AppFolio is a publicly-traded property management platform used by thousands of property managers. For tenants, this means your rental application, payment history, and maintenance requests flow through AppFolio's systems. The platform's terms heavily favor property managers while tenants have limited visibility into how their data is used.
AppFolio integrates tenant screening services that check credit, criminal history, and eviction records. Screening criteria and algorithms are set by landlords and may include biases that disproportionately affect protected classes.
AppFolio charges convenience fees for certain payment methods. These fees are often passed to tenants, adding costs beyond stated rent. Fee structures vary by property and may not be transparent.
Platform dispute mechanisms favor property managers. Tenants challenging charges or reporting issues have limited recourse through AppFolio—the landlord controls the relationship.
Your rental history, payment patterns, and maintenance requests are retained indefinitely. This data may be used for analytics, shared with screening services, or accessed by future landlords using AppFolio.
AppFolio provides multiple payment methods, making rent payment more convenient than traditional checks or cash.
Digital maintenance requests create a paper trail, which can help tenants document landlord responsiveness for any future disputes.
How AppFolio affects tenants: