1. Application and Screening

Shared Living Rentals does not charge a rental application fee. Each adult applicant must complete a separate TransUnion SmartMove screening.

Screening charge:

$25 plus any applicable tax per applicant

Paid directly to TransUnion SmartMove

A traditional credit report is not required

ResidentScore may appear in the selected screening package, but it is not used to determine qualification

The screening charge does not reserve a room or guarantee screening approval, a tour, housing approval, or room availability. Because the charge is paid directly to SmartMove, Shared Living Rentals does not collect or refund it.

2. Monthly Room Charges

Occupancy

Monthly room charge

Maximum occupancy

One approved resident

$900

1

Two approved residents sharing one private room

$1,200

2

The two-resident arrangement creates one room account with a total monthly charge of $1,200. It does not create separate $900 and $300 rental accounts. Shared Living Rentals does not assign co-residents. Both residents must apply, qualify, be approved, and sign the required agreement.

3. What the Monthly Charge Includes

The monthly room charge currently includes:

A furnished private room

Electricity, gas, water, and internet

Use of approved shared areas

On-site laundry is available for a separate charge. Residents are responsible for food, bedding, toiletries, personal supplies, and other personal expenses.

4. One-Time Move-In Fees

Room cleaning fee

A $100 cleaning fee is charged once per room, whether the room will be occupied by one or two approved residents.

Room-placement fee

A $150 room-placement fee is charged for each approved resident. The fee covers the completed administrative placement work connected with approving and placing the person in the selected room, preparing the placement documents, and reserving the room after the agreement is signed.

The cleaning fee and room-placement fee are separate from the monthly room charge and the SmartMove screening charge.

5. Amount Required Before Move-In

Arrangement

First month

Cleaning fee

Placement fee

Total due

One resident

$900

$100

$150

$1,150

Two residents

$1,200

$100

$300

$1,600

SmartMove screening charges are not included in these totals. No person may move in or receive possession of a room until every required applicant is approved, the rental agreement is signed, all required funds have cleared, and the move-in date is confirmed in writing.

A Room Requirements Check, inquiry, screening, tour, preliminary approval, verbal statement, or incomplete payment does not reserve a room or create a right to occupy it.

6. Security Deposit

No security deposit is currently required. The listed move-in amounts consist of the first month’s room charge and the one-time cleaning and room-placement fees described above.

Classification caution: A fee should not be used as a disguised security deposit. The treatment of a required payment depends on its purpose and terms, not only its name.

7. Monthly Due Date and Grace Period

The full monthly room charge is due on the 1st calendar day of each month. A grace period is provided through the end of the 5th calendar day.

The regular due date remains the 1st.

The grace period does not create a weekly or installment-payment arrangement.

The grace period does not automatically extend beyond the 5th.

If the full required amount is not received by the end of the grace period, the account is late. Any late charge or further action will be governed by the signed rental agreement and applicable law.

8. Payment Responsibility

One consolidated room payment

For a two-resident room, Shared Living Rentals expects one consolidated monthly payment of $1,200. The residents must identify a Primary Paying Resident for payment-processing purposes. This designation does not release either resident from obligations imposed by the signed agreement.

How co-residents divide the cost between themselves is their private arrangement. Shared Living Rentals is not responsible for collecting one resident’s share from the other.

Occasional multiple payments

Separate partial payments are not the standard payment method and do not create a payment plan. When Shared Living Rentals approves more than one payment toward the same month’s charge:

Approval must be obtained in advance.

The full balance must still be received by the applicable deadline.

One $10 payment-processing charge applies for that month, regardless of how many approved residents contribute.

Approval for one month does not require Shared Living Rentals to accept multiple payments in a later month.

9. Partial Payments

A partial payment does not satisfy the monthly payment obligation unless Shared Living Rentals agrees in writing to a different arrangement. Accepting a partial payment does not change the total due, extend the due date, waive the remaining balance, create a recurring installment plan, or guarantee that future partial payments will be accepted.

10. Payment Methods and Processing

Residents must use a payment method approved by Shared Living Rentals and identified in the signed agreement or payment instructions. A payment is not considered received merely because it was initiated; it must be successfully submitted and not rejected, returned, reversed, or disputed.

Any third-party card, ACH, or other processing charge will be shown before payment is submitted when reasonably possible. Residents should retain all receipts and payment confirmations.

11. Failed, Returned, Reversed, or Disputed Payments

If a payment is rejected, returned, reversed, or disputed, the original balance remains due. Shared Living Rentals may require another approved payment method and may restrict future payment methods as permitted by the rental agreement and applicable law. Any returned-payment charge must be stated in the signed agreement or payment instructions.

12. Room Holds

Shared Living Rentals does not collect a separate room-hold payment under this policy. A room is reserved after the required residents sign the rental agreement and complete the required pre-move-in payment steps.

