Traveler Policy

Membership & Verification

All travel professionals must complete verification before accessing property listings or submitting housing requests. Verification is a multi-part process: (1) identity confirmation via Stripe Identity, (2) criminal background check via a licensed consumer reporting agency (CRA), (3) eviction history check via the same CRA, (4) credit evaluation via the same CRA, (5) professional license status confirmation through your applicable licensing body — monitored continuously, and (6) assignment verification via direct contact with your agency recruiter.

SecuredStays offers two membership pathways. You may elect either pathway before or after receiving your screening results — the choice is entirely yours and the platform does not guide you toward either option. Standard Verified Access requires all five components to be satisfied. Enhanced Assurance Access requires components 1, 2, 3, and 5 to be satisfied — the credit evaluation result is received, stored, and not applied as a gatekeeping criterion for this pathway.

If you elect Standard Verified Access and your credit evaluation does not satisfy the Standard threshold, you may switch to the Enhanced Assurance pathway at any time with no penalty, no re-screening of criminal or eviction history, and no deadline. Path switches are limited to one per placement cycle to prevent abuse of the screening system. Switching does not guarantee a different outcome — criminal and eviction results are final regardless of elected pathway.

If your criminal or eviction history does not satisfy the platform's criteria, neither pathway gate will open. This is a final determination. SecuredStays will provide a formal adverse action notice with your rights to dispute.

Your background screening is valid for 90 days from the date it is completed. After 90 days, a new background check is required before you may initiate new housing connections. Your identity verification, professional license status, and membership remain active and do not reset with the background renewal cycle. This is a routine renewal — not a failure, not a negative finding, and not a reflection on your fitness as a tenant. Active placements in progress at the time of expiry are not affected. You will receive advance notice before your background screening expires. Re-screening fee: $79 per cycle. Founding Members receive their first re-screening at no charge.

Your membership fee ($149/year Basic or $349/year Priority Access at founding rates) is non-refundable once your verification process has been initiated.

You are responsible for ensuring all information submitted during verification is accurate and current. Submitting false or misleading information is grounds for immediate account termination without refund.

Assignment verification requires that we contact your agency recruiter directly. You must provide accurate recruiter name and agency information. Inability to verify your assignment may delay or prevent listing access.

SecuredStays does not display your profile photograph or full legal name to property owners at any time. You are identified to owners by your platform username only. This is an intentional platform design decision to prevent discriminatory selection. If you choose to share your name in a message, that is your decision — the platform will never require or display it.

Platform messaging between travelers and property owners is limited to one message from the traveler until the property owner responds. Once the owner sends their first reply, messaging is unlimited for both parties. This limit exists to protect property owners from unsolicited message volume and does not reflect on your verified status.

Owner Verification & Your Protection

SecuredStays verifies both sides of every placement. Every property owner must pass four independent checks before their listing is visible to any traveler: (1) identity confirmation via Stripe Identity, (2) criminal background check cleared by a licensed third-party screening provider, (3) property ownership verified against public deed records through ATTOM Data, and (4) entity authorization documentation reviewed and approved for entity-owned properties.

The Verified Owner badge means exactly this: the person listing the property is who they say they are, has passed a criminal background check, and has proven they own or are legally authorized to lease the property they are offering. No listing goes live without all checks approved.

For entity-owned properties (LLC, corporation, or trust), the owner is required to upload authorization documentation confirming they are authorized to lease on behalf of the entity. SecuredStays compliance staff review and approve this documentation before the listing goes live.

If an owner's verification is revoked after your placement begins — for any reason — SecuredStays will notify you immediately and conduct an expedited review. Active placements are not automatically terminated, but SecuredStays will work with you directly to ensure your housing and rights are protected.

You should never feel unsafe in a SecuredStays placement. If at any time you have concerns about your property owner, use the Report button on your placement page or contact admin@securedstays.com immediately.

Escrow Requirements & Lease Execution

Escrow is mandatory on every SecuredStays placement — no exceptions. You cannot move in to any property without first funding the required escrow account through the SecuredStays-approved third-party escrow provider.

Once you and the property owner have both independently confirmed lease execution by each pressing the 'Confirm Lease Signed' button within the platform, the 48-hour escrow funding clock begins automatically. Both confirmations are required — the clock does not start on one confirmation alone.

You will receive a platform notification when the clock starts and a reminder notification at the 24-hour mark if escrow remains unfunded. The clock is not paused or stopped by self-reporting — only confirmed funding as received directly from the escrow provider will stop the timer.

