Yelp, for apartment reviews: Swapt launches to hold your landlord accountable

Apartment hunting in a city like New York is a nightmare. Swapt, challenging countless competitors, believes it can quell the madness with a site that puts reviews first.

Numerous apartment directories and search tools already allow for user reviews, but Swapt claims it has already compiled “thousands” of apartment reviews since launching in beta two months ago. The service is available across the U.S., with an early focus on San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and New York.

According to Swapt cofounder Michael Downing, Swapt provides “insight that not only allows renters to make better decisions but creates increased landlord accountability by highlighting those who have exemplified proper customer service. Having already surpassed Yelp’s apartment review numbers in San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and New York City, it’s clear that our method not only works well, but is well-liked by users.”

Alongside its launch this month, Swapt shares that it has raised a $700,000 seed round from “value-add angels,” one of which could be HomeAway architect Jon Loyens, who publicly joined the company today as an advisor.