Like many NYC renters, you probably have a lot to say about your landlord-and you probably wish you knew about problems with the building before you moved in. Complaining about this to your friends and family doesn’t do much good, however. Fortunately, the new Rentlogic browser extension can help renters avoid troublesome landlords and buildings before they sign a lease.
Last week, the Rentlogic browser extension was launched. This free program uses city violations data to send landlord ratings to 200-plus apartment rental sites on the web such as StreetEasy, Apartments.com and Zillow.com. It does not, however, work with Craigslist due to the lack of specific addresses in Craigslist listings.
The extension works on Mac and PC with browsers Chrome, Firefox and Opera; support for Internet Explorer and Safari is on the way. It also has native English/Spanish support. You can install Rentlogic’s browser extension with just two clicks.
A new tactic in the landlord-tenant battleground
Because many apartment listing sites use building information supplied by real estate brokers, renters often don’t get the whole picture. Rentlogic’s violations data can help people make an informed choice when considering apartments.
Many people think it’s only fair that tenants have websites and programs like Rentlogic. Landlords have the tenant blacklist. Renters should have a place to review landlord grades before they commit to a lease.
You may, of course, need to take other actions to protect yourself if your current landlord is violating your rights. If you are being harassed or are facing eviction, you may need immediate legal help to fight your landlord.
