Frequently asked questions

Browse verified listings on our homepage, filter by price, location, and move-in date. When you find a place you like, you can message the landlord directly, book a tour, and sign your lease — all through Vonulo.

Yes, Vonulo is completely free for students. There are no commissions, no hidden fees, and no charges to browse, message, or sign leases. We believe finding a home shouldn't cost you anything.

Our matching system pairs you with compatible students based on your lifestyle preferences, budget, cleanliness habits, sleep schedule, and more. You fill out a short questionnaire, and we suggest matches with a compatibility score. Both parties must agree before contact info is shared.

No. Vonulo is a marketplace — we don't hold, process, or escrow your security deposit. You pay your landlord directly, governed by BC's Residential Tenancy Act (max half month's rent, plus a separate pet deposit if applicable). We do help on the protection side: every landlord is ID-verified, and our AI Lease Review can scan your lease for clauses that break BC tenancy law before you sign.

On any listing page, click the "Message" tab and send your inquiry. Your message creates a conversation thread where you can share files, see read receipts, and even book a tour directly in the chat. The landlord gets notified instantly.

Click "Request tour" on any listing and pick up to 3 preferred time slots. The landlord will confirm one of your times by email. Once approved, you can download an ICS calendar file to add it to your phone. You can also book tours directly within a conversation.

After your stay, you can rate a listing across five categories: Accuracy, Communication, Value, Cleanliness, and Location. Each gets its own score. Reviews from verified students get a special badge. Landlords can respond to reviews publicly.

Your compatibility score is calculated across 9 lifestyle categories: sleep schedule, budget range, cleanliness, study habits, guest preferences, noise tolerance, move-in date, smoking, and pets. Tap the percentage on any match card to see the full breakdown of what aligns and what differs.

Yes! Vonulo is a Progressive Web App. On Android, tap "Add to Home Screen" from your browser menu. On iPhone, tap the share button in Safari and select "Add to Home Screen." The app works offline for saved listings and loads instantly from your home screen.

Yes. On the browse page, set your filters (price, bedrooms, location) and click "Save this search." When a new listing matches your criteria, you will get an email notification. You can manage your saved searches and notification frequency in your dashboard settings.

Click "List your place" in the navigation and complete our landlord application. You'll provide property details, photos, pricing, and verification documents. Once approved, your listing goes live and is visible to all students on the platform.

We verify landlords through a 4-step process: identity confirmation, proof of property ownership or management authorization, a property photo review, and agreement to our community standards. This ensures every listing on Vonulo is legitimate and trustworthy.

Most landlord applications are reviewed within 24–48 hours. In some cases, we may need additional documentation, which can extend the process by a day or two. You'll receive email updates at every step.

Listing on Vonulo is free. We don't charge commissions, take a cut of rent, or require a subscription to list. Optional premium tools — like promoted listings and analytics — are available if you want extra visibility, but the core experience (listing, messaging, lease tools) is free.

We offer optional premium services for landlords and property managers who want more: promoted listings for extra visibility, analytics dashboards, and bulk listing tools. We also provide value-added services for students like verified housing packages. We never take a percentage of your rent or charge hidden fees.

Not currently. Rent goes directly between you and your tenant — we don't touch your money. We're building an optional rent collection tool (bank debit with automatic reminders and receipts) for landlords who want it, but it's entirely opt-in and flat-fee, never a percentage of rent.

Every listing goes through a manual review by our team. We check property photos for authenticity, verify landlord identity and ownership, and confirm that pricing and terms are fair and accurate before publishing.

Absolutely. Your personal details are never shared without your explicit consent. We use industry-standard encryption, and our privacy practices are fully outlined in our Privacy Policy. Landlords only see the information you choose to share.

Reach out to us at hello@vonulo.com and our team will investigate. We take disputes seriously and can mediate between tenants and landlords. In cases of verified misconduct, we remove landlords from the platform.

Once you and your landlord agree on terms, Vonulo generates a BC-compliant residential tenancy agreement. Both parties review and sign digitally. The signed lease is stored securely in your dashboard and can be downloaded anytime.

Security deposit refunds are governed by BC's Residential Tenancy Act and handled directly between you and your landlord. Vonulo doesn't hold or release the deposit — but our AI Lease Review flags clauses that contradict BC refund rules before you sign, and if a dispute comes up, you can apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) for resolution.

Rent and security deposits are paid directly to your landlord via e-transfer, direct deposit, or whatever method you both agree on — outside the Vonulo platform. The only thing you pay Vonulo for is optional services like AI Lease Review.