Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using RU Renting LLC ("RU Renting," "we," "us," or "our") website at rurenting.com and any related services, applications, or platforms (collectively, the "Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use the Service.

We may modify these Terms at any time. We will use commercially reasonable efforts to notify you of material changes. Your continued use of the Service after any modifications indicates your acceptance of the updated Terms.

2. Description of Service

RU Renting is a platform designed to connect Rutgers University students with housing opportunities and facilitate connections between students seeking roommates. Our services include:

• Property listings for rental properties near Rutgers campuses
• Roommate matching services to help students find compatible living situations
• Sublease listings for temporary housing arrangements
• Landlord services including property listing, verification, and lease coordination

RU Renting Acts as a Venue: The Service acts as a venue to allow landlords to advertise properties for rent and students to find housing and roommates. We are not involved in the actual transaction or leasing process between landlords and tenants. As a result, we have no control over the quality, safety, or legality of the properties advertised, the truth or accuracy of listings, the ability of landlords to rent their properties, or the ability of tenants to pay rent.

3. Eligibility

To use the Service, you must be at least 18 years of age and have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement. By using the Service, you represent and warrant that you meet these eligibility requirements. If you are registering on behalf of a business entity, you represent that you have the authority to bind that entity to these Terms.

4. User Accounts

To access certain features of the Service, you must create an account using Google authentication. You agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information during the registration process
• Maintain and promptly update your account information to keep it accurate
• Maintain the security and confidentiality of your account credentials
• Accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account

Your account may not be transferred or sold to another party. You may be liable for losses incurred by RU Renting or others due to any unauthorized use of your account.

5. Prohibited Activities

You agree not to engage in any of the following prohibited activities:

• Posting false, misleading, inaccurate, or fraudulent content or listings
• Harassing, abusing, threatening, stalking, or intimidating other users
• Impersonating any person or entity, or falsely stating your affiliation with a person or entity
• Using the Service for any illegal purpose or in violation of any applicable law
• Attempting to gain unauthorized access to our systems, other user accounts, or networks connected to the Service
• Using any robot, spider, scraper, or other automated means to access the Service without our express written permission
• Interfering with, damaging, or disrupting the Service's operation
• Uploading viruses, malware, or other harmful code
• Sending unsolicited offers, advertisements, spam, or bulk messages to other users
• Collecting personal information about other users without their consent
• Circumventing or disabling any security features of the Service
• Reverse engineering, decompiling, or disassembling any part of the Service
• Deep-linking to the Service without our permission
• Removing or modifying any copyright, trademark, or proprietary notices
• Using the Service to construct or populate a competing database
• Soliciting personal information from minors
• Posting properties you do not have the legal right to rent or lease

6. Fair Housing Compliance

RU Renting is committed to compliance with all applicable fair housing laws. All users of the Service agree to comply with the Fair Housing Act and all other applicable federal, state, and local fair housing laws and regulations.

Users posting listings or otherwise using this Service declare that they will not discriminate against applicants or tenants on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, ancestry, source of income, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law, with respect to availability of housing or the terms and conditions of renting or leasing housing.

RU Renting reserves the right to immediately suspend or terminate the account of any user found to be engaging in discriminatory practices, and to remove any listing that violates fair housing laws.

7. Landlord Terms and Obligations

If you are a landlord or property manager using the Service to list properties, you agree to the following additional terms:

• Ownership/Authorization: You represent that you are the legal owner of the property or have authorization from the owner to list the property for rent
• Listing Accuracy: All information in your listings must be accurate, complete, and not misleading, including but not limited to property descriptions, photos, pricing, amenities, and availability
• Photos: You may only use photos that accurately depict the property being listed. Stock photos or photos of other properties are prohibited
• Legal Compliance: You are solely responsible for complying with all applicable landlord-tenant laws, housing codes, zoning regulations, and other applicable laws in your jurisdiction
• Fair Housing: You must comply with all fair housing laws and may not discriminate against any prospective tenant on any legally protected basis
• Habitability: Properties listed must meet all applicable habitability standards and local housing codes
• Insurance: You are responsible for maintaining appropriate landlord insurance for your properties
• Verification: You agree to cooperate with any verification processes we may implement, including identity verification and property ownership verification

RU Renting reserves the right to reject, remove, or require modifications to any listing at our sole discretion. Violation of these terms may result in immediate termination of your account and removal of all listings.

8. User Content and License

"User Content" means any content you submit, post, or transmit through the Service, including but not limited to property listings, photos, descriptions, profile information, reviews, and messages.

You retain ownership of your User Content. However, by submitting User Content to the Service, you grant RU Renting a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable, and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display, and perform your User Content in connection with the Service and RU Renting's business, including for promoting and marketing the Service.

You represent and warrant that:

• You own or have the necessary rights to your User Content
• Your User Content does not infringe any third party's intellectual property or other rights
• Your User Content complies with these Terms and all applicable laws

We do not endorse any User Content and expressly disclaim any liability in connection with User Content. We reserve the right to remove any User Content at any time for any reason without notice.

9. Third-Party Content Disclaimer

The Service may contain content from third parties, including property listings, user profiles, reviews, and links to third-party websites ("Third-Party Content"). RU Renting does not control and is not responsible for any Third-Party Content.

You understand that when using the Service you may be exposed to Third-Party Content that is offensive, indecent, inaccurate, or objectionable. RU Renting is not responsible or liable for the accuracy, integrity, quality, legality, usefulness, or safety of Third-Party Content, nor for any loss or damage resulting from your use of or reliance on Third-Party Content.

