FAQs
As a Student
​
​
As a Student
How it works
​
RoomMateHero is a service for internationals students and works in three simple steps:
1. You search for a space (house or apartment) that is available and sign up at roommatehero.com.
2. You can reserve a single room or send us directly a Booking Request for the whole housing unit by yourself or as a group. Reservations are just turned into a Booking Request successfully after the whole housing unit is filled. So if you are looking for additional roommates we are pleased to help you.
3. After the positive feedback regarding your Booking Request you will receive a rental agreement and pay the first months rent and the deposit of the housing unit to us. We will keep the money trusted until you move in and tell us that everything is fine. Then we will transfer the money to your landlord.
About Us
​
What is RoomMateHero.com?
We are a platform for students who are searching for housing opportunities for a semester abroad. Therefore we are offering you different housing options in different areas from different landlords. If you like a space you can reserve and book it online. Save easy.
Safety first
We are keeping your money trusted until you move in and tell us that the space is in a good shape and what you expected. The landlord will get the money after you have moved in before that we keep the money trusted to protect you.
The site was founded by international students that studied in San Diego and other US cities and know about the issues to find the right housing in the study semester abroad. This FAQ should help you to get the answers to all your questions about search, reservation, booking and security.
Who we are.
We know how hard it is trying to book an accommodation from home for your semester abroad. We made this experience already – in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose, New York and Rio de Janeiro. With RoomMateHero we want to help you with all the problems that will come up studying abroad. So we try to make it as easy and safe as possible, learning from our experience – so you can have the best time of your life and enjoy your trip right from the beginning.
Sediq has a master degree in Entrepreneurship and Management from SDSU and lived for three years in San Diego. He spend a year from his Bachelors Degree in San Diego and returned to San Diego for his masters degree. Sediq lived for a semester in the Bay Area to educate himself in Entrepreneurship. Through the time that he lived in San Diego he saw that the search for housing opportunities is getting tougher every semester. So he started RoomMateHero.com to help international students finding a cool place to live.
​
​
​
​
​
​
Philipp is an academic and entrepreneurial hybrid. Involved in research during the day, he has been zealous in his enterprising endeavors at night. Born and raised in Berlin, Germany, Philipp moved to the United States in 2010 and currently resides in San Diego, CA. Holding degrees in criminal justice, economics, and homeland security, he is pursuing a career in academia while being engaged in several entrepreneurial projects simultaneously. As part of the RoomMateHero team it is his objective to create a conducive and elaborated, yet succinct place to fathom the often murky San Diego roommate market.
​
​
Giacomo works since 7 year in the IT industry and worked for as a software developer. He worked for three years at company in Mainz, Germany and just moved to Cologne to work for a social media website as a backend developer. He has experience in java and developing android apps. He works for RoomMateHero as a web developer. He has a couple of certificates for finishing a dual work and school program after 3 years.
​
​
​
​
​
​
Why should I book a room through RoomMateHero?
All our services are free for international students and our first priority is safety. We know the landlords that work with us and checked personally all the housing options that we offer through our agents in San Diego. We studied also in San Diego, know all the student areas and can give you good advice where to live. If you use our service you will avoid a stressful search for housing in San Diego, avoid scam and will have a great start to your journey abroad.
Housing & Roommates
​
How do I find housing options?
On Housing you will find different housing options. You only can rent a room or a whole house, depending on the housing unit that is provided. You can book a house, apartment or room as an individual or as a group just as a whole housing unit. We will offer you detailed information about the housing options, pictures and if available videos. You will find the accommodation on a map, too so you know where it is located. If you book a housing unit by yourself and need help to find roommates, we will assist you to fill up your housing unit.
What does “Housing Unit” mean?
Housing Unit is the whole house, apartment or room, depending on the offer on RoomMateHero.com (one housing unit corresponds to one offer on the site housing). You can book a housing unit on your own and find roommates afterwards or directly as a group. If necessary we connect you to other searching students upfront or afterwards.
How do I find roommates?
If you are looking for roommates for your housing options, we will give you access to our Facebook group after your registration. There you will find all the available housing units, so other students who are looking for housing options can get in touch with you. Please use the comment function below a listing to show your interest. Afterwards you can connect to the students that are also interested. If you have booked a whole unit upfront and are still looking for roommates we can also list your booked housing unit so others can connect with you. Of course, you can also contact other students on your own, too to fill up the housing unit.