If a separate room-hold program is offered later, it must use a separate written agreement stating the room, hold period, amount, how the payment is applied, refund rules, and what happens if the property cannot provide the room.

13. Cancellation and Refunds Before Possession

Cancellation before signing

If an applicant cancels before signing the rental agreement, Shared Living Rentals will refund all payments it collected for the proposed move-in:

First month’s room charge

$100 room cleaning fee

$150-per-person room-placement fee

The SmartMove screening charge is paid directly to SmartMove and is not refunded by Shared Living Rentals.

Cancellation after signing but before taking possession

Signing the month-to-month rental agreement reserves the room for the named resident or residents. Shared Living Rentals may then stop showing or offering the room to other applicants.

If a resident cancels or fails to take possession after signing:

The $100 cleaning fee will be refunded if no approved resident took possession.

The $150-per-person room-placement fee becomes earned for each person who signed but did not take possession and will not be refunded.

Shared Living Rentals will make reasonable efforts to find a replacement resident.

Actual prorated vacancy loss may be deducted from the first month’s room payment, up to a maximum of 10 calendar days.

Any remaining first-month room payment will be refunded.

Shared Living Rentals will not collect overlapping room charges from the cancelling resident and a replacement resident for the same room and dates.

Vacancy-loss calculation

Vacancy loss begins on the confirmed move-in date and ends on the day before a replacement resident’s payment obligation begins, subject to a maximum of 10 calendar days.

Formula: Daily room charge = monthly room charge divided by the number of calendar days in that month. Vacancy loss = daily room charge multiplied by the actual vacancy days, capped at 10 days.

Failure to arrive or respond

If a signed resident does not take possession on the confirmed move-in date, Shared Living Rentals will attempt to contact the resident in writing. The resident has five calendar days to respond and confirm whether they intend to take possession on an approved revised date or cancel.

If the resident does not respond within five calendar days, Shared Living Rentals may treat the planned move-in as cancelled and relist the room. For a no-show without written cancellation, the cancellation date is the date the five-day response period expires.

One co-resident withdraws

If one person withdraws from a two-resident arrangement before possession, the existing two-resident agreement must be cancelled or replaced. A new agreement must be created before the remaining person moves in.

The remaining applicant must qualify for the revised occupancy arrangement.

Funds belonging to the remaining applicant may be refunded or applied to the new agreement with that applicant’s written authorization.

The remaining applicant will not owe a second placement fee solely because a replacement agreement is required.

The withdrawing resident’s refund is determined by whether withdrawal occurred before or after signing.

Any replacement co-resident must complete screening, receive approval, sign the agreement, and pay their own placement fee.

Property cannot provide the room

If Shared Living Rentals cannot provide the agreed room on the confirmed move-in date, it will refund every payment it collected for that move-in, including the first month’s room charge, the cleaning fee, and each room-placement fee. No vacancy-loss deduction applies, and the placement fee is not treated as earned.

Shared Living Rentals may offer another room or move-in date, but the applicant is not required to accept it. Any alternative arrangement must be accepted in writing.

Refund deadline and method

Any refund due under this policy will be issued within 20 calendar days beginning on the cancellation date.

For written cancellation, the cancellation date is the date Shared Living Rentals receives the notice.

For a no-show who does not respond, the cancellation date is the date the five-calendar-day response period expires.

The refund will include an itemized explanation of any amount retained and returned.

The refund will be issued to the original payer and original payment method when reasonably possible.

Third-party processing time may affect when the refund appears in the payer’s account.

14. Change in Occupancy After Move-In

One resident leaving a two-resident arrangement does not automatically change the monthly room charge or the signed agreement. Any change in occupancy must be approved in writing. Shared Living Rentals may require the remaining resident to requalify and may require a new agreement before the room charge or approved occupancy changes.

15. Payment Records

Shared Living Rentals will maintain payment records identifying the date, amount, method, rental period, remaining balance, and separately identified charges. Residents should keep their receipts, agreements, cancellation notices, and refund confirmations.

16. Policy Administration

A one-time exception, delayed enforcement, or acceptance of a different payment arrangement does not permanently modify this policy or waive future enforcement. Any recurring or material change must be confirmed in writing.

This policy should be read with the rental agreement, screening criteria, house rules, and applicable housing policies. Shared Living Rentals may revise this policy prospectively, subject to the signed agreement and applicable law.

Legal References and Review Note

Michigan law limits residential security deposits and prohibits rental-agreement terms that release a landlord from the obligation to minimize damages. See Michigan Compiled Laws 554.602 and 554.633.

Official sources:

Michigan Legislature, MCL 554.602: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-554-602

Michigan Legislature, MCL 554.633: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/mileg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=mcl-554-633

Michigan Legislature, Practical Guide for Tenants and Landlords: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/publications/tenantlandlord.pdf