Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Settl platform at settlhome.com (“Service”), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service (“Terms”). If you do not agree to all of these Terms, you must not access or use the Service. These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Settl (“we,” “us,” or “our”).

2. Description of Service

Settl provides a tenant verification and rental readiness platform that allows renters to create a verified rental identity and share it with prospective landlords and property managers. The Service includes:

• Identity verification via Didit KYC
• Bank-connected income verification via Plaid
• A proprietary verification (“Settl Verified Passport”) based on verified data
• A shareable, portable tenant profile with a unique verification code
• A landlord portal for verifying tenant credentials
• VantageScore 4.0 credit report via TransUnion (soft pull, zero score impact)
• National + county criminal background check via CIC
• 7-year FCRA-compliant eviction history via CIC

3. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years of age and a legal resident of the United States to use the Service. By using the Service, you represent and warrant that you meet these requirements and have the legal capacity to enter into this agreement.

4. Application Fees and Refund Policy

Settl charges a one-time application fee of $99 per person for the Settl Verified Passport (individual) or Household Report (two or more applicants on one shared code). This includes identity, bank-verified income, employer payroll verification, rent payment history, a soft pull credit check, and criminal + eviction background check. Renewals are available at $39 per 30-day window. We reserve the right to adjust pricing with 30 days' advance notice posted on this page.

Refund Policy: Your Settl Passport is a consumer report under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We stand behind our service: if Settl fails to deliver your verified report due to a technical error on our end, contact [email protected] and we will make it right. Refunds are not available after your report has been shared with a landlord and used in a housing decision. Refunds are also not available based on landlord decisions or application outcomes beyond Settl’s control. See our How It Works page for details.

To report a platform issue, email [email protected] with your name, email, and description of the technical failure.

5. Accuracy of Information

You agree to provide accurate, complete, and truthful information in your application. Providing false, misleading, or fraudulent information is grounds for immediate termination of your access and may constitute fraud under applicable law. We reserve the right to report suspected fraud to the appropriate authorities.

6. Settl Verified Passport Disclaimer

The Settl Verified Passport is a proprietary assessment of rental readiness. It is not a credit score or traditional credit report. Settl provides tenant-initiated readiness assessments. Tenants compile and voluntarily share their own verified profile. Settl provides tenant-initiated rental readiness assessments and complies fully with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

The Settl Verified Passport is intended to supplement. Not replace. A landlord's own screening process. Landlords are not required to accept or rely upon the Settl Verified Passport in making tenancy decisions. We make no guarantee that a strong verified profile will result in approval from any specific landlord or property.

7. Fair Housing Compliance

Settl is committed to compliance with the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.) and all applicable federal, state, and local fair housing laws. Our platform does not collect, use, or factor into scoring any data related to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, disability, or any other protected class.

Landlords using our platform are independently responsible for ensuring their tenant screening and selection practices comply with all applicable fair housing laws. The Settl Verified Passport does not consider any protected characteristics.

8. Third-Party Services

The Service integrates with the following third-party providers, each governed by their own terms and privacy policies:

• Didit. Identity verification (KYC/document processing)
• Plaid. Bank account connection and income verification
• Square. Payment processing
• Resend. Transactional email delivery
• Twilio. SMS notifications
• Argyle — Employment and payroll verification. Connects to your employer's payroll system with your authorization to confirm employer name, income, and tenure.
• Stitch Credit (CRS) — Consumer reporting. Pulls your TransUnion VantageScore 4.0 credit report, CIC national criminal background check, and CIC eviction history. Stitch Credit is a CRA and processes your SSN as a data processor under FCRA on Settl's behalf.

By using features that involve these providers, you consent to your data being processed according to their respective policies. Settl is not responsible for the availability, accuracy, or conduct of third-party services.

9. Data and Privacy

Your use of the Service is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. We do not sell your personal data to third parties. You retain the right to request deletion of your data as described in our Privacy Policy.

10. Verification Expiry and Data Retention

Your Settl Verified Passport expires 30 days after generation. After expiry, your verification code will no longer return results to landlords. You may re-apply at any time to generate a new verification. Application data is retained for up to 24 months for compliance and dispute resolution purposes, unless you request earlier deletion.