What is a “Single Room” and a “Shared Room”?
In a “Single room” there is only one bed for one person. In a “Shared room” there is one or more beds and this room will be shared by two people. If there is only one bed in a “Shared room” it is usually a double, queen or a king size bed and it is recommended for being shared by a couple or by good friends for example. Single rooms are normally more expensive per tenant than shared rooms.
Can I reserve just a room or a bed in a house or apartment?
Yes, you can reserve just a room. But Reservation does not mean Booking. A housing unit can just be booked as a whole unit, therefore a Booking Request is necessary. If you you want to safe your room after a reservation you need to find other roommates to fill up the housing unit. When the housing unit is filled up you are ready and we can start a Booking Request to the landlord. Additional roommates can be found in our Facebook group or by yourself. Each tenant must be registered and reserved a spot in a housing unit. Alternatively the whole housing unit can be booked by a single person or a group directly.
What are the amenities of the accommodations?
Every space has different amenities, but you can see it in the description of every housing unit that is listed on our website. All of our properties are fully furnished.
Why can’t I see the address of the accommodations?
You will get the exact address of the house and the contact information of the landlord after a successful booking process. It’s a matter of safety for both parties.
I am already in town and would like to see the housing unit.
Yes. We always have a contact person in town. For special reasons and if the unit is still available we make a viewing possible for you. Please notice that this is only possible after you contacted us via E-Mail at roommatehero@gmail.com
Reservation & Booking & Cancellation
​
What does “Reservation” mean?
To reserve a room doesn’t mean that you have booked a room and have to pay for it. Reserving rooms means that you are interested in booking a room. You can only book a whole housing unit by making a booking request. Please notice that you have just saved your bed or room with a reservation after the whole housing unit is filled with other tenants. If you reserve a room and all the others rooms are reserved, too we go ahead and book the housing unit by starting a Booking Request. The reason behind is that the landlords just want to rent a whole housing unit and not just rooms. It is in the landlord’s and in our interest to fill up the whole housing unit. So if you reserve a room you should try to find other roommates (e.g. through our Facebook group). If you are an individual and want to book the whole housing unit directly, we will help you afterwards to fill up the unit.
What does “Booking Request” mean?
A Booking Request to the landlord is possible if:
1. All the rooms are reserved
2. One person or a group sends us a Booking Request for a whole housing unit.
Booking Requests are just for the whole housing unit, you can reserve a room but you can’t book a room.
If you are a group and want to book a whole housing unit you can send us a Booking Request directly under Reservation. Each member needs to be registered and start the Booking Request. You have to send us your group name and number of group members.
What does “Booking” mean?
You have booked the housing unit successful if we get a positive feedback on your Booking Request and:
1. You send us the signed rental agreement,
2. You transferred the first months rent and the deposit for the housing unit to us.
Can I reserve several rooms?
No, you can’t reserve several rooms. You are also just able to rent one room. After the housing unit is filled, we got a positive feedback to your Booking Request and your signed rental agreement as well as the first months rent and deposit, you booked your spot.
Can I send several booking requests?
No, you only can send us one Booking Request at a time. We will get a feedback in less than 48 hours and try to book your housing unit as fast as possible. When we get back to you on your Booking Request you need to sign the rental agreement as soon as possible and transfer us the first months rent and deposit to book your spot and to get a Booking confirmation from us.
How can I reserve a room as a single person?
First you need to search for a space you want to reserve on our website and sign up. Afterwards you are able to fill out the Reservation form. Please notice that you have just saved your bed or room with a Reservation after the whole housing unit is filled with other tenants and we got a positive response on the Booking Request. We have a Facebook group, where you can search for other additional tenants and you can also search for other roommates on your own through other groups or private.
Each tenant of a housing unit needs to be signed up and has reserved a spot on his own. If you reserve a room and all the others rooms are reserved, too we go ahead and start the booking process with a Booking Request to the landlord.
If you want to book a whole housing unit on your own or as a group you can send us a Booking Request directly, too.
How do I book a room as a single person?