Upon confirmed funding you will receive a 'Placement Activated' notification and your account will enter active placement status. If the 48-hour window expires without confirmed funding, the placement is automatically nullified with no manual intervention required, the owner is notified, and the property is immediately returned to the available pool.

Your escrow payment consists of three components: (1) first month's rent, (2) security deposit as agreed in the lease, and (3) a non-refundable escrow service fee of approximately $100–$150 charged directly by the escrow provider.

Example: If your monthly rent is $1,500 and your security deposit is $1,500, your total escrow payment due within 48 hours of lease confirmation is approximately $3,100–$3,150.

The escrow service fee ($100–$150) is non-refundable once the escrow transaction is opened, regardless of whether the placement proceeds to move-in.

Because your first month's rent is held in escrow and released to the owner upon your confirmed move-in, your next monthly rent payment is not due until 30 days after your move-in date.

All monthly rent payments after the first month are made directly between you and the property owner, outside of the SecuredStays platform. This is by design — SecuredStays is never involved in ongoing rent collection, and paying your owner directly is expected and required.

SecuredStays does not collect, hold, transmit, or control any escrow funds or rent payments at any time. All escrow funds are held exclusively by the approved third-party escrow provider.

If a property owner asks you to pay the initial security deposit or first month's rent directly to them outside of escrow — by Zelle, Venmo, cash, check, or any other method — use the Report button on the platform or contact admin@securedstays.com immediately. This is a serious policy violation and potential fraud.

Enhanced Assurance Path

The Enhanced Assurance Path is an equal membership pathway available to all travelers. It is not a fallback, a penalty, or a lesser status — it is an alternative route that provides full platform access by substituting increased escrow security for credit score as the financial risk indicator.

You may elect the Enhanced Assurance Path at any time — before screening, after screening, or after receiving your Standard pathway results. The platform presents both pathways at account creation and does not guide, pressure, or funnel you toward either option. Your election is entirely voluntary.

Under the Enhanced Assurance Path, your identity, criminal background, eviction history, and assignment are verified through the same process as Standard Verified Access. Your credit evaluation result is received and stored for platform records but is not used as a gatekeeping criterion — it does not determine whether you may access listings or connect with owners.

If you initially elect Standard Verified Access and your credit evaluation does not satisfy the Standard threshold, you may switch to the Enhanced Assurance pathway. Switching requires: (1) your criminal and eviction results are clear, (2) you have not already switched pathways for this placement cycle, and (3) you formally elect to switch through the platform. No re-screening is required. Your existing criminal and eviction results carry over. The switch takes effect immediately.

Path switches are limited to one per placement cycle. This limit exists to prevent abuse of the screening system and is not punitive. If you return to the platform for a new placement cycle after your 90-day screening window has expired and you re-screen, the switch count resets.

Under the Enhanced Assurance Path, the following placement terms apply: security deposit of two months' rent instead of standard one month; Enhanced Assurance coordination fee of $99 per placement, charged by SecuredStays and non-refundable once the placement process has been initiated for that property; all other escrow terms identical to Standard Verified Access.

Your credit details are never shared with property owners under any circumstances. You are presented to owners only as 'Verified' or 'Verified — Enhanced Assurance.' Nothing more.

Placement Status & Availability Window

Once escrow is confirmed funded, your account enters active placement status for the duration of your lease term. During an active placement, you may not submit new housing requests. You may browse all listings freely and use the 'Notify Me When Available' button on any currently placed listing to join that property's silent interest queue — this does not message the owner and does not constitute a housing request.

Beginning 14 days prior to your lease end date, your placement lock is automatically lifted and you may submit new housing requests for your next assignment. At that same time, any owners whose listings you expressed interest in will be notified of your upcoming availability, and you will be notified that those listings are open for formal requests.

This 14-day window is designed to give you ample time to secure your next placement without a gap between assignments, and to allow the property owner time to prepare for move-out and coordinate their next placement.

The property listing remains fully visible and searchable throughout your active placement. A 'Currently Placed' banner and Next Availability date — calculated automatically from your lease end date — are displayed on the listing so that other travelers can note the upcoming opening and plan ahead.

If you choose not to extend and do not pursue a new placement, you are required to vacate the property by the lease end date as originally agreed.

Lease Terms & Extensions

All lease agreements are entered into directly between you and the property owner. SecuredStays is not a party to your lease and assumes no landlord or tenant obligations under any lease agreement.

