Frequently Asked Questions

Most landlords are up and running within an hour. You add your properties and units, import existing tenant information (CSV upload or manual entry), and configure your preferences for screening, rent collection, and maintenance handling. RentalGenius handles the rest.

If you have a property list ready, you can start screening tenants and collecting rent the same day you sign up.

No. RentalGenius is entirely web-based. You access it through your browser on any device — desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone. There is nothing to install and no IT setup required. Your tenants access their portal through a browser as well.

Yes. RentalGenius supports CSV imports for properties, units, and tenant records. You can also import from common property management tools. During import, RentalGenius auto-populates lease dates, rent amounts, and tenant contact information from your data.

No long-term contracts. RentalGenius is month-to-month with no cancellation fees. Annual plans are available at a discount (two months free), but there is no penalty for switching to monthly or canceling. We earn your business every month.

RentalGenius runs comprehensive screening on every applicant: credit report and score, criminal background check across all 50 states, eviction history, income verification, and employment verification. The AI synthesizes all data points into a risk score and provides a clear recommendation — approve, conditional approve, or deny.

You set the screening criteria (minimum credit score, income-to-rent ratio, etc.) and the AI applies them consistently to every applicant. This ensures fair, objective decisions that comply with Fair Housing Act requirements.

Yes. RentalGenius applies the same objective criteria to every applicant regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability. The AI does not consider any protected class information in its screening decisions. You define the criteria; the AI applies them uniformly.

Each screening decision includes a detailed audit log showing exactly which criteria were evaluated and how the decision was reached. This documentation protects you in the event of a fair housing complaint.

Tenant screening is included in all RentalGenius plans at no additional per-screening charge. You can screen unlimited applicants within your plan's unit limit. Many landlords pass the application fee to the applicant — RentalGenius supports configurable application fees that the tenant pays during the application process.

Tenants pay through a branded online portal using ACH bank transfer or credit/debit card. They can set up autopay for recurring payments. Funds are deposited directly into your bank account, typically within 2-3 business days for ACH and 1-2 days for card payments.

RentalGenius automatically sends escalating reminders: a friendly nudge at 1 day late, a firmer reminder at 3 days, and an urgent notice at 7 days. Late fees are calculated and applied automatically based on your lease terms — flat fee, percentage of rent, or daily accrual. All communications are documented and timestamped.

If payment is not received within your configured threshold, RentalGenius can generate formal notices (pay or quit, demand letters) based on your state's requirements.

Yes, if you allow it. You can configure whether partial payments are accepted on a per-property or per-tenant basis. When a partial payment is received, RentalGenius tracks the remaining balance and communicates the outstanding amount to the tenant. All partial payments are logged for your records.

Tenants submit requests through their portal — they describe the issue, select the affected area (kitchen, bathroom, HVAC, etc.), upload photos, and indicate urgency. RentalGenius AI reads the description and photos to classify the request by urgency and work type, then routes it accordingly.

Yes. You maintain a list of approved vendors by trade (plumber, electrician, HVAC tech, general handyman, etc.). When a maintenance request comes in, RentalGenius contacts the appropriate vendor based on the work type, shares the request details and photos, and schedules the repair. You and the tenant both receive status updates throughout the process.

RentalGenius uses bank-grade encryption for all data. Data is encrypted in transit using TLS 1.3 and at rest using AES-256. Our infrastructure is hosted on SOC 2 Type II certified cloud providers within the United States. We never share, sell, or use your data for any purpose other than providing the service.

Tenant personally identifiable information — Social Security numbers, credit reports, background check results — is handled with additional security controls including access logging, automatic data expiration, and role-based permissions.

Yes. You own your data. At any time, you can export your complete property list, tenant records, lease documents, payment history, maintenance logs, and financial reports in standard formats (CSV, PDF). If you cancel your subscription, you have 90 days to export your data before it is permanently deleted.

At the end of your trial, you choose a plan and enter payment information. If you do not subscribe, your account is paused — you can still log in and export your data for 90 days, but automated features stop. There is no surprise charge and no credit card is taken during the trial.

Yes. You can upgrade or downgrade at any time. Upgrades take effect immediately with prorated billing. Downgrades take effect at the end of your current billing cycle. As you acquire more properties, you can move from Starter to Professional to Enterprise with one click.

Yes. Annual plans save you roughly two months compared to monthly billing. Starter: $990/year (vs $1,188 monthly), Professional: $2,490/year (vs $2,988), Enterprise: $5,990/year (vs $7,188).