First of all you need to go to Reservation and send us a Booking Request. After the landlord agrees to the Booking Request we will send you the lease agreement and you need to sign it and send it back to us within a week. The second step is to transfer the first months rent and the deposit to us. Please send the whole amount to the following bank account:
Germany
Deutsche Bank
Name: Sediq Nazary
Kontonummer: 033484700
BLZ: 55070024
IBAN: DE08 5507 0024 0033 4847 00
BIC: DEUTDEDBMAI
US
Bank of America
Name: Sediq Nazary
Account Number: 000166224826
Routing Number (Wires): 026009593
We will keep the money trusted until you move in and let us know that everything is fine and as you expected. After that we will transfer the money to the landlord. From there on you will pay the landlord directly the monthly rent.
How do we book a house as a group?
First of all you need to go to Reservation and send us a Booking Request for the whole housing unit. Every tenant must be signed up and send us a Booking Request. After the landlord agrees to the Booking Request we will send you the lease agreement and you need to sign it and send it back to us within a week. The second step is to transfer the first months rent and the deposit to us. Please send the whole amount to the following bank account:
Germany
Deutsche Bank
Name: Sediq Nazary
Kontonummer: 033484700
BLZ: 55070024
IBAN: DE08 5507 0024 0033 4847 00
BIC: DEUTDEDBMAI
US
Bank of America
Name: Sediq Nazary
Account Number: 000166224826
Routing Number (Wires): 026009593
We will keep the money trusted until you move in and let us know that everything is fine and as you expected. After that we will transfer the money to the landlord. From there on you will pay the landlord directly the monthly rent.
In the Booking Request we need your team name and number of members in the group that wants to book the housing unit.
How can I cancel a Booking Request?
Please let us know as soon as possible if you want to cancel your room. We have to inform the landlord and find other students to replace you. If you cancel a successful booking of a housing unit 14 days or less before the move in date we take a $250 cancellation fee from every member of your group. We will send you back your first month rent plus deposit minus the cancellation fee.
Can a landlord cancel our reservation?
Since the reservation is not a Booking Request, the answer is no. The landlord will get a Booking Request from us but the landlord will not get a reservation notification from us. After the whole housing unit is reserved, we will send the landlord a Booking Request and get back to you.
Can a landlord cancel our Booking Request?
Yes, but this scenario is not very probable. We are working with the landlords for a couple of semesters and we didn’t had this situation before. But anything can happen and the landlord has the right to cancel a Booking Request.
If that happens, we will send you your whole money back and will help you to find another housing option.
Can I cancel a booked room when I get to San Diego?
After you get to San Diego and have moved in, you will have the option to cancel the Booking within two days if there are proven issues with the accommodation. Otherwise the first month rent and deposit will be transferred to the landlord.
If you cancel the Booking, we will assist you to find another spot. There will be a cancellation fee of the deposit that you paid. In this case we will send you back your first month rent. But don’t worry: This case has never happened before.
How long is the lease?
It will be one semester. For spring semester 2016 for example, it will be from your move in day in January, until the end of May. We are not offering any short term rentals, because our focus is on international students who study abroad for at least one semester.
Rent & Deposit
​
When do I have to pay the rent?
Through Booking over RoomMateHero.com you already paid the first months rent and the deposit. From the second month on you will pay the rent directly to the landlord. You will get the deposit back from the landlord at the end of your lease.
Can I transfer the deposit and the first months rent separately in a group?
Yes. If you are a group each member can send his part of the first month rent and deposit separately. The transfer needs to include the team name.
Where do I transfer the first month rent and deposit to?
For you safety, you will transfer the money to our account and we will keep it trusted until you move in. Please transfer the money within one week after the positive feedback regarding your Booking Request to:
Germany
Deutsche Bank
Name: Sediq Nazary
Kontonummer: 033484700
BLZ: 55070024
IBAN: DE08 5507 0024 0033 4847 00
BIC: DEUTDEDBMAI
​
​
What happens with the rent and the deposit?
We will keep the rent and the deposit trusted until you move in. Afterwards we will transfer the money to the landlord’s account. If something is wrong with your housing options, please let us know as soon as possible and we will handle the situation. If you have to cancel your request we will transfer the money back to your account.
How much will the deposit be?
The deposit will usually be one month’s rent of the housing unit for the whole group. But the landlords can put the deposit as high as they want. We advise them to set it as a month’s rent. You will see the amount in the Housing Details on our website and in the rental agreement.
How do I get my deposit back?
