List of Landlord Ratings Sites: The Landlord Review Site Exposed

LandOrSlum was a long-lived, negativity-based landlord review site.

Last updated August 2017. We will add each landlord review site to our list of landlord ratings sites as we become aware of them.

Landlord ratings represent both a business risk and an opportunity for owners and managers. A good rating or landlord review can help your apartments stand out in a crowded marketplace. A bad rating can reduce your application rate and drive down your rents without your even knowing.

How Landlord Ratings can be Skewed

Review sites proliferate because bad owners are out there. Bad owners inspire both the creators of the website and the negative reviewers who flock to post their comments.

Although many landlord ratings sites use a multi-point scale, all reviews could be reduced to just “liked” or “didn’t like.” Potential renters can get a good picture of your business just by reading the highest and lowest rated comment.

When comments carry specific details, they are credible. For instance, a one-star rating could say that the owner called after ten o’clock at night for a non-emergency, took 47 days to repair the heat, and unlawfully withheld a security deposit for normal wear and tear. These specifics speak volumes about the business.

On the other hand, a one-star rating that says the owner is a slumlord, but says nothing else, is not very credible. The tenant may have posted that potentially libelous review out of misdirected anger over the loss of their job and the owner’s having evicted them. Low ratings should be read with a grain of salt. A detailed five-star review should outweigh a vague one-star review.

Examples of Irrelevant, Bad Landlord Ratings

Here are two landlord ratings from reviewers of Ink Block Apartments in Boston on WhoseYourLandlord.com:
“Looks good from the outside but really doesn't hold it's water inside. Just my two cents!”

Was this renter expecting an aquarium? Lack of specifics leaves the review mostly irrelevant.

“Rent is high.”

This renter gave the landlord a 2 out of 5 but didn’t indicate whether the rent was high for the area, high for the quality of the apartment, or just high because rents in Boston are high.
Here is a review from the same site of Gardencrest in Waltham, at which a murder evidently took place.

“Someone was killed here during a drug transaction. Not a safe environment for raising children.”

The tenant didn’t say what the landlord’s response was. The landlord might be doing a stellar job under challenging circumstances. They might have made changes that will make this apartment safer than anywhere else in this neighborhood, where owners haven’t yet had the experience that this one did.

Failed Landlord Ratings Sites

The idea of rating landlords is not new. Many independent and regional attempts have been made. Not all have survived, probably because of lack of monetization and positivity. In the list below, dates have been approximated using the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.

  • LandOrSlum.com
    • Mid 2007 to early 2013
    • Pittsburgh, PA
    • Selected text: “This is the website that allows renters to finally fight back.”
    • As of date above, domain forwarding to ApartmentList.com
  • DoNotRent.com
    • Early 2012 to mid 2015
    • “Sun Belt,” USA
    • Motto: “Real Reviews. Really Bad Rentals.”
    • As of date above, domain being used for a home healthcare blog
  • Addressory.org
    • Mid 2011 to 2012
    • Allegedly global
    • Selected text: “Learn what landlords and realtors won’t tell you.”

Active Landlord Ratings Sites

Landlord ratings sites that endure will probably provide value beyond just an emotional outlet for reviewers. In alphabetical order:

  • ApartmentList.com
    • September 2011 to present
    • Nationwide
    • Selected text: “Our founders John Kobs and Chris Erickson both have had miserable, horrible, no good, very bad rental experiences”
  • ApartmentRatings.com
    • 2000 to present
    • California to Nationwide
    • Selected text: “Among the Top 5 most-visited apartment hunting sites in the world”
  • BostonLandlordReviews.com
    • May 2011 to present
    • Boston
    • Selected text: “he [the founder] lived under an oppressive landlord for several years”
  • Google+
    • June 2011 to present
    • Global
    • Any business who lists themselves in Google+ becomes subject to consumer reviews on Maps and in Google Search
  • RateMyLandlord.com
    • 2003 to present
    • Territory unclear; two large Massachusetts landlords we tried were not yet listed as of date above
    • About the founder: “In the mid-90s I was renting an apartment from a lady who was rather despicable.”
  • RentLogic.com
    • September 2013 to present
    • New York only
    • Selected text: “These ratings describe information about things you would never know about before signing a lease.”
  • ReviewMyLandlord.com
    • Unknown to present
    • Covers Massachusetts, maybe more
    • Selected text: “Let's change the rental experience for millions”
  • TenantLandlordRatings.com
    • 2010 to present
    • Territory unclear; two large Massachusetts landlords we tried were not yet listed as of date above
    • Selected text: “TenantLandlordRatings.com (TLR) is brought to you by experienced Real Estate professionals with over a 20 year track record of connecting Tenants and Landlords.”
  • WhoseYourLandlord.com [sic]
    • September 6, 2013 to present
    • New York, NY growing to nationwide
    • Motto: “Giving renters ownership of their situation by putting housing in their hands”

