Apartment One — Terms of Use

Effective Date: January 1, 2025 Last Updated: May 1, 2026

Welcome to Apartment One. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use (“Terms”). Please read them carefully. If you do not agree, do not use the platform.

1. Definitions

• “Platform” — the Apartment One website, applications, and associated services (apartmentone.co and app.apartmentone.co).
• “User” — any person or entity using the Platform, including renters, landlords, property managers, and affiliates.
• “Renter” — a User seeking rental housing, including Tenant Plus, Quick Screen, and Short-Term Rental users.
• “Property Partner” — a landlord or property manager who lists properties on the Platform.
• “Affiliate” — a User who refers others to the Platform under our referral program.
• “Listing” — a rental property posted by a Property Partner.
• “Tenant Screening” — the background, credit (FICO 9 / Experian), and eviction reports generated for a Renter.
• “Tenant Fit Index (TFI)” — Apartment One’s proprietary 0–100 score estimating how well a Renter matches a specific Listing.

2. Scope of Service

Apartment One is a platform that connects Renters with Property Partners. We:

• Provide Renters with a verified screening profile and a personalized feed of Listings matched to their qualifications using the Tenant Fit Index.
• Allow Property Partners to list properties (including standard rentals, short-term rentals, senior living, VASH-supportive housing, and Section 8 properties) and receive pre-screened, ranked applicants.
• Provide in-platform messaging between Renters and Property Partners.
• Operate a referral (Affiliate) program.

Apartment One is an intermediary. We do not own, manage, lease, or control any Listing, and we are not a party to any rental agreement between a Renter and a Property Partner.

3. Accounts and Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years old and legally able to enter contracts.
• You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information and to keep it updated.
• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity under your account.
• Certain features require identity and payment verification. Some accounts use two-factor authentication.

4. Renter Plans and Fees

Apartment One offers several ways for Renters to use the Platform. All fees are in U.S. dollars, are processed securely through Stripe, and are non-refundable except where required by law. Prices may change; the price shown at checkout is the price that applies to your purchase.

4.1 Quick Screen — one-time $35

A single tenant screening report (credit, eviction, and criminal background), typically used when a Renter needs to verify themselves for a specific property. Quick Screen users may later upgrade to Tenant Plus.

4.2 Tenant Plus — one-time $60

A full screening profile plus access to a personalized feed of matched Listings, the Tenant Fit Index, in-platform applications, and messaging with Property Partners.

4.3 Upgrade (Quick Screen → Tenant Plus) — $25

Quick Screen users may upgrade to full Tenant Plus access for a one-time $25.

4.4 Short-Term Rental Subscription — $35 per month (recurring)

A monthly subscription for Renters who move frequently. It provides access to short-term (“month-to-month”) Listings and an automatic monthly re-screening so reports stay current. This is a recurring subscription that automatically renews each month and re-charges your payment method until cancelled. You may cancel at any time through your Billing page or the Stripe billing portal; cancellation stops future renewals but does not refund the current period.

4.5 Report validity

Tenant screening reports are valid for 21 days. After this period, a Renter must complete a new screening to maintain access to matched Listings. For Short-Term Rental subscribers, re-screening occurs automatically each month while the subscription is active.

4.6 What the fee does and does not cover

The screening fee covers the cost of generating your reports and, for Tenant Plus and Short-Term Rental users, access to matched Listings. Payment does not guarantee approval for any Listing. Approval decisions are made solely by Property Partners. Screening fees are paid immediately to a third-party credit bureau to produce your reports and are final, non-refundable, and non-reversible — see Section 12.1 (No Refunds or Chargebacks).

5. Financial Stability Documents

A Renter who does not meet a Listing’s credit threshold but has sufficient funds may submit financial stability documents (e.g., bank statements) for review. If approved by Apartment One, the Renter may be permitted to view and apply to Listings. Approval is discretionary and does not guarantee approval by any Property Partner.

6. Property Partner Obligations

By listing a property, a Property Partner agrees to:

1. No additional renter fees. Property Partners may not charge Renters any application, screening, or processing fee for services covered by the Platform. The screening fee paid by Renters covers all screening and is managed solely by Apartment One. Attempting to charge such fees may result in immediate suspension or removal of the account and Listings.

2. Accurate Listings. Provide truthful, accurate, and current information about each property. Misrepresentation is prohibited and may lead to termination.

3. Free listing. Listing properties on Apartment One is free of charge.

4. Compliance. Ensure Listings comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws, including fair-housing laws, and with any Platform-specific requirements below.

5. Marking property type. Clearly indicate the property type during listing, including whether a property is a short-term rental, and whether it supports VASH or Section 8.

7. Listing Requirements

• Senior living facilities must have a minimum Google My Business review rating of 3.0 or above to be eligible.
• Properties supporting VASH or Section 8 must be clearly indicated during listing.
• All Listings must comply with local laws and fair-housing regulations.
• Apartment One may remove or decline any Listing that violates these Terms or applicable law.

8. Affiliate / Referral Program

Apartment One operates a referral program:

• Affiliates refer Renters and may earn a commission on qualifying screenings completed through their referral link or QR code.
• Affiliate Realtors refer Property Partners and receive tenant leads rather than cash commission.
• Commissions and payouts are governed by the rates in effect at the time of the qualifying action and are subject to the payout terms shown in the Affiliate dashboard.
• Apartment One may adjust commission rates, withhold payouts for fraudulent or self-referred activity, and suspend Affiliates who violate these Terms.
• Referral fees are earned only on genuine, completed, paid actions by referred Users.

