Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are there any costs using this site?
None. It really is 100% and always free.  Beware - many sites don't mention costs until you have already signed up. We remain 100% free.


2. I didn't get the verification email

Open your hotmail/gmail etc account and add a new contact with the email "notifications@flatmates.com.au".

Then Login in to your flatmates account, go to My Account, > then to Messages, > and hit the green "resend" button on the first message.



3. The site keeps telling me to "Verify" my account...
This is a glitch we are working on.

It happens after you contact/shortlist/forward a listing, and then use the back button on your browser to go back to the search results.

Solution: Instead, use the "Back to search results" link on the site top left.

We are working on a better solution. Please let us know if you get this issue when you do something other than hitting the browser back button. Use the support page.


4. Search basics.
You have 4 options;


5. Scammer alert
Three rules keep you safe on ALL websites:

1. Never send money to someone without meeting them first. [Scam: they take your money and there's no apartment]
   
2. Don't provide your bank details.  [Scam: they send you a huge amount of money, but it takes a few weeks for your bank to tell you it's a fake cheque deposit. In the meantime they ask you to send you the "overpaid" amount]
   
3. Don't provide your key ID details without meeting someone face-to-face. Be suspicious if someone wants your current address, a copy of your passport or date of birth. [Scam: they steal your identity and commit fraud in your name]
   

We cooperate with the Australian Federal Police and ACCC Scam Watch who investigate and prosecute scammers here and overseas.

All accommodation sites get occasional scammers. If an place or person sounds too good to be true, pushy or suspicious - they probably are. Report suspicious users to the site with a copy of correspondence.

If you haven't met them face-to-face don't trust a hotmail or yahoo account and nice pictures.

So what do genuine overseas people do? We can't say sadly. If we did suggest things  - scammers would read it here and improve their act.

We are working on some ideas to make it easier for genuine overseas users to be trusted.

No matter what site you use, just remember the three rules above.


6. I can't find my own listing in search results
1. Check your map location is set correctly.
Our search system actually uses the map location to allocate your suburb (not the actual suburb you entered -don't ask why...).
2. Are you doing an advanced search? - Just do a simple suburb or map search - don't add other criteria.


7. Photos

• When you create a listing you can easily add up to 4 photos.
• It's worth doing - You'll get three times more page views. Plus we show listing with photos above no-photo lisitings.
• The photos should be in one of the following file formats: gifs, or jpg. Most will be one of these anyway.
• The site will automatically crop the photos to landscape shape, specifically 415 wide x 276 high at a resolution of 72 dpi.

8. YouTube Video
Go on - we'll put you at the very top of every search result! 

1. Make quick vid of you/your place - even using your phone or camera's video option. 
2. Create a YouTube account (it's free).
3. Upload the video to YouTube.
4. Here's the important part - copy the embeded link YouTube provides (not the url link in your browser) to the YouTube field in your listing.

You do all that... and we'll put your listing at the TOP of all searches! Congratulations to the guys at 393 Pitt street for being our first YouTubers!
Note: don't put a fake YouTube just to get to the top of search results - we'll just delete your account - yes you Coogee apartment!


9. Must I create an active (publicly viewable) listing?
Not at all -you can join the site and leave your listing in draft mode and just use the search function.
Active listings allow people to see you on the site and make contact with you.

However if you contact someone, they will be able to see your draft listing via the lnk from the messages area.


10. How long will my listing show for?
We will automatically deactivate it after 40 days. But we'll send you a reminder before then and give you a link to extend the listing beyond that. You can deactivate your listing at any time by logging in and clicking "deactive" on the "My accounts > Unsubscribe" page. This policy keep the site really up-to-date. Other sites keep expired listings for months.


11. What is the difference between "deactivating", "sleeping" and unsubscribing" etc my account?

• Deactivating: this removes your listing from public view. It returns to a draft listing only you can see.
• Auto-alerts off: You won't get the daily search results email. If you have a active listing you may still get people contacting you about your listing by email.
• Sleeping: You can sleep your account without completely unsubscribing from the site. If you sleep your account it will still be here next time you want to use it. But you will not get auto-alert emails AND your listing is in draft mode, not viewable by the public.
• Unsubscribing: Completely removes you from the site. All you details will be lost and you will need to start again of you want to use the site later.

All of these options are available on the "My accounts > Unsubscribe" page.


12. Why is this site the "biggest" free site -other sites appear to have more listings?
People like flatmates.com.au because we dont display lots of old, out-of-date listings. We have the most current listings. Keeping listings from 6 months ago bumps the numbers up, but it really annoys users. So we auto-expire listings after 50 days, but we send you an email first to allow you to extend.


12. Zero rent ads (share-for-sex)
We have some listings that offer zero rent or $1 rent. Sometimes this is in exchange for housework or part-time care for an elderly resident.

And occasionally it is pretty clear its offering free rent-for-sex. You don't need to read between the lines too much to tell the difference. For many people this is very offensive. For others it's a choice they make (ok, i'm not going to get into an argument about "choice"... sex for money in a free society happens).

We support non-misleading zero rent or $1 rent ads that imply it's in exchange for sex. Here's why: if we didn't allow (reasonably) open and honest ads like this - it would just go underground. You would see cheaper places advertised and people (usually young girls) going there for interviews having no idea what the real deal was. NOT GOOD! (for the girls obviously, but for the listers too).

So our policy is;
1. We support zero rent ads as long as "share-for-sex" deals are pretty upfront and open - you don't have to say "share for sex" - but it should be pretty clear it's a "special arrangement". Setting the rent to zero or $1 is a good start. If you are upfront, then please continue using our site. By being clear, it will also be better for you -you will be contacted by people genuinely interested in this type of arrangement. And those that are offended or not interested will, for the most part, leave you alone.

2. However, we prefer that zero rent listers don't pro-actively contact girls listing themselves on the site. The vast majority aren't interested and it just offends too many people. If we get too much of this we may have to revise policy. We want the site to work for everyone.

3. We DO NOT support misleading ads that trick people into a situation they are uncomfortable with. Do that and expect a big knock on the door from your local policeman. "Open and upfront" works best for everyone.



14. Report other issues
Please use our support page to report technical issues. There is also the feedback page and feedback blog for sending ideas.