 

Check Each Landlord Review Site for Your Name

Take control of your reputation and look up your business on each review site. It only takes one rogue complainer to ruin your online reputation. Remember that happy tenants don’t think to give reviews, but angry tenants will put a great deal of energy into hurting your reputation.

If you find that you have a bad online reputation, you have two options.

First, ask your outgoing tenants for good reviews. If they don’t agree, offer increasingly good rewards, like a Dunkin Donuts gift card, or a restaurant gift card in a higher amount, until they say yes. Ask for a five-star review and hand them the card once you have seen the review online. Over time, your five-star reviews will grow to swamp your bad reviews.

Second, you might be able to sue for libel. Just because it’s online, the realm of trolls and anonymity, doesn’t mean a poster is protected from lying. If they have lied about you, you do have legal remedy. For instance, Forbes describes how one tenant wrote that their landlord’s actions had resulted in the deaths of three other tenants. That was not true, and the landlord took their former tenant to court. There are libel attorneys in Massachusetts who can consult with you.

Do You Know About a Landlord Review Site We Missed?

Tell us by emailing info@masslandlords.net

Landlord Review Site Conclusion

Know which sites are out there and take control of your landlord ratings before you lose business.

24 Responses to List of Landlord Ratings Sites: The Landlord Review Site Exposed

  1. Patricia LeComte says:

    My family and I moved into 2585 South Grade Road, Alpine CA 91901 owner Kevin and Monica Coleman. They have thus far never made any attempts to clean up the property and/or fix any problems from their previous tenants. The current tenants below us are having the same issues, Monica has been deemed as “crazy” while Kevin is considered ‘sane’ however neither person will address the current repairs needed. DO NOT RENT from these landlords, they are very, very unreasonable and very retaliatory.

    • John Smith says:

      We totally agree with you. They both lie, make up false stories and go back on their word. Stay clear from them or your life will become a nightmare!

  2. K says:

    Do not rent from jennifer wang from abc management in st louis mo. She will completly ruin your life. Completly unfair invades your privacy and makes up new rules everyday then sends threatning texts. She is a nightmare. Friendly warning do not deal with her

  3. Jennifer Benstead says:

    There will be a room available on June 30 at 38 Bridge Street in St Catharines ON.
    I just thought I should warn potential roommates about one of the roommates .
    Catherine is a narcissist, a bully, loves to threaten and bulldoze people. Shirley the other roommate is lazy, she doesn’t do anything except lay in her bed all day and night. Catherine is the type of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde personality, one minute she’s nice and the next minute, look out. Despite the fact that toilet paper was supposed to be included in the rent. Catherine has removed all the toilet paper from the bathroom claiming that too much was being used, yet she and Shirley are the ones that are home all day long. I have Crohn’s disease so this behavior caused me a lot of unnecessary trouble. Wi-Fi and use of laundry were supposed to be included in the rent also. Catherine reneged on that too.
    Since I moved in, I have bent over backwards to be a good roommate. I have followed all the rules, bought headphones for my TV, at Catherine’s request, helped with yard work etc.
    When I moved into the unit it was furnished. ( bed, dresser, computer chair with a floppy chair head). I asked her if I could buy myself a different chair because the computer chair really hurt my back and my hips. I have a back issue due to a previous injury and scoliosis as well as a pinched nerve Sciatica in my hip.
    She gave me permission to get a chair from the Restore in st catharines. So I did.
    Catherine then proceeded to evict me cause I paid someone $50 to deliver it stating that supposedly she was going to help me pick it up. Yet to my knowledge that wasn’t the case. She threatened to put my stuff by the curb . I’ tried talking to her and it was no use she wouldn’t listen to reason. I tried avoiding her until I can move, she continues to be the aggressor, and won’t leave you alone. It’s like she has lost her mind. I’m afraid of what she will do next. So I gave notice that I was moving. Catherine has continued to be nasty despite my giving notice to her.
    In short Catherine is a nightmare to live with.

