If you cannot find the answer to your questions in these pages please contact us.
How do I place an advert?
Click on "Finding accommodation" or "Offering accommodation" tabs above here for instructions.
How much does it cost?
Christian Flatshare is free to use.
Christian Flatshare is also FREE to share with your church and friends... and here are lovely two posters to do that! A4 landscape and A5 portrait.
Do I have to join to use Christian Flatshare?
Anyone can search and view accommodation adverts.
You must join to reply to adverts by email, to post adverts and to receive automatic email notifications about new adverts (Flat-Match and Pal-Up). Joining is free, simple, and is used to authenticate a member’s email address.
Click here to join.
Once joinged CFS members are able use all Christian Flatshare features including advert posting, seeing your advert statistics, and receiving automatic “Flat-Match” and “Pal-Up” emails).
How do I change or edit my advert?
To edit your advert, go to the "Your ads" page (click in the top right corner), and there you will see your advert summary shown.
In the top right had corner of your advert you should see these links:
You can edit your advert to change its contents of your advert, suspend it, delete it or ad photos.
If you do not see these links, please disable any "ad blocker" software and update any safeweb software you may use (some of these have been known to block CFS features, unnessicarily).
How long can an advert appear on Christian Flatshare for?
Adverts expire automatically 10 dyas after their "Available from" (offered accommodation ads) or "Requested from" wanted (accommodation ads) dates. This occurs to prevent ads which are not longer needed and which have not been removed.
Advert can be un-expired by changing the "Available from" or "Wanted from" date,most would move it to the current date. Go to "Your ads" to change your advert's available from or wanted from dates.
This can be repeated as often as necessary.
What is “Flat-Match”?
Flat-Match is an automatic process that matching the accommodation offered to the accommodation wanted adverts, based on around attributes given in both ads. If a person has posted an accommodation wanted advert and has chosen to use automatic Flat-Match (by ticking the Flat-Match tick box on their advert) they will receive a notification email when any new accommodation offered advert suitable for them is posted on CFS. Automatic Flat-Match emails can be stopped at anytime by using "edit my adverts" and un-ticking the automatic Flat-Match option in the wanted advert.
What is "Pal-Up"?
"Pal-Up" is an option that you can enable on a wanted accommodation ad to express that you are willing to be in contact with others looking for accommodation, to find a place together. Pal-Up will match wanted ads for those who are looking for accommodation in same location and with similar criteria, and who have both chosen to receive Pal-Up messages.
Similar to Flat-Match, members posting accommodation wanted adverts can choose to Pal-Up by ticking the Pal-Up tick box in their advert. CFS will then send the member details of other accommodation wanted adverts posted subsequently on CFS, and which have similar criteria (price, location, and preferred household). The older of two adverts is the one which will receive the Pal-Up messages.
Pal-Up emails can be stopped at anytime by using "edit my adverts" and un-ticking the Pal-Up option in the wanted advert.
Can I change the email address I use for my account?
If you wish to use a different email account to the one you registered with, please register with your new email address, remove any unwanted adverts on your old account and create any new advets as needed. In some cases we can do this for you.
Can I amend or remove my advert at any time?
Yes you can. Once logged in a member can amend or remove an advert by going to "edit my adverts".
Can I see how many people have viewed my advert?
The number of times an advert has been viewed in detail is shown at the bottom of adverts.
Why are accommodation prices only on a monthly basis?
CFS expresses prices in calendar months to offer an easy basis for comparison. Those letting accommodation and preferring to express the arrangement in weekly terms should use PCM as an expression of the average month, based on 4.33 weeks, and include details of the weekly payment in the accommodation description.
Do you keep all my personal information private?
Yes. We will never disclose your personal information to a third party (unless required to do so by law). Information contained in adverts posted by CFS members will only contain the information that the member has chosen to provide.
The email address that a member provides during registration is not disclosed on the CFS website (although a member may include it in the advert's text if they wish to); those responding to accommodation adverts do so through an email form in which will not disclose the adverts owner's email address.
For more information on our data controls please see our "Privacy Policy".
Will you send me lots of emails when I’m not using CFS?
During registration members may choose to tick the box "May we send you CFS news?"
A fun update with news about our ministry is sent every six months or so to those choosing to receive CFS news. We will not send members unsolicited emails. Members may change their email preference at any time by logging in and changing their account details.
If you are receiving emails from us and don't expect to be, then please let us know enquiries@ChristianFlatShare.org.
How do I report inaccurate or problem adverts?
If you encounter an inaccurate or problem advert then please report it to us by clicking on the "Report ad to CFS admin" link on the advert.
We are keen to maintain the standard of accommodation adverts on CFS and would wish to remove any inappropriate content as promptly as possible.