If you wish to extend your stay beyond the original lease end date, you must provide written notice to the property owner no later than 14 days before your lease expires. Extensions must be agreed to in writing by both parties through the SecuredStays platform messaging system.

Verbal agreements to extend are not recognized by SecuredStays and do not constitute a valid extension. Written confirmation through the platform is required.

Extensions are treated as a continuation of the existing placement under the same agreed terms. No new escrow transaction is required for an extension — the original security deposit and lease terms carry forward through the extended period.

If no extension agreement is reached, you are required to vacate the property by the lease end date as originally agreed.

Smoking Policy

Each property listing specifies the owner's smoking policy: Smoking Allowed, Not Allowed, or Outside Only. You are required to abide by the smoking policy of the property you occupy.

Violation of a property's no-smoking policy is a material breach of your lease and may result in forfeiture of your security deposit.

SecuredStays does not inspect properties, but will record reported violations in your account history. Verified violations may affect your platform standing and future placement eligibility.

If you smoke and require a smoking-friendly property, use the search filters to identify properties that permit smoking. Do not misrepresent your smoking habits during the application process.

Pet Policy

Not all properties permit pets. Each listing clearly states the pet policy. You must filter listings accordingly and only apply to properties that match your situation.

If a property permits pets, the owner may charge an additional pet fee or pet deposit agreed upon directly between you and the owner. This is entirely separate from the SecuredStays escrow amount.

Pet fees and pet deposits are paid directly to the property owner and are not held in escrow through SecuredStays. SecuredStays assumes no responsibility for pet fee disputes.

Bringing a pet into a no-pet property is a material breach of your lease and may result in immediate lease termination, forfeiture of your security deposit, and removal from the SecuredStays platform.

Dispute Resolution

If a dispute arises between you and a property owner during your tenancy, the following process applies.

Step 1 — Direct Resolution (48 hours): You and the property owner have 48 hours to resolve the dispute directly through the SecuredStays platform messaging system. Keeping communications on-platform creates a documented record.

Step 2 — SecuredStays Review (5 business days): If unresolved after 48 hours, either party may submit a formal dispute ticket. SecuredStays will review all available platform records — messages, escrow confirmation, verification documents, and listing details — and provide a written summary of findings within 5 business days.

Step 3 — Escrow Hold: If the dispute involves funds currently held in escrow, SecuredStays may request that the escrow provider hold disbursement pending resolution or a legal order. SecuredStays has no authority to direct the escrow provider and is not a party to escrow agreements.

IMPORTANT: SecuredStays is not a court, arbitrator, mediator, or legal representative. Our dispute summary is informational only, is not legally binding, and does not constitute legal advice. SecuredStays assumes no liability for any outcome or action taken in response to our review. For legal disputes, consult a licensed attorney in the state where the property is located.

Security Deposit Return

Your security deposit is governed entirely by your signed lease and the laws of the state where the property is located. SecuredStays is not responsible for the return of your security deposit.

Property owners are required to return your deposit, minus any documented and itemized deductions, within the timeframe required by state law. In Florida: 15 days if no deductions are claimed; 30 days if deductions are claimed with written notice.

You are strongly encouraged to document the property's condition with dated photographs and video immediately upon move-in and again at move-out. This is your primary protection in any deposit dispute.

SecuredStays maintains escrow confirmation records and platform communications that may serve as supporting documentation in a deposit dispute. Request these records at admin@securedstays.com.

SecuredStays cannot compel a deposit return. If an owner fails to comply with state deposit law, that remedy must be pursued through applicable state law or a licensed attorney.

FCRA Rights & Adverse Action

SecuredStays uses a licensed third-party background screening provider to conduct criminal, eviction, and credit screening as part of the five-part verification process. SecuredStays is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

All five verification components — identity, criminal, eviction, credit, and assignment — are evaluated from a single screening request. Results for each component are stored independently on your account for 90 days. After 90 days, all components reset to pending status and re-screening is required.

The 90-day reset is a neutral administrative expiry, not an adverse finding. It is communicated to you in advance and does not affect any active placement in progress at the time of expiry.

If your verification is unsuccessful and screening information contributed to that outcome, SecuredStays will provide you with a written adverse action notice containing: (1) notice that screening information was a contributing factor, (2) the name, address, and contact information of the screening provider, and (3) your right to obtain a free copy of your screening report and to dispute inaccurate information directly with the provider.

You have the right to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information directly with the screening provider. SecuredStays cannot modify, override, or correct screening results on your behalf.

No credit score, criminal record detail, eviction record, or any other personal screening information is ever shared with property owners at any time.

