FAQ for Residents
Looking for our frequently asked questions for owner-operators? Click here to visit our owner-operator FAQ.
General
About Us
About Cios
Cios is a financial technology company. We developed flexible leasing, a new category of embedded fintech products that modernizes the lease experience by providing flexibility for residents while generating risk-free revenue for owner-operators.
What does "Cios" mean and how is it pronounced?
We're glad you asked — "Cios" is definitely a bit of a strange name! It's an old Irish word that means "to rent" and pronounced just like the word "keys".
As avid travelers and frequent movers ourselves, it stays true to our personality, and as a homophone (two words that sound the same but are spelled differently), we love the idea of opening new doors with a new set of "Cios".
How does Cios' business model work?
We charge a monthly or upfront membership fee for you to be enrolled in Lease Flexibility Coverage. If you decide to use your coverage and move out before the end of your lease agreement, we'll charge you a $500 flat fee to cover your rent while we re-lease your vacant apartment to a new replacement tenant using our software platform.
We use your membership fee and the flat fee to cover the costs of operating the software platform, to cover the costs of capital if we are unable to re-lease your apartment, and to provide the best customer experience to our members. Any remainder, we retain as profit to reinvest into making the experience better for everyone.
Getting Coverage
How do I get flexible leasing coverage from Cios?
You can buy a membership and get enrolled right here online through our website at app.getcios.com.
I opted into flexible leasing coverage through my landlord. How does that work?
If you opted into flexible leasing coverage through one of our partner apartment communities, you'll receive an email from us with a link to activate your membership.
Contacting Us
How can I reach you?
If you're a Cios member and need help now, you can reach us by email at help@getcios.com or get in touch with our team through our website on our contact page.
If you want to recommend us to your landlord, we're happy to help — just send us an email at hello@getcios.com or fill out this form here on our contact page.
Flexible Leasing
Membership
What's the cost of a flexible leasing membership?
Flexible leasing membership fees are calculated for each lease based on the number of people on the lease (adults who are on your lease agreement as co-signers, usually you and your roommates) and a number of different factors.
These factors affect your membership price, and include:
- The shorter the lease, the lower your membership fee
- Where you live may affect your membership fee
- Paying annually will make you eligible for a discounted membership fee
On average, a flexible leasing membership purchased independently will cost around 6% of your monthly rent on a monthly basis.
How can I get a discount on a flexible leasing membership?
Your membership fee is determined mostly by how long your lease is, and what city you live in. Since you probably can't change these things, you can also get a discount by paying annually or by purchasing a membership from one of our partner apartment communities.
On average, a flexible leasing membership purchased through one of our partner apartment communities will cost under 4% of your monthly rent on a monthly basis.
Can I cancel my flexible leasing membership?
You can cancel your membership at any time through our website and receive a refund for the remaining months you've already paid for. However, please keep in mind that you can only buy a membership within 30 days of moving in.
What that means is that if you cancel your membership midway, you most likely won't be able to come back before you renew your lease.
Coverage
What does a flexible leasing membership cover?
A flexible leasing membership covers you for rent and lease break fees owed to your landlord if you need to move out before the end of your lease.
For example, if you pay $1000 per month for your apartment and have a $2000 lease break penalty in your lease agreement, you could be on the hook for $8000 if you need to break your lease 6 months before the end date in your contract.
However, if you flexible leasing member, this entire $8000 could be covered, saving you thousands of dollars in potential unexpected costs.
Are my roommates covered under my membership?
Yes! When you become a Cios member, we require you to add your roommates' names to your membership. This covers you (and them) if any of you need to move out early.
This does not apply to by-the-bed student housing and other by-the-bed lease agreements where each roommates has a separate lease agreement with the landlord.
Is my spouse covered?
Yes! Similar to roommates, we require you to add your spouse and the rest of your immediate household's names to your membership when you purchase. What this means is that your policy covers all residents in your immediate household who are related to you by marriage, blood, or adoption.
For example, if your spouse is relocated for their job, your membership would cover you both, even if their name was not on your lease agreement.
What specific kinds of things am I covered for with my membership?
Your membership covers rent and lease break fees owed in case you need to move out before the end of your lease.
This coverage broken up into two pieces:
- You're covered for rent owed after you move out, for up to 6 months of rent. For example, if your rent is $1000 per month and you make a claim 3 months before the end of your lease, your coverage would take care of the $3000 of rent owed during the 3 months remaining on your lease minus our $500 flat fee.
- You're covered for lease break penalties or fees owed after you move out, as long as they were in the lease agreement you uploaded when you signed up. For example, if your landlord charges you $2000 as a lease break fee to move out early, your coverage would take care of this $2000.
What kinds of things are not covered under my membership?
Unfortunately, a membership can't cover you for every situation where you might move out before the end of your lease. For example, we can't cover you if your apartment is deemed uninhabitable because of damage.
Since your membership details may differ based on your specific lease agreement, the best way to get an exhaustive list of covered and excluded moves is to contact us directly or upload your lease agreement in our signup process. Before you pay anything, you'll have the opportunity to review in full all the membership details, including what is and isn't covered.
Payments
How do I pay for my flexible leasing membership?
You can pay for your flexible leasing membership using a credit card through upfront or monthly payment plans. We also offer discounts for upfront payments.
If you decide to choose a monthly payment plan, we will automatically charge your card each month.
Can I pay for my flexible leasing membership and rent together?
Unfortunately, you cannot pay for your flexible leasing membership together with your rent for now. This is something we're working hard on, in partnership with our partner apartment communities.
Landlords
Do I need to ask my landlord before buying a flexible leasing membership?
If you live in a one of our partner apartment communities, we've already worked with your landlord to make flexible leasing available to you at a discounted rate.
If you don't live in one of these buildings, don't worry! You can still purchase a flexible leasing membership, but we'll have to confirm with your landlord before activating your coverage.
Our team is working hard to partner with landlords and roll out coverage to more buildings. If you want to help us by recommending us to your landlord, we'd love an introduction!
Recommend flexible leasing to your landlord.
I enrolled in my apartment's flexible leasing program already, do I need to do anything specific?
We're excited that you're enrolled for flexible leasing already! Once your lease has been finalized, you'll receive an email from us with instructions to create a Cios account and activate your membership benefits.
If you've already signed your lease but haven't received an email from us, please check your spam folder, or send us a support request by visiting our contact page.
I'm a landlord looking to enroll my properties for flexble leasing, where do I start?
We'd love to work with you to enroll your properties for Cios Lease Flexibility Coverage. To get started, please book a meeting with our onboarding and partnerships team on our contact page.
Moving and Other Membership Benefits
How do I request a move?
It's super simple, just sign into your account on our website. Go to the "Move Out" page and press the "New Move" button.
Do I have to request a move before moving out?
We recommend that you request a move before moving out of your apartment, at least a week before you intend to move out. This gives us time to process your request and for you to provide supporting documentation if it is not approved instantly.
How will I get reimbursed for the rent I owe after moving out?
Once your move is approved, you will need to pay a flat $500 non-refundable service fee to finalize the move. Once this is complete, we'll issue payments directly to your landlord and send you both a confirmation.
How fast will a move be approved?
Our goal is to approve your move as close to instantly as possible. However, based on the documentation you are able to provide, this may take longer to manually assess. In this case, we will get in touch with you for further review.
Do I need to check out before moving out?
Yes, you will need to complete a short checkout form before moving out to confirm that you have vacated your apartment and there is no significant damage. If you have left the apartment uninhabitable as deemed by your landlord, we will be unable to approve your move.