Posting Wanted Accommodation adverts
It is FREE to place adverts.
If you are looking for accommodation you should place a wanted accommodation advert. Join CFS, click login and click "Post an Accommodation Advert!".
Posting a Wanted ad before replying to Offered ads helps you because:
1. When you reply to Offered ads your Wanted ad (which decribes you and your requirements) is automatically included in your message
2. You are automatically shown Offered ads that match your Wanted ad requirements
3. Those offering accommodation will be able to see and reply to your advert
Taking care to put good descriptions and adding photos helps you get the best response. After you have posted an advert you can (from "Your ads", top right corner):
- Preview your ad
- Add photos
- Edit your ad to change its details
- Suspend your ad temporarily
- Delete your ad
- Facebook your ad, to share with Facebook friends
- Change your advert's advert picture
Adverts Matching Yours
Offered accommodation adverts that match your Wanted advert will be shown below your advert summary, on the Your ads page. You should review these adverts and reply to any that are suitable.
Replying to Offerd Accommodation ads
You can search offered accommodation adverts from the front page. When you reply to any adverts it is helpful if you write a friendly note which introduces you and your accommodation requirement.
If you have placed a Wanted accommodation advert a link to it will automatically be included in your reply, so the recipiant can see your advert.
Advert posting tips
Some advert posting tips which are well worth following...
- A friendly, helpful and informative description of those looking for accommodation is always a good start. Adverts with brief descriptions attract less response. When posting the ad, can initially put a brief description and later edit it to add more.
- Adding *photos* can help to introduce the accommodation seeker(s)- and can be fun too!
- If you have a website or a social-networking page, then including a link to it will help others to find out more about you.
- Regularly logging in to CFS will help others see you are actively using CFS as your advert(s) will show how many days since you last logged in.
Posting Offered Accommodation adverts
It is FREE to place adverts.
If you have accommodation to offer you should place an Offered accommodation advert. Join CFS, click login and click "Post an Accommodation Advert!".
You can place different types of Offered adverts:
- House or Flat Share - Houses or flats shared with others
- Room Share - A room shared with someone of the same sex
- Family Share - Accommodation shared with a family with children or with a married couple
- Whole Place - An unoccupied house or flat
After you have posted an advert you can:
- Preview your ad
- Add photos
- Edit your ad to change its details
- Suspend your ad temporarily
- Delete your ad
- Facebook your ad, to share with Facebook friends
- Change your advert's advert picture
Adverts Matching Yours
Wanted accommodation adverts that match your Offered advert will be shown below your advert summary, on the Your ads page. You should reply to any adverts that you think match.
Replying to Wanted Accommodation ads
If you enter a postcode of accommodation you have to offer in Quick Search (on the front page) you will be shown Wanted ads from who are looking for accommodation in that area.
If you have posted an Offered accommodation advert and reply to the Wanted ads, a link to your advert is automatically included in your reply.
Advert posting tips
Some advert posting tips which are well worth following...
- A warm, helpful and informative description of the accommodation (and any living there) is always helpful. Adverts that have a brief description and have no photos attract less response. Once an advert is posted you can edit it to add photos and add more details.
- Adding *photos* is key to getting the best response as they can show what the accommodation is like, and can help introduce others living in the accommodation - photos can be fun too!
- If you have a website or a social-networking page, then including a link to it will help others to find out more about you.
- Regularly logging in to CFS will help others see you are actively using CFS as your advert(s) will show how many days since you last logged in.
Below are some common sense pointers to observe when interacting with others online, and will help you to spot any unusual behaviour.
Scam attempts are commonplace in websites that allow interaction between people. Here are some pointers which may help you detect scams:
- Always see the accommodation first, before paying a deposit or rent.
- Any requests for payments through untraceable money transfer services such as "Western Union Money Transfer" or "Moneygram" should be treated as highly suspicious.
- Overpayments scams: overpayments made with a request for the 'change' (sometimes blamed on a clerical error) should be treated suspiciously.
- Be wary of anyone who appears to want to remain distant from you, and does not wish to see you or the accommodation before parting with money.
- Do not disclose your banking information to individuals over the internet.
- Do not send images or copies of identification, such as your driving license or passport, which can be used in identity theft.
- Do not sign a contract or make a payment without seeing the accommodation first. Adverts for accommodation that does not exist is a common scam, and can be used to catch those moving to the UK. Protracted or seemingly awkward situations which make it difficult to see accommodation before paying a deposit or rent should be treated very cautiously. Those unable to see the accommodation might like to consider making use of a church reference and obtain church contact details through an official church website. Those working in a church office are likely to be only to willing to help vouch for the existance of a person, and their accommodation situation, and likewise those offering accommodation willing to connect you with their church to make.
