Frequently Asked Questions

RoostUp is Boston’s premiere provider of professionally managed homes which are purpose-built for roommate living. All our apartments throughout Boston are designed and professionally managed to make living with roommates in Boston easy, flexible and affordable. RoostUp facilitates what unrelated roommates have been doing for decades, which is getting together to rent an apartment and share living expenses. By pre-screening potential roommates with credit and background checks, RoostUp now does all the work to qualify potential roommates, and provide them with a newly renovated home specifically designed and professionally managed for roommate living.

Not at all. In fact there are no short-term rentals allowed at any RoostUp home. All the residents for each home share a standard apartment lease. Our residents typically stay for at least a year, with many staying much longer. Sometimes a roommate's circumstances may change, creating a need for them to move out before the end of a lease term. If that occurs, RoostUp offers an Early Move Out option to provide the flexibility needed by these residents.

Absolutely not! Residents in each RoostUp home live together as roommates and share an entire apartment together, with each roommate having their own bedroom, just as you would find in any typical Boston apartment leased by unrelated Boston roommates. Lots of people in Boston need to live with roommates in order to share the high cost of living in the City. RoostUp is the first company in Boston to design a much needed, professionally run, high quality solution for the unique challenges of roommate living.

Virtual tours are an opportunity to video chat with one of our leasing associates, and an opportunity to do a 3D "walk through" of our homes. It's also a specific time for you to see profiles for your potential roommates, and learn more about how RoostUp works. Our leasing associates are well-trained on the details of every RoostUp home and the various Boston neighborhoods where our properties are located.

Start by booking a virtual tour for any RoostUp home. Our leasing associate will take you on a 3D "walk through" and answer all of your questions about our homes, your potential roommates and how RoostUp works. When you find a home that you love, just submit an application (it's free). Once your application is approved you can make a deposit on our secure online payment portal to secure your spot. All lease documents will be then sent to you and your roommates to sign electronically. A New Resident Coordinator will then provide you with detailed move in instructions, roommate introductions and invite you to download our mobile door lock app. On move-in day, your mobile key will be activated. Just show up, unpack, and you’re home!

We have a comprehensive Roommate Agreement designed to ensure that all of our residents can comfortably enjoy their RoostUp home and be good neighbors to nearby residents. We insist that all roommates behave in a manner that will create a happy and peaceful home, and be respectful and considerate to their roommates and neighbors. You can review our Roommate Agreement before signing your lease.

At RoostUp, successful shared living starts with clear expectations. Our comprehensive roommate agreement provides guidelines and best practices to help residents navigate co-living respectfully. While most roommates get along well, occasional disagreements can happen. We encourage open communication, mutual respect, and consideration of different lifestyles. If a resident severely violates the roommate agreement, we will step in to address the situation appropriately.

RoostUp is not a broker, and we do not charge any broker fees. (ever!)

Unfortunately at this time we do not have options for couples. Roommates are limited to 1 occupant per bedroom.

All maintenance requests can be submitted through our portal, which can be accessed online or through our mobile app. We have a 24/7 team that will respond promptly to any maintenance request you submit and schedule the appropriate technician to solve the problem in a timely manner.

No key needed. Just use your phone to access your apartment. Once your lease is signed, we’ll send you a link to download our mobile lock app, and the keys to your new home will be activated on move-in day. And if your phone battery runs out, you’ll have a 6 digit code that you can enter manually to unlock your apartment door.

We can’t build new homes fast enough! If you don’t see many homes available on our website, that means we are pretty fully leased. RoostUp is the largest provider of professionally managed roommate housing in Boston and has become extremely popular with people looking for an easy, flexible and affordable way to live in this amazing city.

No. All RoostUp homes are gender neutral. 

Any type of smoking is expressly prohibited in all of our homes. This includes all tobacco and cannabis products.

Unfortunately, we aren’t able to allow pets. Since our homes are shared apartments, we are conscious of potential allergy sensitivities that some of your current or future roommates may have.

