be renewed with one click from your dashboard — before or after they expire.

Up to 8 photos per listing. JPG, PNG, GIF, and WebP accepted, up to 5 MB each. The first photo becomes the search thumbnail.

Yes. Log in and go to your dashboard. You can update rent, description, photos, availability date, and preferences at any time.

Yes. Select "I need a room" when posting. You can describe what you're looking for, your budget, and preferred move-in date.

"Find Together" lets two people — such as a couple or two friends — post a joint listing showing they're looking for a two-bedroom together. Both partners see matched apartment listings from BostonApartments.com on their dashboards.

Yes. From your dashboard you can pause (hides the ad without deleting it), reactivate, or delete. Deleted listings move to a Removed tab and are held for 30 days before permanent deletion — so you can restore if you change your mind.

Open any listing and click "Send Message." You need a free account. All replies are threaded by listing in your Messages inbox.

Yes. There are no message limits, no unlocking fees, and no paywall between you and any poster.

Open any message thread and tap the green "Video Call" button. A free, browser-based call launches instantly — no app download, no Zoom account, no cost. The other person gets an in-app notification and a join link in the chat.

Any modern browser on desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone — Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari. No plugin needed.

No time limit. Calls close automatically after 4 hours of inactivity.

ID verification is a free, optional check that compares a photo of your government ID against a live selfie — entirely in your browser. Your images are never stored on our servers. Verified users get a green badge and receive 3–5× more responses on average.

No. The badge confirms only that at the time of submission a government ID image and a live selfie were found consistent by our automated system. It is not a background check, criminal-history check, or character endorsement. RoommateAds bears no responsibility for any verified user's conduct. See our Disclaimer for full details.

Income verification lets you upload a recent pay stub, offer letter, or bank statement. Our team reviews it manually and adds a 💼 Income Verified badge to your profile within 1–2 business days. Your income amount is never displayed publicly — only the badge shows. No Plaid, no credit check, completely free.

We accept a recent pay stub (last 30 days), employment offer letter, most recent bank statement showing regular deposits, or a W-2 / first page of a 1040 tax return. PDF, JPG, and PNG are all accepted up to 5 MB. Documents are deleted after review.

References let a past landlord, roommate, or employer vouch for you on your profile. You send them a link from the References page — they fill in a short form (overall rating, reliability, cleanliness, would recommend). Their response shows on your profile and Roommate Resume. SpareRoom charges for this; ours is free.

ID verified + income verified + at least one reference + compatibility quiz completed + bio + profile photo. Each signal builds independently. You don't need all of them, but each one measurably increases responses.

A 24-question survey about your lifestyle — sleep schedule, cleanliness, guests, noise, shared food, pets, communication style, and more. Takes about 3 minutes. Your answers are compared to other users' to generate a compatibility percentage shown on listing cards and profiles.

Scores are weighted: Lifestyle habits count most, followed by Sleep schedule, Social preferences, Cleanliness, and Communication style. Hard deal-breakers — like a 3+ point gap on smoking or pets — set the score to 0 regardless of everything else.

No, it's optional. But listings where both parties have completed it show a match percentage, which significantly increases response rates.

It's common and generally safe with basic precautions: meet in public first, never send money before visiting in person, verify the lease, and trust your instincts. Read our full Safety Tips page for detailed guidance.

We do not run background checks. We link to background check partners on our Background Checks page. The optional Verified badge is an ID-and-selfie match only — not a criminal or credit check.

Click the Report button on any listing, or use the Contact page. Reports are reviewed within 24 hours.

Have a video call first to confirm they're real. Then meet in a public place, tell someone where you're going, visit the property in daylight, and never pay any money before signing a lease you've verified.

A free tool that walks you through creating a written roommate agreement covering rent split, utilities, cleaning schedule, guest policy, quiet hours, and move-out notice. Print or save when done. No lawyer required for a basic agreement.

A free printable checklist you fill out with your landlord or roommate at move-in. Documents the condition of every room so there is no dispute about pre-existing damage when you move out. No login required — File → Print → Save as PDF. Find it at /move-in-checklist.php.

You can ask a past landlord, roommate, or employer to write a reference. They get an emailed link to a short form (overall rating, reliability, cleanliness, would recommend). Responses show on your profile and Roommate Resume. Free — SpareRoom charges for this.

Upload a pay stub, offer letter, or bank statement. Our team reviews it and adds a Income Verified badge to your profile within 1–2 business days. Your income amount is never shown publicly. Free, no credit check, no Plaid.

A free calculator that splits rent equally, by room size, or by income — and handles shared utilities. No login required. Find it at /tools/rent-splitter.php.

On each listing page, enter your workplace address to see drive time, cycling time, and walk time calculated from the listing's location using real road-network routing. Free, no API key.

Listers offer available time slots. Seekers browse slots and book with a short note. Both get an in-app notification. Manage tours from your dashboard.

A shareable, printable profile card showing your bio, verification badges, quiz answers by category, star rating from past roommates, and active listing. Use File → Print → Save as PDF in any browser. Find it at /roommate-resume.php.

Yes. RoommateAds is a Progressive Web App (PWA). On your phone, your browser will show an Add to Home Screen or Install App prompt. Tap it and the site installs like a native app with its own icon, works offline, and sends push notifications. No app store, no download, no storage fee.

After searching, click "Save this search" and choose instant, daily, or weekly alerts. New matching listings trigger an email and optionally a push notification.

A landlord can only deduct from your deposit for unpaid rent or actual damages beyond normal wear and tear — and must provide an itemized statement. Return timelines vary by state: Massachusetts 30 days, California 21 days, New York 14 days. Improper withholding can entitle you to double or triple damages in some states.

A federal law prohibiting housing discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability. Many states add protections for sexual orientation, source of income, and marital status. If you believe you've been discriminated against, contact HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or file at hud.gov.

No — during an active lease the amount is fixed. At renewal, increases are generally allowed with proper notice (30–60 days in most states). Rent control applies in New York City, parts of California (AB 1482), Oregon (statewide cap), and some other cities.

A landlord must follow a legal process — written notice, then a court hearing if you don't vacate. They cannot change locks or shut off utilities to force you out. Always respond to any legal notice in writing and keep copies. Contact local legal aid if you cannot afford an attorney.

If you're both on the lease, yes — the landlord can hold either of you responsible for the full amount (joint and several liability). Use our Roommate Agreement Builder to set clear expectations before signing together.

It varies widely. Major cities like New York or San Francisco: $1,000–$2,000/month. Mid-size cities: $600–$1,000/month. Smaller towns: $400–$700/month. Use the rent filter on the search page to set your budget.

Depends on the listing — some include utilities, WiFi, and laundry; others are rent only. Each listing specifies what's included. Always confirm with the poster before committing.

Never. Do not wire money or pay any deposit before visiting the property in person, meeting the current tenants, and reviewing the lease. Any request to pay before visiting is a red flag.

Type your city or town in the search bar on the RoommateAds homepage. The site covers all 50 US states. Filter by rent, room type, and lifestyle to find the best match.

Post a free ad on RoommateAds.com. Create a free account, fill in your room details, upload photos, and your ad is live immediately — no posting fees, ever.

Ask about their work schedule, cleaning habits, guest frequency, noise preferences, how long they plan to stay, whether they have pets, and how they handle shared expenses. Ask for references from previous roommates or landlords.