Show HN: We made a better way for landlords to manage rental applications | Hacker News Reader

Show HN: We made a better way for landlords to manage rental applications

zora.io

21 pointsmvrekic20 comments

How is Z score calculated? What are the demographic factors used and have you checked whether discriminating on those bases is legal in the jurisdictions where you operate?

Well, that's some interesting Terms of Service!

>9.) We don’t screen properties or listings or offer any guaranty or advice regarding the suitability of properties, landlords, or potential tenants. Nothing we say should be construed as such advice, and you agree not to rely on us in making decisions on anything at all.

Nice to see they'll stand behind their service. Filled with confidence right now.

> 11.) You must be at least 18 years old to use Zora and you must be a citizen of United States, Canada or European Union.

If I rent out a place through this website, are prospective tenants required to "use Zora" in order to apply? Does that mean that I am now discriminating against potential tenants based on citizenship? Which happens to be prohibited in various jurisdictions, for example NYC?

Meh. How many software licenses have "not guaranteed fit for any purpose whatsoever" or along those lines. In the US litigation is king and you guys need to cover your legal asses.

That is nothing like "you agree not to use us for this purpose". That is "go ahead and use us but we could be wrong".

9.) Legal liability. The same way that the accounting software still tells you to go and talk to a certified accountant in their terms.

10.) Our customers are landlords. As a tenant, you can apply from anywhere. But we cannot pull the data for "anywhere" so you will have no score.

Actually, accounting software doesn't say this. It has a disclaimer of 'no guarantee of being fit for purpose' but it doesn't have a self-dismissable line about 'you agree not to use us to do tax calculations'. If a lawyer wrote that, you should ask another lawyer.

And exactly what data are you trying to pull? Did you know there are people who have lived in the USA for decades who are not citizens? Are you really conflating citizenship with residence? Wow.

> Nothing we say should be construed as such advice, and you agree not to rely on us in making decisions on anything at all.

> Zora uses behavioural, demographic and social patterns to give you a simple to understand tenant score. With the Z score, it is easier for you to find the best long-term tenants.

Sure sounds like you're saying two different things here, doesn't it?

Agreed. They are basically saying "use our special software to find only good tenants, but we aren't responsible for whether it's accurate or not". They are just as sure about their software as I am about their business model right now.

Interesting idea. I'd like to check this out as a tenant, but I can't seem to find a sign-up link for that.

You have to be invited by a landlord to apply as a tenant (as you get associated to a property/unit)

I see your company and this...

https://entercastle.com/experience/

...on same day. You compete with them? And, if so, what would you say are the advantages of your offering against their specifically?

They are focused on physical property management. We are trying to build a tool that would eliminate a need for property manager (for the most part at least).

In a way, we are complementary to each other.

Appreciate the clarification. That makes your company even more interesting.

This is amazing. I really hope you do well and start making better people better while punishing bad people.

I'm just wondering who are the landlords who will use this kind of app.

Thank you. So far, we targeted smaller, citizen landlords (few units) but a lot of sign-ups are medium sized (100 to 500 units) property management companies.

How do you define bad people? Should bad people have less access to housing?

Yes.

Do you operate in a market where a landlord mostly self-manages their own properties as opposed to go through an agency?

Correct, but the market pull we are seeing is from the mid-sized property management companies.

Beautiful site. Nice images, definitely gets the subliminal point across.

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