openigloo: Rental Reviews Reviews

by Ck Brown

I downloaded openigloo to see reviews for potential apartments, when I was done with openigloo and decided to delete my account I realized they don’t give you a way to do it yourself - you have to email them. Well, it’s been about 4 Months now of me emailing them, leaving comments on their Instagram page, and they STILL refuse to close my account. Is this to artificially raise the numbers of users they have? To have access to data they collect through having openigloo on your phone? Don’t know, but it seems unethical to not give users a way to delete their accounts and refuse to do so when they reach out. They also let you know they’ll hold onto your data even after deleting the account.

by Melmundy88

this app took one of the photos from my review of an event that happened years ago and posted on social media as if it happened during hurricane Ida last night. Isn’t this the type of fraudulent misrepresentation openigloo is supposedly trying to fight in NYC landlords ? But then they go and do it themselves. I’m reading through every line of the terms of service now - I can’t imagine it says in there they are allowed to MISREPRESENT my photos. I wonder where the other photos in their post came from. Did they steal those off the internet? If my apartment was under feet of water not sure I’d be posting content on this app in less than twenty four hours. Unfortunately I deleted my review so I can’t look up reviews to see if this content was genuinely submitted to them as the post claims or if it just more misrepresentation.

by Pole Position 2 Winner 4 Lyfe

So, unless you’ve left a review for a building/landlord, you can’t see any of their reviews or ratings? Which is the stupidest thing ever? Because isn’t the whole point that you’re searching these realty companies to get a sense of whether or not they’re any good BEFORE signing a lease? So, like, what good does it do for anybody that I can only see my crappy landlord’s reviews and ratings after I’ve already lived in his apt and reviewed it? Liiiiike, that makes no sense?

Dumb app, hoping that a better one comes along that actually has any interest in helping out tenants.

by Librarysymphony

The Instagram ads suggest that openigloo allows tenants to rate their landlords, but the openigloo only allows users to search for buildings. These are two different things. This is counterintuitive - the same landlord/owner could own multiple buildings, but it would be hard to tell with openigloo. Instead, openigloo should allow people to search for specific owners, management companies, etc (in addition to the building reviews of that already exist). Likewise, a browsing feature by location should be implemented for those who don’t have a specific address in mind but want to see reviews of many buildings in a specific neighborhood. As it stands, the ads for openigloo are incongruent with the information provided. Either the ads need to change, or openigloo needs to do what is suggested by the ads.

by Cm9709

I really wish I didn’t have to leave a review in order to see what others are truly saying about the building. Scenario:
Just moved to nyc this year, first time renting in a long time (previous home owner sold to move), 1st apt in nyc and had to rent site unseen due to Covid. I’m still learning about the management company and afraid of retaliation if I put negative comments in my review. Don’t get me wrong, it a decent place we live in, but it looks there could be better. However, without seeing what other users are saying it really does no good. Stars don’t mean much. Get rid of the first review for new users to unlock stuff and have verified reviews by people who actually live or lived in the building then it would be a decent app.

by Robojukie

Love the goal and contains useful info. Perfect if you have a list of buildings you don’t mind searching for one by one. However no one wants to horizontal scroll through a long endless, endless list that is super slow at scrolling (home screen view). Once you put in filter options it’s much better with your regular vertical browsing. A map view would also be nice. Overall decent app, would bump stars if option to click and browse latest reviews etc vertically

by Music Lover With Taste

Great concept! Truly appreciate finally gaining some transparency into landlords! We cannot solely rely on Streeteasy, Google Reviews, etc. They break down various feedback (bed bug violations, landlord responsiveness, etc). The only thing is I wish I saw more reviews, but I understand that comes with time and exposure to other tenants so they can write reviews. I found them through an IG ad - please keep pushing for transparency and fighting for tenants - we need it!

by Jaye282990

Finally a community to rate buildings and hold them accountable for the bad and good!! I wish they would not have the box to check yes/no and then post a big green ‘Recommend’ or a red ‘Does not recommend.’ It’s too extreme and with NYC apts- it’s not so black and white. There is a lot wrong with my apt but I love the location. Doesn’t mean I want to emphatically recommend it though. Other than that, I think it’s great! Thank you for making openigloo !!

by Chola Cxn

This place was great, rented for a reasonable price for marble floors and stainless steel appliances
Unfortunately it was damaged by the storm and needs some serious renovation and work