You will get back your deposit from the landlord at the end of your lease. Of course, you will just get back your whole deposit if everything is as it was found before. You have to talk to the landlord and he will give you deposit back as a check, cash or he will transfer you the money to your account.
Lease Agreement
​
What does the lease agreement contain?
The lease agreement contains every important information about your relation to the landlord and the housing unit. For example, it will include the length of the rental period, the monthly rent and when you will get your deposit back. It also will say how many tenants can live in the accommodation and what happens if a tenant destroys furniture or other things.
Can I have a look on the rental agreement, prior to the Booking?
No, only students who will get a positive feedback on their booking request will get a rental agreement from us. The rental agreement is student friendly and will protect your interests.
Is the rental agreement changeable?
No, we are working successfully with our rental agreements and landlords for a long time. We made it as secure as possible for the students.
Does everyone will get a rental agreement?
Yes, doesn’t matter if you book as an individual or as a group, every tenant of the housing unit will get their own rental agreement. So every tenant takes care of the housing unit and the responsibility is shared among everybody.
If you are booking a housing unit on your own and will have additional roommates you will have to make an additional agreement with the landlord. We will help you with that.
​
Trust & Safety
​
What happens with my money?
We will keep your money trusted and protect you from scam. We will transfer the money to the landlord after you told us that the everything is as expected and you are satisfied.
If something is wrong at your move-in we will find a solution with you and the landlord and help you to find another housing option.
How safe is the processing through RoomMateHero?
It is totally safe, approved by a lot of international students and landlords. We were students ourselves and had the same issues and doubts as you have. We are handling your money with the highest level of care. That is why we give you the option to book your spot through us. We want to help you find the perfect housing option for you, so you can enjoy your semester abroad.
Why shouldn’t I reserve a housing unit directly through the landlord?
If you try to book directly through the landlord or any other website, we cannot guarantee that you will get your money back, if something happens. There are a lot of people who try to scam international students and it happened to students that we know. That’s one of the reasons why we created our website, to save you from these kind of people and create a safe environment. We are here to help you to find a nice place to live and start your study abroad semester, the right way.
About the Landlords
Who are the landlords?
The landlords are the owners or housing managers. We work together with the landlords since a couple of semesters, know them in person and never had a problem that we couldn’t solve. We did background checks with all the landlords that we work with and checked the housing units through our agents in San Diego.
​
Why can’t I get in contact with the landlord, before made a successful booking?
E-Mail addresses, phone numbers and the address of the houses are not available until you booked a housing unit successfully. Safety first: All the communications before that point are going through us. We can’t protect your information and your interests if you try to book a house directly through a landlord. We try to give you the highest standard of data protection that is possible and have always your best interest in mind.
On Site
​
I arrived, what happens next?
First of all, enjoy your time abroad and get used to the good life 🙂 Prior to your arrival you will have the contact information of the landlord and set up the date to move in. Contact the landlord and let him know that you have arrived. You will get a house tour and the keys to your new place. Please let us know within two days after you have moved in that everything is as expected and we will transfer your money to the landlord.
Do I have to pay any fee while moving in?
Yes, there will be a 150€ booking fee from Roommatehero, you need to pay that fee with the deposit. You already payed the first months rent and deposit to us. After you move in the landlord will get both and you will get your deposit back from the landlord after you have moved out again at the end of the semester.
What happens if the housing option that I choose is not like I expected it?
We hope that everything works out as you expect. We are checking every house through our agents that are working with us in San Diego. But if you don’t find your housing option as expected please let us know immediately and we will find a solution for you. You have to contact us in the first two days after your move-in date. If we do not hear something from you we suspect that everything is alright and transfer the first months rent and the deposit to the landlord. Then the amount is not refundable any more. We will still help you to find another housing option anyway.
What happens if a landlord cancels his housing unit?
We can’t guarantee any housing opportunity that we are offering on our website but we are working with reliable landlords that we know from working in the past. If that case still happens, you will get a full refund and we will try to find you another housing opportunity.
I am already in town and would like to see the housing unit.
Yes. We always have a contact person in town. For special reasons and if the unit is still available we make a viewing possible for you. Please notice that this is only possible after you contacted us via E-Mail at contact@roommatehero.com.
Additional Questions​
​
I have some more questions, who should I contact?
We try to answer every question that can come up in this FAQ. If you still have any questions that we haven't answered yet, you can contact us at all times at roommatehero@gmail.com