9. Tenant Screening, Background Checks, and Consent

1. Consent. By paying for and undergoing screening, you explicitly consent to Apartment One obtaining background, credit (FICO 9 / Experian), eviction, and criminal reports about you, and to sharing relevant results with Property Partners for the purpose of evaluating rental applications.

2. Third-party data. Reports are provided through third-party consumer reporting agencies. While we strive for accuracy, we do not guarantee the completeness or reliability of third-party reports.

3. Your rights. You may review your screening results and should report any discrepancies to Apartment One promptly so they can be addressed with the reporting agency.

4. No decision-making by Apartment One. Apartment One does not make rental approval decisions and is not responsible for decisions made by Property Partners based on screening reports.

10. Messaging and Communications

The Platform provides messaging between Renters and Property Partners. You agree not to use messaging for spam, harassment, solicitation of off-Platform fees, or any unlawful purpose. Apartment One may send you transactional emails (e.g., screening status, subscription renewals, new messages) related to your use of the Platform.

11. Prohibited Activities

You agree not to:

• Post false, misleading, or fraudulent information or Listings.
• Charge or solicit fees outside the Platform’s agreed terms.
• Attempt to circumvent screening, matching, or payment systems.
• Scrape, reverse-engineer, or misuse the Platform or its data.
• Harass, discriminate against, or harm other Users.
• Violate any applicable law, including fair-housing and consumer-protection laws.

Violations may result in suspension or termination and, where appropriate, legal action.

12. Payments

• Payments are processed by Stripe. By purchasing, you agree to Stripe’s terms in addition to these Terms.
• One-time fees (Quick Screen, Tenant Plus, upgrades) are charged once at checkout.
• The Short-Term Rental subscription is a recurring charge that renews automatically each month until cancelled.
• All fees are non-refundable except where required by law.

12.1 No Refunds or Chargebacks

Screening fees are final, non-refundable, and non-reversible. When you pay a screening fee, Apartment One immediately incurs and pays a corresponding cost to a third-party consumer reporting agency (credit bureau) to generate your credit, eviction, and criminal reports. That bureau cost is charged to Apartment One the moment your report is produced and cannot be recovered, reversed, or refunded to Apartment One. For this reason:

• No refunds. Once a screening report has been generated, the screening fee is non-refundable in whole or in part, including if you are not approved for a Listing, if you change your mind, if your report contains information you dispute, or if you do not use the Platform further. Approval for any Listing is never guaranteed, and payment is for the screening service and access — not for any outcome.

• No chargebacks. By purchasing, you acknowledge that the service is rendered immediately and that the underlying bureau cost is irreversible. You agree not to initiate a chargeback, payment dispute, or reversal with your bank or card issuer for a completed screening. Initiating a chargeback for a validly rendered screening is a breach of these Terms.

• Consequences of a chargeback. If you initiate a chargeback or payment dispute for a completed screening, Apartment One may (a) suspend or terminate your account and revoke access to Listings and reports, (b) contest the dispute with evidence of the delivered service and your acceptance of these Terms, and (c) recover any resulting fees, costs, or losses, including reasonable collection and processing costs, to the extent permitted by law.

• Subscription charges. For the Short-Term Rental subscription, each monthly charge covers that month’s access and automatic re-screening. Cancelling stops future renewals but does not entitle you to a refund of the current or any past billing period, and the same no-chargeback terms apply to charges for periods already provided.

• Billing errors. If you believe you were charged in error (for example, a duplicate charge for the same screening), contact us first at info@apartmentone.co and we will investigate and correct genuine billing errors. Please raise billing concerns with us before contacting your card issuer.

Nothing in this section limits any non-waivable rights you may have under applicable law.

13. Limitation of Liability

Apartment One acts solely as an intermediary and, to the maximum extent permitted by law, is not liable for:

• Disputes between Renters and Property Partners, including lease agreements, property conditions, or off-Platform transactions;
• Decisions made by Property Partners based on screening or the Tenant Fit Index;
• Inaccuracies in third-party reports; or
• Indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages.

The Platform is provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind, except as required by law.

14. Data Privacy and Security

All personal data is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable law, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) for California residents. Screening data is stored securely and made available only to authorized parties. By using the Platform, you consent to the collection and use of your data as described in our Privacy Policy.

15. Compliance with Local Laws

Apartment One strives to ensure screening complies with applicable local, state, and federal regulations. Users are responsible for understanding and complying with the laws in their jurisdiction, including any restrictions on the use of background-check information in rental decisions and fair-housing requirements.

16. Termination

Apartment One may suspend or terminate any account at its discretion, particularly for non-compliance with these Terms. You may stop using the Platform at any time; subscription cancellations take effect at the end of the current billing period.

17. Modifications to These Terms

Apartment One may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify Users of significant changes. Continued use of the Platform after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

18. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of New Mexico, without regard to its conflict-of-law rules. Any disputes shall be resolved exclusively in the courts located in New Mexico.

19. Contact Us

For questions about these Terms:

Apartment One

141 N Roadrunner Pkwy, Ste 141A Las Cruces, NM 88011

Email: info@apartmentone.co