Family doesn’t like noise after 10pm which can be an issue if you like to watch a movie or play music or have friends over after that time…
Walls are very thin and you can here the family walking or having a conversation

by Dustydoofus

Really really good tool to help strike off obvious no-no’s when apartment hunting. The amount of time saved by being able to check city records and tenet reviews easily and cross out poorly maintained, poorly managed buildings is immense.
Only critique I have of openigloo is just better optimizing usability like swiping to go back, or saving buildings to a list.

by Susie's Mother

openigloo and idea is amazing. For so long NYC landlords have been terrible and this is finally a way to hold them accountable and hopefully make long term positive changes to our living in the city!! I reviewed my building and even checked reviews of my old apartments here which show the truth and hopefully will make change to those buildings. Also super helpful to know which apartments to avoid the next time i move!

by Christian Murray

Things that this turn a centralized and corrupt system into a way where the people can decentralize renting and take back the power of accountability. Buildings, especially in NY, have been ruining people’s lives and shoving them to the streets just for a few more bucks. Open Igloo allows for those people to be called out.

by ClerCs

If you are a NYC tenant, this is what we were waiting for. Finally somebody have thought about us! I was so tired to giving all my information to landlords and agents and not getting anything in return! openigloo is going to make NYC’s housing fair for all.
openigloo is very user friendly and easy to navigate! Well done!

by Dugsnick511

Was about to sign up for a lease in Brooklyn, couldn’t find much on the apartment online but happened to look it up through openigloo and found all of their litigation history and 311 reports. Could have been trapped in an infested apartment with an awful landlord who is harassing their renters. Thanks open igloo :)

by Sash Pras

Thanks to this app, renters finally have a platform to be heard! I look forward to seeing the platform grow and giving our voices more power. The user experience was very positive and I’ve shared the link with several of my friends. I will DEFINITELY be consulting this app when I move into my next place.

by IGotTooMuchTimeOnMyHands

Helped further my research in finding my new apartment! Reviews are anonymous. Leave your first review & gain access to all kinds of helpful info. like building mgmnt open violations, other tenant reviews, buildings litigation history + other valuable ratings. Easy to use. Definitely join their community on social too; each one teach one!

by RockinLove

this app is amazing. It’s such a fantastic resource to help find the ideal, safe, comfortable, best places to live. I also love that they help tenants know about their rights - tenants have soooo many rights that get trampled on or go unknown and this resource is helping to educate and exercise these rights! After everything, it’s also great to see that there are actually some good landlords out there - they do exist! Tenants should not have to endure poor treatment, neglect or any unfairness. openigloo and resource is really important and I can’t wait to see it expand to other cities as well. It helps make life better.

by KeiFlys

These management companies have been getting away with corruption, deceit, discrimination, negligence, abuse of power, conning, robbing, scamming, putting people in hazardous environments, ignoring dangerous conditions, providing the least and charging the most. FINALLY someone created an app similar to YELP but the stakes are higher than the chef burning your steaks. I hope openigloo turns management companies on their as$es. Renters have needed a platform like this for decades and the apps only going to get better. I wish Allia all the success!

by Huge Fan 1007

This building is fantastic. I have lived here since it opened in 2014. Thomas is a wonderful landlord—always willing to work with you, friendly (!!), and does not raise rent often. All the apartments are beautifully renovated with new hardwood and tile floors (tile in kitchens and bathrooms, hardwood everywhere else), soft-close cabinets and drawers in the kitchen (!!), stainless steel appliances, FREE laundry in the basement and a FREE storage closet in the basement for all tenants (!!), and perhaps the BEST Super I’ve ever had in Robert. This building is most definitely the best building I’ve ever lived in in NYC!!

by Ashhnaomii

Landlord hate it but tenants love it. It’s very crucial as a Black American Woman to have a platform like this as well as for other Black Americans. Redlining still exist and I experience it all the time and I I have been discriminated, denied housing, harassed, denied services, or given less because income, simply just being black. New York landlords (most I guess) maybe 98% perpetrate a system that marginalizes the working class vs middle class and etc. they have so much power and I am happy to have openigloo available to tenants to mitigate issues in the housing system.

by Marcellen

Finally somewhere we can hear past and present tenant reviews of an apartment we’re considering renting. Especially in a city like nyc, it can be such a gamble to move into a new building or know where to look to get the info we need. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of it! Thank you!!