11. Intellectual Property

All content, features, functionality, trademarks, and trade dress of the Service are owned by Settl and protected by applicable intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works without our prior written consent.

12. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Settl shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Service, including but not limited to loss of housing opportunities, data loss, or third-party conduct. Our total aggregate liability shall not exceed the amount you paid us in the 12 months preceding the claim.

13. Dispute Resolution — Binding Arbitration

Agreement to Arbitrate. You and Settl agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service (including any claims arising under the Fair Credit Reporting Act or any state consumer protection law) shall be resolved exclusively by final, binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, except as expressly stated below.

No Class Actions. You and Settl each waive the right to participate in any class action, class-wide arbitration, private attorney general action, or consolidated proceeding. If this class action waiver is found unenforceable, the remainder of this Section 13 shall remain in effect.

Opt-Out Right. You may opt out of this arbitration agreement within 30 days of your first payment by sending an email to [email protected] with “Arbitration Opt-Out” in the subject line and your full name and email address in the body. If you opt out, disputes will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in New York, New York.

Small Claims. Either party may bring an individual action in a small claims court of competent jurisdiction, provided the claim qualifies and remains in that court.

Pre-Arbitration Notice. Before initiating arbitration, the claiming party must send a written notice to the other party describing the dispute and desired resolution. Settl's notice address is: [email protected]. The parties shall attempt to resolve the dispute informally for 30 days after notice is sent.

Fees. For claims under $75,000, Settl will pay all AAA filing, administration, and arbitrator fees. For claims over $75,000, AAA fee schedules apply. The arbitrator may award the same individual relief available in court.

FCRA Rights Preserved. Nothing in this Section limits your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. §1681 et seq.), including the right to dispute information in your consumer file under §1681i or to seek civil penalties under §1681n/o. These statutory rights cannot be waived by contract.

Governing Law. This arbitration agreement is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act (9 U.S.C. §§1–16). The substantive law of the State of New York (without regard to conflict-of-laws principles) governs all claims not subject to arbitration.

14. Data Accuracy Disclaimer

Settl is a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA) under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. §1681 et seq.) and maintains reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy of consumer report information as required by §1681e(b). However, Settl acts as a relay for consumer report data provided by third-party sources including TransUnion (credit), CIC (criminal background and eviction history), Didit (identity verification), Plaid (income and rent history), and Argyle (employment data).

Settl does not independently verify, audit, or guarantee the accuracy of third-party data. Information in your report reflects what was furnished to Settl at the time of inquiry and may not reflect subsequent changes to your records.

If you believe any information in your report is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to dispute it under FCRA §1681i. Contact Settl at [email protected] or 1-877-419-4758. Settl will reinvestigate within 30 days (or 45 days if you provide additional information during the reinvestigation period) and correct or delete any information we cannot verify.

15. Tenant Sharing Decisions

You decide which fields are visible on your report and which landlords receive your sharing link. Settl provides privacy controls that let you adjust your report settings before sharing. However, once a landlord has accessed your report, that disclosure cannot be undone.

You are solely responsible for deciding whether to share your report and with whom. Settl is not liable for any housing decision made by a landlord based on information you chose to include in your report.

If you believe your report contains an error, resolve it through the dispute process (see §14) before sharing with additional landlords. Do not share a report you believe to be inaccurate — doing so is your decision and Settl is not liable for outcomes resulting from it.

16. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. SETTL DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, OR FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS, OR THAT ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED THROUGH THE SERVICE WILL BE ACCURATE OR RELIABLE. YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.

Note: Some jurisdictions do not allow exclusion of implied warranties. To the extent required by applicable law (including the Fair Credit Reporting Act), this disclaimer does not exclude warranties that cannot be waived.

17. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Settl and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or in any way connected with: (a) your access to or use of the Service; (b) your violation of these Terms; (c) your violation of any applicable law or regulation, including any applicable fair housing or anti-discrimination law; (d) any misrepresentation you made in connection with your application or report; or (e) your sharing of your report with any third party. Settl reserves the right to assume exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you, in which case you agree to cooperate with Settl's defense.

18. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms at any time by posting revised Terms on this page with an updated “Last updated” date. Material changes will be communicated via email to registered users. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

19. Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact us at [email protected].