Links to third-party websites are provided for convenience only. RU Renting does not endorse and is not responsible for the content or practices of any third-party websites. Your use of third-party websites is at your own risk.

10. Intellectual Property and DMCA

The Service and its original content (excluding User Content), features, and functionality are owned by RU Renting LLC and are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, or lease any part of our Service without our express written permission.

DMCA Notice Procedure

If you believe that content on the Service infringes your copyright, please send a written notification to our designated Copyright Agent containing:

• A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or authorized agent
• Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to be infringed
• Identification of the material claimed to be infringing and its location on the Service
• Your contact information (address, telephone number, email)
• A statement that you have a good faith belief that the use is not authorized
• A statement under penalty of perjury that the information is accurate and you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner

Send DMCA notices to: legal@rurenting.com

Counter-Notification

If you believe your content was wrongly removed, you may submit a counter-notification containing:

• Your physical or electronic signature
• Identification of the removed material and its prior location
• A statement under penalty of perjury that the material was removed by mistake or misidentification
• Your name, address, and telephone number, and consent to jurisdiction of federal court

Repeat Infringers: We will terminate the accounts of users who are repeat copyright infringers.

11. Roommate Matching Disclaimer

RU Renting provides roommate matching features to help students find compatible living situations. However, we do not verify the identity, background, or compatibility of users seeking roommates.

You are solely responsible for evaluating potential roommates and making your own decisions about living arrangements. RU Renting does not conduct background checks, verify identities, or guarantee compatibility between users. We strongly recommend meeting potential roommates in person in public places and conducting your own due diligence before entering into any living arrangement.

12. Third-Party Transactions

RU Renting is a platform that facilitates connections between students, landlords, and property owners. We are not a party to any rental agreements, leases, or other transactions between users.

RU Renting is not a real estate broker, agent, property manager, or landlord. We do not participate in or guarantee any transactions between users. You are responsible for conducting your own due diligence before entering into any rental agreement.

13. Fees and Payment

Creating an account and browsing listings on RU Renting is free. We may charge fees for certain services, including but not limited to premium listings for landlords. Any applicable fees will be clearly disclosed before you complete a transaction.

Refund Policy: All fees are non-refundable once a listing has been posted online, unless otherwise specified. If a listing is removed due to violation of these Terms, no refund will be provided.

We reserve the right to change our fees at any time. Fee changes are effective immediately upon posting to the Service.

14. Termination

Termination by You: You may terminate your account at any time by discontinuing use of the Service and contacting us to deactivate your account.

Termination by Us: We may suspend or terminate your account and access to the Service at any time, for any reason, in our sole discretion, including but not limited to:

• Violation of these Terms
• Fraudulent, abusive, or illegal activity
• Conduct harmful to other users or third parties
• Conduct harmful to our business interests
• Extended periods of inactivity

Upon termination, your right to use the Service will immediately cease. We may remove your listings and User Content. All provisions of these Terms which by their nature should survive termination shall survive, including ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.

15. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SERVICE, ALL CONTENT, AND ALL USER CONTENT ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. RU RENTING DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, OR FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS. RU RENTING DOES NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR USEFULNESS OF ANY INFORMATION ON THE SERVICE. YOU USE THE SERVICE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

16. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL RU RENTING LLC, ITS AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OR SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, USE, OR GOODWILL, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THESE TERMS OR THE SERVICE, WHETHER BASED ON WARRANTY, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, EVEN IF RU RENTING HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

In no event shall our total aggregate liability to you for all claims exceed the greater of one hundred dollars ($100) or the amounts paid by you to RU Renting in the twelve (12) months prior to the claim. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, so some of the above limitations may not apply to you.

17. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless RU Renting LLC, its parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, suppliers, and licensors from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or related to:

• Your use or misuse of the Service
• Your User Content
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any rights of another person or entity
• Your violation of any applicable law or regulation
• Any dispute between you and another user of the Service
• Any rental agreement or transaction you enter into with another user

RU Renting reserves the right to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter subject to indemnification by you, in which case you agree to cooperate with our defense. You agree not to settle any matter without our prior written consent.

18. Dispute Resolution and Arbitration

Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service shall be resolved through binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitration shall take place in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

YOU AND RU RENTING AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS ACTION, CLASS ARBITRATION, OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. YOU WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL.

Disputes with Other Users: If you have a dispute with another user of the Service, you release RU Renting LLC, and its officers, directors, agents, subsidiaries, and employees from any and all claims, demands, and damages (actual and consequential) of every kind and nature, known and unknown, arising out of or in any way connected with such disputes.

California Residents: If you are a California resident, you expressly waive California Civil Code Section 1542, which provides: "A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release, which if known by him or her must have materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor."

19. Statute of Limitations

YOU AGREE THAT ANY CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THE SERVICE OR THESE TERMS MUST COMMENCE WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR AFTER THE CAUSE OF ACTION ACCRUES. OTHERWISE, SUCH CAUSE OF ACTION IS PERMANENTLY BARRED.

20. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New Jersey, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any legal action or proceeding not subject to arbitration shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Middlesex County, New Jersey. You consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.

21. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. The invalid provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable while preserving the parties' original intent.

22. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any other policies referenced herein, constitute the entire agreement between you and RU Renting regarding the Service and supersede all prior agreements and understandings. No waiver of any provision shall be deemed a waiver of any other provision, and no waiver shall constitute a continuing waiver.

23. Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us: