Help Center
Frequently asked questions
How do I list a room?
You do not need an account. Email us with the room details (address, rent, deposit, room type, amenities and photos) and an administrator creates the advert on your behalf, confirms the listing fee with you, and publishes it once you have approved it. A valid WhatsApp phone number is required so tenants can reach you, and you can ask the administrator to advertise the listing on Facebook and Instagram. Edits, renewals and removals are all done by our team — just email us again and we will action it for you.
How do I contact a landlord?
Click "Chat with Landlord" on any room listing. You need an active Tenant Pass to open a chat with a landlord — there is no per-chat or per-unlock fee, and one Pass covers every landlord on every listing for 12 months. You'll be connected via our messaging system.
What are the fees?
Contacting a landlord is included with a Tenant Pass and is not charged per contact: a Tenant Pass costs R20 for a first 12-month period, then R50 per year, and a Pass is also required to post a Marketplace advert (posting itself is free). Tenants may pay R50 to apply for the optional Blue Tick identity verification. Room listings are created and published by our admins, and every one costs R10, valid for 30 days; your administrator confirms it with you when they build the listing — there is no online listing checkout. Every admin-published room listing is featured for 30 days at no extra cost. Marketplace sellers may pay R100 to apply for the optional Verified Seller badge, or qualify for it free of charge once they have completed more than 100 successful Marketplace sales. There are no hidden fees.
How do I apply for a room?
On the room detail page, click "Apply for this Room". Make sure your Tenant Pass is active, fill in your details with your consent, and the landlord will review your application. If the landlord has WhatsApp enabled, a message with your application details is prepared for delivery to the landlord via WhatsApp. Only the details you entered are included — never your ID document.
What is the Blue Tick verification?
Blue Tick is an optional R50 identity verification service for tenants. Upload your ID, pay the R50 fee, and an authorised RoomNearMe staff member reviews it. When verified, the Blue Tick badge is applied to your profile. Your ID document is used only to verify your identity, is never shared with landlords, other users, the public, Facebook, or WhatsApp, and is securely deleted once reviewed (within 90 days). If your application is rejected, you are refunded in full.
What is the Verified Seller badge on the Marketplace?
Verified Seller is an optional verification for Marketplace sellers. Once you have completed more than 100 successful Marketplace sales, the badge is available free of charge. Otherwise you can apply by paying a one-off R100 fee. To apply, sell at least one item, then open the Marketplace section of your dashboard, upload your ID with your consent and complete the payment (if you are not yet eligible for the free route). An authorised RoomNearMe staff member reviews your identity and selling history, and the badge is applied to your Marketplace listings when approved. Your ID document is used only for this verification, is never shared with buyers, and is securely deleted once reviewed. If your paid application is rejected, the R100 fee is refunded.
Do you advertise listings on Facebook?
Yes, if you ask us to. When the admin creates your listing they record your specific consent for it to be advertised on Facebook and Instagram. Without that consent, the listing is never posted to Facebook. Only the listing details (title, description, rent, location, photos and room type) are shared with Meta — never account information or ID documents.
Can I get a refund?
Fees are refunded when a listing is rejected before going live, when a removed listing has more than half its validity remaining, when a Blue Tick or Verified Seller verification is rejected, or when a paid service is not provided due to a technical error on our side. No refund applies if a listing is rejected because the uploaded photos are not of an actual room. See the Refund and Cancellation Policy for full details.
Is my information safe?
Yes. We use industry-standard encryption and comply with POPIA. When you initiate contact or apply for a room, the relevant details are shared with the landlord — including, if the landlord uses WhatsApp, through WhatsApp (a service operated by Meta Platforms, Inc.). ID documents uploaded for Blue Tick or Verified Seller verification are used only for verification, are not shared with anyone else, and are securely deleted once reviewed. See our Privacy Policy for the full picture.
How do I schedule a viewing?
On the room detail page, click "Schedule Viewing". Pick a date and time, and the landlord will confirm.
Still need help?
Email us about any account, listing, payment or technical problem.
The same address handles customer support and business, partnership or press enquiries.