JourneyStead Help

Finding a place

Staying safe

The few rules that keep a deposit out of the wrong hands, and how to report something.

Written for Renter
On this page

This page has no sections.

Most people who let rooms are exactly who they say they are. A few rules cost you nothing and protect you from the ones who are not.

The rule that matters most

Never pay a deposit, or any rent, before you have seen the place and met the landlord or their agent, and before you have a lease to sign.

Before you pay anyone

  • See it first. Book a viewing and go. Go in daylight, and take someone with you if you can.
  • Read the lease before you sign it, and keep your own copy. See Your lease, and signing it.
  • Pay the landlord, not a person who says they are collecting for them. The lease and your Home page say who your landlord is and how rent is paid.

Keep it on JourneyStead

Keep your conversations on JourneyStead, where there is a record. If someone asks you to pay by e-wallet, or into a stranger’s account, to hold a room, that is a warning sign. Do not pay, and report the conversation.

What the badges tell you

A verified badge on a listing means someone at JourneyStead has checked who the landlord is. It is a good sign. It is not a guarantee about a particular place, and Not verified yet only means the check has not happened.

Every listing is looked at by our team before it goes live. If something about one is wrong anyway, tell us.

How to report

  • A listing. Choose Report on its page.
  • A conversation. Choose Report inside it, pick a reason, and say what happened. The other side is not told who reported it.

Our team reads every report.

If you already paid

Stop paying, keep every message and receipt, and report the conversation and the listing. Then tell the police if money has gone. Do not wait to see whether it sorts itself out.

Messaging a landlord Ask a question from the listing, and what the landlord can and cannot see about you.Reading a listing What each part of a listing tells you, and what the verified badge means.Your information and privacy What is collected, who sees what, and what you can ask of JourneyStead.