  4. Miya says:

    Do not rent from Larry Hill A.K.A Lawrence Hill Sr. He doesn’t like to fix anything in his properties and always blames the tenants.

  5. mona says:

    I think reviewing landlords is hard. It isn’t as easy as a restaurant where you go several times in short period and then make your thoughts known. Maybe instead of by landlord it is by address, and people rate their experience at that address. Have some very definitive questions and very little free text. Things like did you pay your rent on time everytime? Was the maintenance done on the following HVAC, Roof…etc. If someone doesn’t pay their rent on time they don’t usually want to take responsibility for that and only want to complain about some tiny thing to make it the landlords fault. I think this has to be thought through better and not allow so much subjective opinion and just facts about the housing unit itself. The landlord performance will come through from there

  6. Deborah Benninger says:

    Prior landlord & his daughter/mgr stole from me & gave out my key to a convicted drug felon who put std’s from his girlfriend’s used menstrual items in my food & beverage. Ldlrd tore up my bed, I have back disabilities. He’d scream @ me when the felon broke in & his daughter/mgr wiped vd on my door. I told police & can still put them in prison for hurting me & making me sick repeatedly. Ldlrd told me dont tell anyone that his daughter stole money out of my home.

  7. Chris Smith says:

    Abraham Gontijo;. 1st time landlord; building owned only 2 months; advised tenants no eviction, no $ seeker and keeping tenants; followed by notice to leave after 3 years rent perfect tenancy perfect my son and I;. Said nothing personal. We were great tenants. Just wants to gut building and charge a lot of $ he informs…..I’m not feeling this even though it’s month to month ….

  8. Clinton County Advocator says:

    I am a former long term tenant of the Finley’s in the Morrisonville area; from couple yrs ago. Before moving in I told them of broken items, dirty carpet, paint mismatched on walls, etc. As I lived there with my family I left them messages every time something broke. 95% of the time they didn’t call me back until I left over 11 messages then only 50% of the time they got back to me. It’s been a couple years since I moved out and they still refuse to give me my security deposit. They tried to tell me I had a pet: I never did! They tried to tell me I smoked inside: I can not due to medical reasons! They tried to tell me I left a mess: only mess left was their garbage they left in the garage when I moved in and they told me it was theirs. I took photos before I moved out and mailed the photos to the Finley’s. Yet somehow that was the only envelope they magically never received (yet I mailed it twice). Even though they received every rent check and my notice when I had moved out. A major appliance broke & it took them 2 weeks to fix it. In meantime, they would not help with a temporary replacement. All I got was rude remarks about how I waste their time and money because one of THEIR appliances was crap (according to repair guy). I just heard a recent tenant who left had a very similar bad experience with them. These people happen to be friends with someone I know. The Finley’s won’t give them their security deposit back and giving them a bunch of lies in return; same experience I had. Okay so that’s 2 tenants in past several years that got lied to and their money taken from them. Do NOT rent from the Finley’s!

  9. Alice Roberts says:

    Do not rent from Daniel Armbruster 217 Oak Tree Drive Webster Groves, MO. This landlord has been a nightmare since the first week we moved in: showed up on the property MULTIPLE times without proper notice to work in the yard, entered the home twice while we were there without notice, the maintenance on the house is all DYI even for major issues, there was major water coming in the basement where my son;s room was and he didn’t respond for several weeks. Had to call the city to have them inspect it. Then he showed up weekly, 2 and 3 times a week without notice for 8-9 weeks. Tore up the asbestos tiles in the basement and never replaced them. Have not been able to be in the basement area because of the mildew. Dug up the yard and was working on the drainage. The neighbors called the building inspector and he showed up at my door to post a stop work order. Landlord still showed up the next day without proper notice. When I told the landlord he could not work in the yard AGAIN because the city came and he had not given me proper notice, he cancelled my lease in the middle of the pandemic. There are major electrical, plumbing and structural problems with this property. There are ants and spiders. Lost 2 loads of groceries to ants, was bitten twice by spiders. Everything is so old in this house that something is always in need of repair. The fireplace surround pulled off when I tried to open the glass doors so I couldn’t use it. There are birds living in the eaves under the back patio roof. The gas range is original to the house and is unsafe to cook in so I had to buy my own range. Nothing in this house has been updated or repaired properly since it was built. Don’t lease this house you will regret it.

