How does it work?

Room in Return brings people searching for a room together with people offering a room. In a modern way: without money! In return for the room, the room seeker provides certain services. A real win-win situation  for both parties. Let us explain how it works in 6 steps:

Step 1 - Ask yourself the most important question

I'm searching for a room - Consider whether the concept of Room in Return is something that could work for you. Can you deliver a specific type of service and do you really have the time? Your answer is YES? Then signing up now is the way to go.

Or

I have a spare room and can use some help - First, consider carefully if you would like someone to live in your house with you. Then list the services you'd like provided in exchange for the room. Got a good feeling about it? Then Room in Return might be exactly what you're looking for.

Step 2 - Have a look around

You can simply have a look at the website without creating a profile. This way, you get an idea of the type of people searching for a room and the offered rooms with their requested services. There's also some legal information about the concept and an example of a written agreement. Take a look at the frequently asked questions (FAQ) too.

Step 3 - Come prepared!

Are you convinced? Then it's time to create an account to actively start looking for the helpful room seeker or perfect room you've been searching for. Before you begin, make sure you have a good profile picture and a clear text ready for upload. The better the information, the higher the chance of a good match.

When you're searching for a room, have a critical look at your skill set and experience, what you like to do and how much time you have on your hands to perform the services.

When you're offering a room, take some clear and attractive photos of the room. Make sure you know the size of your room, what furniture is in it and which facilities are private and which shared (i.e. kitchen, shower). And very important: consider what service you want to ask from your room seeker. (note: you don't have to resize your pictures, the website automatically does this for you).

Step 4 - Sign up

Are you ready with your preparation? Then hit the "register" button, in the right upper corner of the page. You will be guided through the registration process step by step. During your registration, you can also add your Facebook profile as a way of providing other users with a reference. By doing this, your Room in Return profile will be more credible. After succesful sign-up, you receive your username and password with which you can log on to your profile in the future.

The costs

Room in Return is a very young platform. During our start-up period, we offered the service free of charge. Now we need to keep the keep the website in the air and make some noise to get more rooms on the site! An account with Room in Return costs € 4,95 for a period of 3 months, after which you can cancel your subscription or extend it. You can easily pay with PayPal, Ideal or creditcard.

Step 5 - Logging in and finding the right match!

After your registration is complete, you can log in with your username and password and start reacting to listings. The detailed descriptions of the rooms and room seekers are now also visible, as are their contact details. You can also log in with Facebook - which is convenient if you don't want to add another username and password to your list.

On your way to find a new room or helpful room seeker!

Step 6 - Found each other?

Have you found a possible match? Then it's negotiation time. Make sure you  clearly outline the services, the amount of hours, the written agreement and the house rules. The legal section can provide guidance in this process. Is everything clear and you're both happy? Then it's time to seal the deal and start enjoying your new accommodation and help!

What happens if it doesn't work out?

It is possible that a deal doesn't work out as expected. That's unfortunate, but it can happen. If you and your match have done everything to work it out but it's just not going to happen, the deal ends. Therefore, it's good practice to have a written agreement with a period of notice. In the example agreement we provide, both the room provider and the room seeker have a period of notice of 1 month.

More questions?

If you encounter any problems while creating an account or if you have another question regarding Room in Return, please have a look at our frequently asked questions (FAQ)  section. Is your question not there? Please contact us. We're here to help!