What Renter Check is and how it works
Signing a lease is one of the biggest money decisions most renters make, and it is usually made on a short tour and a listing the landlord wrote. What you really want to know is how the landlord handles repairs, deposits and your privacy once you move in. Only past tenants can tell you that.
Renter Check is a free site where Madison renters share what renting from a landlord was actually like, so the next person can sign with more confidence. No one can pay to remove, hide or boost a review.
Look up a landlord or address
Search by landlord or company name, or by street address. Each landlord and building page brings together what past tenants reported: scores in six categories and answers to practical questions, like how long repairs took, whether the deposit came back and whether the landlord gave notice before entering. We don't store what you search for.
We are just getting started, so many places don't have reviews yet. A page only shows scores and review text once it has at least three reviews. That rule protects renters in small buildings, where a single review could point to one person.
Share your experience
If you have rented in Madison, write a review. It takes a few minutes:
- Pick the building or landlord.
- Rate repairs and maintenance, deposit handling, communication, respect and privacy, health and safety, and rent and fee transparency.
- Answer a few quick questions about repairs, your deposit and notice before entry.
- Tell your story in your own words.
You need to sign in to write a review, but your name and email are never shown. Still living there? You can choose to have your review go live only after you move out.
A person reads every review before it is published. We don't remove reviews for being negative, because honest first-hand criticism is what the site is for. We do remove personal information, threats and accusations stated as fact without first-hand knowledge. Our moderation policy explains the rules.
Verify your tenancy
Verification is optional, but it makes your review count more. Upload a lease, utility bill, rent receipt or similar document that shows you lived there. We check it once, then permanently delete the file. Verified reviews are labeled "Verified tenant" and count fully toward a landlord's scores. Unverified reviews count half.
How we protect reviewers
- Reviews say "Tenant" or "Verified tenant", nothing more. There are no public profiles.
- Pages cover whole buildings, never individual units.
- Only years are shown, never exact dates, and approved reviews go live after a random delay.
- Review text is screened for phone numbers, email addresses, unit numbers and other identifying details.
- Verification documents stay private and are deleted after the one-time check.
Anonymity still has limits, since the details of a story can give away who wrote it. Keep yours about the landlord and the building rather than about yourself. Our privacy policy has the full picture.
Help beyond reviews
- Local resources: legal clinics, tenant-rights guides, agencies and tenant unions for Madison and Wisconsin, grouped by deposits, repairs, entry and privacy, and eviction help.
- Renter tools: a printable apartment tour checklist, a move-in condition sheet and a repair request letter.
What we will write about here
- Plain-language guides to common lease terms, like deposits, late fees and early termination
- Tips for touring, moving in and moving out
- Local tenant resources and how to get help
- News about Renter Check as we add features
Nothing on this blog is legal advice. If you face a deadline or an eviction notice, contact one of our local resources right away.