  10. Terry says:

    Do not rent from Auswin Realty in Queens NY. Our building went without gas for over a month. Also when they do fix something they arrive no warning and let themselves in/invade your privacy. Constantly harassing tents for the rent during Covid19.

  11. Kewanna says:

    Beware of this slum lord I was living at 4205 exposition blvd los Angeles CA 90016 for 5 years i was so drepressed and felt like me and my kids was trapped. Elvis is horrible he doesnt fix anything The building is infested with roaches i begged him to tent it but he refused because he said its to expensive and he didnt wanna pay for his tenants a motel room. He lie and lie my son got burned in their building because they had my water heater up to high . Every year i tried to move and i always wondered why was it so hard for me come to find out this unprofessional was telling other landlords horrible things about me. So when i confronted him he said because he didnt wanna lose me as a tenant. The only thing he wants is that Section8 money him and his family is very money hungry but never wanna do their jobs. Also me and my kids could of been dead in their when the gas company came out they told me i had carbon monoxide leaking but this slum lord never had the detector put it. I was young and fooling renting out from them but now i just want everybody to be aware. They have other properties just never rent from a Elvis Navarro or Josefina Navarro their son and mother working together.

  12. Unique Nurse says:

    I write this review in hopes that the next person who moved to this address does not make the same mistake I made and experience the worst living situation one can have as a tenant room for rent in a private house there was a lot of red flags that I should have taken into consideration like when the realtor (who turned out to be very dishonest and withheld important info from me) and I saw the place the landlady rushes us up the stairs to the room bypassing the kitchen and bath and the fact that I was not 100% feeling the place but at the time I felt pressured into accepting this place since I did not have time left in the other place I was staying. I end up moving paid 2400 total deposit/realtor fee/first month for a room that I soon had movers regret had to deal with a roach infestation problem in the kitchen/bath then to make matters worst was in my 2nd or 3rd month dealt with mice infestation that lasted throughout my entire stay minus the last month. I must have had 5 mice that got caught in traps in my room alone found a few in my draws, added with the toxic living situation with roommates especially one older man who made it impossible for me literally I would have anxiety every time I would go downstairs because he will guarantee to start talking to me crazy about ‘not doing this throwing ‘F’ bombs at me, I should not feel extremely uncomfortable in a place I am paying rent where I constantly have to prove my contribution to a bunch of people who will always have something negative to say, there was not one thing I can say positive about this place except the wifi work. Staying in that place in that small room was depressing I actively had to make a point to avoid the guy, did not like cooking in the kitchen due to him as well it will sometimes smell like cigarettes from downstairs so when I was given the opportunity to finally get my own place I took it and never been happier, however now my former landlady will not give me my deposit stating that I am not obligated to live out the deposit and I should talk to the realtor, would not return any of my messages I should not have to beg for money that I am by law entitled to a portion back I was hoping even though I had my doubts that the landlady will have some decency and do what’s right, but I guess I was wrong please if anybody read this think twice about moving to this place, make sure you ask questions, make sure the realitor company is reputable and everything is in writing do not give any money if it is not stated explicitly that you will get your deposit with landlord signature and there is a itemized list of where each payment is going towards if I follow my gut instincts and I was made aware about the deposit I would never have agree to move in the first place.

  13. Michelle says:

    Do not rent 44 Elm Street Scituate Mass
    Family members took advantage of a dying l
    Woman who owned the property
    Collected rent never fixed anything never put the property through probate
    Property is still listed in Scituate with a deceased owner… Property taxes electricity bills oil bills are all in the deceased owner’s name
    The property should be condemned too many problems to list
    Nothing but scumbags slumlords!
    They will eventually get caught
    All officials in Boston have been notified including State reps

  14. Unhappy says:

    DO NOT rent from Samuel Elizondo in Tampa, Florida. He blames tenants for his dilapidated and unkempt property. When tenants bring health hazards to his attention, his proposed solution is to break the lease. Brown water, backed up plumbing, leaky ceilings, and termites- he had an excuse for everything.