Nearly all RoostUp homes offer free street parking. Residents can apply for a free resident parking permit from the City of Boston or obtain one from the City of Cambridge for $25. We recommend visiting the official city websites to check local parking regulations and permit requirements for your specific location.

We have contracted with professional house cleaners to clean the living area, kitchen and bathrooms (including private bathrooms) of your home twice per month. All we ask is that you are respectful of their time by keeping your apartment tidy in between cleanings.

Absolutely not! All of our homes have free laundry either in your apartment, or in a common laundry area. Coin operated laundry machines are the worst. Rest assured that you’ll never see them in a RoostUp home.

Every RoostUp home is thoughtfully designed and fully furnished by our professional interior design team, ensuring a stylish and comfortable living experience from day one. The living area includes comfortable seating and a smart TV for entertainment, while the kitchen comes fully equipped with essential cookware, dishes, utensils, and modern appliances, making it easy to cook and dine at home. Each bedroom features a high-quality mattress with a fresh mattress cover, along with a desk, desk chair, dresser drawers, mirror, and other necessities as indicated in the virtual tour. You’ll just need to bring your own bedding and towels.

You’ll pay a flat monthly fee which will include gas, electricity, water, and internet . In addition, RoostUp includes cleaning of your common areas and bathrooms. No need for you to coordinate utility set-up and monthly payments.

You’ll pay a flat monthly fee which covers your monthly amenities and utilities. This includes the costs for gas, electricity, water, and high-speed internet service. No need to coordinate utility set-up and monthly payments. In addition, RoostUp includes amenities such as bi-weekly cleaning of your common areas and bathrooms, weekly trash removal, free laundry and more. Ask our leasing associate for more details during your virtual tour.

All of our homes have internet plans with speeds up to 1 Gbps, which is more than enough bandwidth to handle the entertainment and WFH needs of our residents. The internet is commercial grade, which means it has been hard-wired throughout all of our homes making it super fast and reliable.

We have designed our service to keep move-in costs to a minimum. The only deposit you’ll need to make is for your Last Month of rent. Prior to move-in, you’ll be responsible for paying your first month of rent before your mobile keys are activated. There are no broker fees or security deposits required!

Just choose a home and bedroom that meets your needs, and click on Apply Now. The entire process takes about 5 minutes and is done entirely online. And remember that RoostUp does not charge an application fee. If you haven’t chosen a specific home yet, and just want to be pre-approved to live in a RoostUp home, please visit apply.roostup.com to complete your application.

If your income or credit report is too low, RoostUp may accept a qualified cosigner to help get your application approved, provided you meet our minimum credit requirements. Just let us know and we will send them a link to our online application.

As part of the application process, all roommates are screened for credit and criminal background checks. We may also verify income and visa status before an application is approved. RoostUp is committed to building an inclusive and diverse community within our coliving Boston homes.

Many of our residents are moving from overseas to the Boston for new career opportunities or graduate school. As part of the application process, we’ll ask for a copy of your valid US visa, and verification of employment or graduate student status.

You and your roommates will share a lease together for an entire apartment, including shared spaces like the kitchen and living area. Your bedroom will be your own personal space, just as it would in any home in which you've previously lived.

Most of our leases are for 12 months and start each year on Sept 1. Throughout the year, we sometimes have current residents whose plans change and may want to sublease their spot before the end of their lease term. Check out our listings to see what sublet options may currently be available.

No! We do not collect a security deposit. The only deposit you’ll need to make is the last month of rent which will be held and applied to your account for your final month of rent. Keep in mind that although we do not collect a security deposit, you will still be legally responsible for any damage that you may cause during your lease period.

After your application is approved and you’re ready to move forward, we will send you a link to set up your RoostUp online portal to make your deposit and future rent payments. We recommend that you pay with a checking account to avoid any transaction fees charged by our property management software vendor. You can also pay with a debit or credit card, but make sure you check the fees that they charge for this service.

Life happens! If you get an opportunity you can't pass up before your lease expires, just reach out to our leasing team, and we'll be happy to discuss our early move-out option. You can see more information about our Early Move Out policy at roostup.com/earlymoveout.