If you believe your access was denied based on inaccurate screening information, contact admin@securedstays.com with the subject line 'FCRA Dispute — [Your Name].' We will provide the required adverse action documentation within 3 business days.

Property Condition & Platform Limitations

SecuredStays verifies property ownership and reviews submitted photographs, but does not physically inspect, certify, or warrant the condition of any listed property. Ownership verification is not a representation that the property is habitable, safe, or accurately described.

You are strongly encouraged to inspect any property before move-in and to document its condition with dated photographs and video immediately upon arrival.

SecuredStays assumes no responsibility for property defects, habitability issues, mold, pest infestations, utility failures, structural damage, or any other physical condition of any listed property.

SecuredStays is a technology platform — not a landlord, property manager, real estate broker, or housing authority. SecuredStays is not a party to your lease and assumes no obligation under it.

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, SECUREDSTAYS' TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF THE PLATFORM OR ANY PLACEMENT SHALL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL AMOUNT YOU HAVE PAID TO SECUREDSTAYS IN THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM.

Privacy & Data

SecuredStays protects your personal and verification data. Your screening results, credit information, and personal details are never shared with property owners beyond what is necessary for matching.

Property owners are informed only that you are 'Verified' or 'Verified — Enhanced Assurance.' No financial details, credit scores, criminal history, eviction history, or other personal information is ever shared.

SecuredStays does not display your profile photograph or full legal name to property owners at any time. You are identified by your platform username only. This is a deliberate anti-discrimination design decision. If you choose to share your name in a message to an owner, that is your right — the platform will never require, request, or display it on your behalf.

Your contact information is released to a property owner only after both parties have been mutually verified and have confirmed interest through the platform.

SecuredStays maintains your verification records for the duration of your membership plus 3 years, in compliance with FCRA record-keeping requirements.

You have the right to request a copy of the personal data SecuredStays holds about you. Contact admin@securedstays.com with the subject line 'Data Request — [Your Name].'

IMPORTANT — DOCUMENT RETENTION POLICY: SECUREDSTAYS DOES NOT STORE, RETAIN, OR ARCHIVE ANY PERSONAL DOCUMENTS, WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTION: Uploaded document images, ID scans, uploaded files, photographs, and videos submitted during verification, move-in, move-out, or dispute processes are stored on SecuredStays servers for the purpose of maintaining a secured environment for all parties involved. By uploading any document, image, or file to the SecuredStays platform, you consent to its secure storage.

Reporting Misconduct

If you experience conduct that you believe violates platform policy — including fraudulent listings, escrow circumvention, harassment, misrepresentation of a property, or any other form of misconduct — use the Report button available on every listing, profile, and active placement page.

Tapping Report opens a direct submission to the SecuredStays compliance board, where all reports are individually logged, reviewed, and resolved. You will receive a confirmation when your report is received and a follow-up notification when action has been taken.

Reports may also be submitted by email at admin@securedstays.com. The Report function is available to all users at all times, is separate from the standard dispute resolution process, and may be submitted anonymously if preferred.

All reports are treated confidentially. Submitting a report in bad faith or for retaliatory purposes is itself a violation of platform policy.

Platform Conduct & Removal

You agree to use the SecuredStays platform in good faith and in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

The following are grounds for immediate account termination without refund: submission of false or fraudulent verification information; attempting to pay the initial security deposit or first month's rent directly to a property owner outside of the SecuredStays-approved escrow process; harassment of property owners or SecuredStays staff; misrepresentation of your assignment or employment status; and violation of any lease term that results in a verified, documented complaint by the property owner.

Paying your monthly rent directly to your property owner after move-in is completely normal, expected, and required — this is how SecuredStays is designed and is never a violation of platform policy.

Communicating directly with your property owner by phone, text, or email after placement is also completely normal and expected. SecuredStays platform messaging is required only for pre-placement communications and formal dispute submissions.

SecuredStays reserves the right to suspend or terminate any account at its discretion for policy violations. Terminated accounts are not eligible for membership refunds.

Account Suspension and Termination

SecuredStays reserves the right to suspend, restrict, or permanently terminate any traveler account at any time, without prior notice, for any reason including but not limited to: failure to maintain verification standards; misrepresentation of professional credentials or assignment documentation; reports of misconduct; patterns of behavior inconsistent with the platform's standards; violation of any term of this Policy or the Terms of Service; or any business reason at the Company's sole discretion. Termination does not entitle you to any refund of fees paid, except where required by applicable law. All obligations accrued prior to termination shall survive.