  15. Stephanie P says:

    640 South Avenue
    Presidential Square Apartments/William Penn Realty..Philadelphia/Delaware County
    Beware!!!! Do not rent from this slumlord

  16. David Harlow says:

    Do not rent at 406 Linda Drive, San Pablo, CA 94806. The landlord, Antonio Alvarez Medrano is a tyrannical political extremist who would allow his granddaughter to barge into your room to break your comb and accuse you of vomiting in the bathtub when his dog does just that. His reward for you standing up for yourself is to increase your rent price and eventually to try to edge you with tenants he adds without acceptable warning. He only cares that there is a pandemic when it is convenient for him and will suddenly forget when he wants you gone for calling out these problems to authority.

    I have also seen him kick out a couple, Martin and Maria Campos, and claim that they wanted to be unreasonable. Yeah, says the guy who says I need to vote to keep Kristoph Gavin Newsom the mask hypocrisy elitist. The Campos couple would be able to testify about Medrano being unfair as well. This happened back in August 2018 thereabouts, by the way.

    You will not be dealing with a man you can negotiate with reasonably; if Medrano was that, I would have had far fewer problems resolving politics that keep me from getting my deceased parents’ house, which is in the same neighborhood, fixed. And unfortunately, the Democrat In Name Only system that California runs under is hell-bent on enabling him simply for supporting their hive-minded nonsense. This is reason enough I have a 60 page document calling out problems by both Medrano and his enablers well before he added in the tenants and nobody tried to challenge him for it.

  17. David Harlow says:

    Oh yeah, expanding on my above comment, since I explain in significantly further detail in general on this video:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8YGswvEmeY

    I wish to further call out the rent price stupidity plaguing California for involving the following problems:
    -The source of the rent inflation is stated to be from proximity to Silicon Valley and Hollywood. It should be noted how the movie industry promotes shallowness, and how the tech industry is not just blatantly sexist but interested in deliberately rewarding nasty aspects such as discrimination, simply because it’s “entertaining.”
    -The women in California also support these behaviors, whether out of wanting a piece of the rotten pie that I indicate above or simply wanting the nastiness. At best, they become unappealing doormats. At worst, they’ll show the same prejudices that are running amok even when they’re asking for being cannibalized. The result is the same: they give the power to the nasty characters, even though California is allegedly anti-misogyny.
    -As a result of all the spoiled behavior that lead to tenants getting ridiculous amounts of money, landlords, ever so greedy as they are squeeze money out of tenants by raising rent prices to ridiculous levels. I need point out that Virginia, which is FAR closer to Washington DC and would inevitably set the bar high as a result, is still having not only higher salaries but also blatantly less expensive rent. Medrano cannot make the excuse of being “dirt cheap” when he’s preaching high standards, never mind his malpractice about as much, and also did not tell me critical information I had every right to know well before he provided the information when pressed at all.
    -This is a vicious cycle: paying more for a roof over their heads would force women to bet on power over values. We have more women being all take and no give as a result, and then the nastiness gets fed, and then the landlords raise the rent again, even further shutting out women who bet on values over power.
    -Not one of the 3 parties I call out for this (landlords, women, and the industry’s nasty characters) deserve much sympathy, simply because on top of how they all caused this mess, they do not care who gets caught in the crossfire. I need only point out how I was born in a hospital in Oakland to make it clear that I am one such person. If ANY one of the parties was cooperative, I’d have a much better time:
    –A cooperative landlord would provide competent communication regardless of price, especially if the state’s landlords are going to overprice beyond belief, and this particularly applies with Medrano, who knew my mom from the Pinole Senior Center and lives in the same neighborhood as my parents’ house, which for reference is an environmental hazard I’ve been trying to get fixed, so he should have been helping to organize something more useful instead of subjecting me to abuses as-is. I did not get that.
    –A job in game design from the tech industry would have provided me plenty of funding simply for handling my forte in game balance, with an accommodating sense of values to avoid common pitfalls. I did not get that.
    –A lady in my life, particularly given that a wife would show bravery, creativity, and patience for reasons that she would deserve good treatment for being my wife, would be solid support in getting my parents’ house cleaned up, via diplomacy for procuring support as well as coordinating the tasks because I would have needed aid with both. You guessed it: I did not get that.
    -All this results in the likes of my parents’ house being the mess it is, a mess I have made direct effort to try to address only to be met with my efforts being rendered ineffective.

