Booking a home you haven’t stood inside yet takes a bit of trust. The photos look right and the description sounds right, but you won’t know until you open the door. The Move-In Guarantee exists for that moment.
Here is what it is, how it works, and where it stops.
What the Move-In Guarantee is
Every EzyFlats booking carries it. If the property materially doesn’t match its listing, EzyFlats refunds the renter’s first week’s rent and the service fee.
It’s a safety net for the start of a stay. It isn’t a promise that every detail will be perfect, and it isn’t a blanket promise about the whole tenancy.
How it works in practice
Before anything is paid, the renter is identity-checked and income-checked, and references are reviewed. Once the application is approved, the renter has up to 48 hours to pay the first week’s rent and EzyFlats’ one-off $350 service fee. The service fee is what covers the Guarantee. It is paid by the renter, and landlords aren’t charged for it.
That first week’s rent isn’t sent straight to the landlord. It is held in Stripe Trust until the Guarantee window closes. The window closes 3 days after confirmed move-in in South Australia, and 48 to 72 hours after confirmed move-in in other states. After that, the funds are released to the landlord.
On move-in day, the renter checks that the home matches the listing. If it doesn’t, they raise it with EzyFlats straight away. The pause also gives both sides a window to sort out the problem before the money moves.
What it covers
The guarantee is about one question: does the property materially match its listing?
Listings on EzyFlats are pre-screened with real photos only, and the description, photos and inclusions are what a renter books on. If what’s waiting at the door is materially different, the renter’s first week’s rent and the service fee are refunded.
It matters most when the landlord doesn’t offer in-person viewings. Some landlords prefer renters to apply without viewing, and EzyFlats is never on site. In those cases the Guarantee, along with detailed photos, is the renter’s protection.
Each claim is reviewed by the EzyFlats team on its facts. The Guarantee is a firm commitment, but no one can promise the outcome of a particular claim in advance.
What it doesn’t cover
It isn’t about perfection. The test is whether the property materially matches the listing, not whether it looks identical to every photo.
It doesn’t cover the whole stay. It relates to the first week’s rent and the service fee, not every payment across a long tenancy.
It isn’t a cancellation policy. If you change your mind, the cancellation policy on the listing applies, and the refund depends on how far ahead of check-in you cancel.
It isn’t a bond or security deposit. Deposits are handled separately under your agreement.
It isn’t a guarantee of rent for landlords. EzyFlats doesn’t guarantee rent. Verification, automatic collection and prompt follow-up reduce the chance of a problem, but they don’t remove the risk.
It doesn’t replace the condition report. The condition report records the state of the home and its contents room by room, with both sides responding. The Guarantee deals with whether the home matches its listing. They do different jobs, and you want both.
What landlords should know
For landlords, the Guarantee comes down to one habit: keep the listing accurate. If the photos, descriptions and inclusions match what the renter finds, the hold passes without drama and the funds are released, with EzyFlats’ 7% commission deducted automatically.
Getting the most out of it
Look around properly on arrival. Check the home against the listing, including what’s supposed to be included.
Take date-stamped photos of every room. They help if something is later disputed.
Complete the condition report carefully. It’s your record of what the home looked like at handover.
Raise problems straight away. The window is short, so don’t wait until the end of the week to mention something you noticed on day one.
Keep communication in writing where you can.
Where it sits alongside other protections
The Move-In Guarantee is one layer in a larger set of protections: verified renters and landlords, payments through one secure channel, a documented agreement, and a condition report completed by both sides. The agreement is a Residential Tenancy Agreement or a short-stay agreement, depending on the state and the length of stay.
No single layer removes every risk in renting. Together they cover most of the things that go wrong in the first days of a stay.
The bottom line
If the home you booked isn’t materially the home that was listed, your first week’s rent and the service fee are refunded. It doesn’t cover everything and it doesn’t claim to. What it does is take the biggest unknown out of booking a home sight unseen.
This article is general information only and is not legal or financial advice. How a refund or dispute is treated can depend on the type of agreement and your state or territory. For advice on your own situation, speak to the relevant tenancy authority or a qualified adviser.