If you receive a suspicious scam-type email we advise that you do not reply to the email, as this can only encourage those who send them. Those sending scam emails are likely to have sent multiple similar emails and will not be waiting on individual replies. Please contact us so that we can prevent the same email going to other members.
Some flat-finding tips from our international team of flat finding experts (ahem)...
- Visiting a new place - why not take a friend along? A second opinion is often helpful, and it is usually safest to visit a new place in pairs.
- Have you met all the members of your potential new household? It would normally be wisest to meet everyone, so that you know who you would be living with and so that you can assess how well you would all get on.
- How could you bless your potential new flat mates? How could they bless you? What could you learn from them? How would you complement and encourage each other?
- Are there any household rules you should be aware of?
- Swimming pools – is diving allowed, and will you have any cleaning or lifeguarding responsibilities??
- How tidy is your potential new household? How tidy do you like to be?
- The term that the accommodation is available – make sure you understand the date when you could move in, and the length of time the accommodation is available, if there is a specified end date.
- How is food and cleaning done? Is cleaning done? Are there any habits for cooking and eating together? Is there a chef??
- If the person offering accommodation has specified in the ad “would suit someone who, if asked, could provide a recommendation from a church…”, then it may be helpful to take the friendly initiative and to offer to provide any such recommendation.
- Do you understand all the Terms and Conditions in the tenancy agreement? What is the required notice period? What sort of agreement is it, joint liability or individual liability?
- Are there any regular uses of the flat? A weekly bible study? A weekly indoor football contest??
- Do you understand how and when rent should be paid? If a deposit is required, and when would it be returned to you?
- Budget and bills – what are your obligations to the regular household bills? Is Council tax and the TV license included? Writing a budget can be helpful.
- Smoke alarms – no place is a home without a smoke alarm. If there isn’t one fitted we recommend that you make enquiries to have one installed. Smoke alarms cost as little as £5 and are easy to install. Smoke alarms should be tested regularly.
- Security – is the accommodation suitably secure? Are there window and door locks?
- Location, location, location – how far is the accommodation from your friends, work place, college, your sports club, the gym, your church, public transport, a supermarket? the beach, the cinema (single-screen or multiplex??), a nice picnic spot or an appealing cake shop??
- Insurance – is there contents insurance and will it adequately cover your belongings?
- Prayer - we need to be spiritually tuned in for the big (and the small) decisions in life… prayer is the key for good guidance and for successful flat finding.
Landlord pages...
- Visiting a new place - why not take a friend along? A second opinion is often helpful, and it is usually safest to visit a new place in pairs.
- Have you met all the members of your potential new household? It would normally be wisest to meet everyone, so that you know who you would be living with and so that you can assess how well you would all get on.
- How could you bless your potential new flat mates? How could they bless you? What could you learn from them? How would you complement and encourage each other?
- Are there any household rules you should be aware of?
- Swimming pools – is diving allowed, and will you have any cleaning or lifeguarding responsibilities??
- How tidy is your potential new household? How tidy do you like to be?
- The term that the accommodation is available – make sure you understand the date when you could move in, and the length of time the accommodation is available, if there is a specified end date.
- How is food and cleaning done? Is cleaning done? Are there any habits for cooking and eating together? Is there a chef??
- If the person offering accommodation has specified in the ad “would suit someone who, if asked, could provide a recommendation from a church…”, then it may be helpful to take the friendly initiative and to offer to provide any such recommendation.
- Do you understand all the Terms and Conditions in the tenancy agreement? What is the required notice period? What sort of agreement is it, joint liability or individual liability?
- Are there any regular uses of the flat? A weekly bible study? A weekly indoor football contest??
- Do you understand how and when rent should be paid? If a deposit is required, and when would it be returned to you?
- Budget and bills – what are your obligations to the regular household bills? Is Council tax and the TV license included? Writing a budget can be helpful.
- Smoke alarms – no place is a home without a smoke alarm. If there isn’t one fitted we recommend that you make enquiries to have one installed. Smoke alarms cost as little as £5 and are easy to install. Smoke alarms should be tested regularly.
- Security – is the accommodation suitably secure? Are there window and door locks?
- Location, location, location – how far is the accommodation from your friends, work place, college, your sports club, the gym, your church, public transport, a supermarket? the beach, the cinema (single-screen or multiplex??), a nice picnic spot or an appealing cake shop??
- Insurance – is there contents insurance and will it adequately cover your belongings?
- Prayer - we need to be spiritually tuned in for the big (and the small) decisions in life… prayer is the key for good guidance and for successful flat finding.
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