    Long story short, NEVER expect results from California.

  18. Brian says:

    I am dealing with a bad landlord now but thank god I will be leaving soon. His home is ant invested with many other insects that come in no matter how much cleaning I do and I clean almost everyday trying to fight it but they always manage to take over spots in the house. I told Dennis about it and he gave me such attitude it was horrible but god you better not be late for the rent. Words of wisdom don’t rent from Dennis Kozicki of Nugget Management. Horrible man.

  19. Katrina Chase says:

    BAD LAND LORD WARNING WARNING WARNING BAD LANLORD
    2820 ne 22nd court, Pompano beach fl
    Horrible landlord: suzy 954.295.5588

    We made multiple complaints about the mold on the floor throughout the house and the plumber she hired to fix the water leak he confirmed that the leaking pipes had cause the foundation to shift and split the kitchen counter top. He went on to say that the whole top was installed incorrectly and the other corner will eventually crack as well. The water in between the foundation and the cheep flooring was 100% caused by the leaking bad plumbing op was installed incorrectly and the other corner will eventually crack as well. The water in between the foundation and the cheep flooring was 100% caused by the leaking bad plumbing. Then we finally move out of the dump and she attempted to make us pay for all of her mistakes.

    Don’t ever rent or buy from this lady. Horrible experience.

  20. Rachel says:

    Bad Bad Landlord!
    5089 Century Drive
    Virginia Beach
    This is the worst landlord that I have rented from.

    First off let me say when I moved in the apartment I was in a uncompromising situation.

    Leaving a domestic situation and trying to secure a place on my own was very hard.

    I found this place last minute. I was told the rent will be 850 with myself and daughter.
    By the time I moved in the rent went up $950.

    I obliged because I had already registered my daughter in school and it was in a good school district and finding another rental in that area was going to be another huge task

    This place looks good on the outside however inside is turmoil.

    The landlord is extremely ghetto the last tenant that rented there that moved out of course in bad terms. She stole what he had left and sold it! He didn’t press charges Because he didn’t want to get the police involved.

    I knew at that point that my time there was ticking. About a month later I realize that my landlord had been going into my room and stealing multiple items, I have a small business where I make products and yes I count the inventory and YES, she had been stealing my products the whole time.
    I had to store all of my products in my trunk

    There’s been nothing but problems and more problems as time went on. she moved in a young lady and her son and a dog —the space became overcrowded and ghetto.

    The other roommate was loud, extremely disrespectful screaming at child, dirty diapers etc.

    Come to find out she moved in her beautician so she can get free braiding services. Wow

    Back to my live in landlord! this lady is extremely unprofessional and disgusting. she has different men in and out the home with no regards to the tenants. These men smoke drink curse you name it!

    Fast forward I finally found another place. Moved out ( Escaped) and went to grab the remainder of my things When she told me it was not there that she threw it away.

    This was a brand new min refrigerator, my bachelors degree Which was in a beautiful plaque and a few other items!

    No worries I’m taking her to court and getting my money back from the things she stole and sold!!

    But let this be a warning for anyone who tries To rent there beware. She WILL come into your room and steal your belongings ask for you to pay a high rent, if you get cold because she turns the heat off when she is not there. Oh and you have to pay for Wi-Fi. Can’t park I’m drive way the list goes on and on!
    Don’t say you weren’t warned!!!

  21. Monica says:

    OC only property management is a horrible management company. This property management does Mickey Mouse repairs. The apartment has not been updated since it was built in 1976, except the floors. The manager gave me a 60-day notice because they said the property owner was selling the property. However, it was a lie to get me out of the property. This was during the highest rate COVID-19 in 2020. 1349 Shadow Ln Unit C, Fullerton, CA 92831

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