How nbnb works

The whole flow, for anyone deciding whether to post a room or apply for one. Three minutes.

In one line

nbnb is where the person posting a room and the person moving in meet directly. See who lives there, talk, decide together, and sign the contract between yourselves. nbnb is not a broker and takes no fee.

1. Who posts rooms

The person who posts a room is called the host. A host is one of the three below. You pick one when you post, and you get guidance that fits.

Owner

You rent out a room in your own home. Nothing extra to prepare. The contract is between you and the person moving in. If you own several places (like "Sunny Villa 302" or "Park Apt 101-dong"), add the building name and your rooms are grouped by building.

Sharehouse operator

You rent a place and rent rooms to several people. You already have the landlord’s sublease consent. The room shows an "Operator" badge.

Tenant

You rent the place and want a roommate for the spare room. This is the most common case. It needs exactly one thing: your landlord’s consent. See 2 below.

2. Tenant? Landlord consent first

If you let someone move in without your landlord’s permission, the landlord can terminate your lease (Korean Civil Act, Article 629). There is an exception for "a small part of the building", but most Korean leases say "no subletting, even partially", so it is not safe to rely on.

• Get your landlord’s OK before you post, in a text message if nothing else. A text is better than a call because it leaves a record.
• When you post, tick "I have my landlord’s consent" and the room shows a "Landlord consent received" badge. It is the first thing applicants look at. nbnb does not check the message itself, so show it to your new roommate when you sign. For a room you already posted, change it in "Edit room".
• If your landlord prefers to sign the contract directly with the new roommate, even better. Post as "I own the place" instead.

Not sure what to write? Send this (in Korean):

Landlord consent form (one page + text message)

3. From application to move-in

From applying to moving in there are five steps. You can see where you are in the app.

• 1. Apply. Send your profile and a short intro, plus your move-in date and how long you plan to stay.
• 2. Decide together. The people already living there read the application and vote. The host never decides alone. This is how nbnb works.
• 3. Meet. Chat or visit the house (the app has an interview feature). Do not decide online only. See it once.
• 4. Sign. The two of you write the contract. See 4 below.
• 5. Move in. You join "My House" in the app. From here, see 5.

4. The contract

nbnb is not part of the contract. Instead we point out what people tend to forget.

• Always write a contract. A KakaoTalk agreement is not enough when things go wrong. The app gives you a roommate contract template (landlord, operator, and tenant-sublease versions).
• Duration. The "preferred minimum stay" on a room is the host’s wish, not a legal minimum. Korean law lets a tenant extend a contract shorter than two years up to two years (Housing Lease Protection Act, Article 4), so write the duration and the notice period before leaving (for example, one month) clearly in the contract.
• Deposit. Roommate contracts usually keep the deposit small. One or two months of rent is typical. If a large deposit changes hands, get a fixed-date stamp (확정일자).
• If it is a sublease. A tenant-to-roommate contract is only valid within the original lease. When the original lease ends, so does yours. Write the original lease end date into the contract.
• If you are a foreign national. After you move, report your change of address (체류지 변경신고) on HiKorea or at immigration within 14 days. It counts as your move-in registration.
• If you want a licensed agent. You can sign the contract through a licensed real estate agent. That fee is between the two of you and the agent. nbnb takes nothing. (Partner agent referrals are coming.)

Contract templates (3) + landlord consent form + move-in checklist (Korean, with English summaries)

5. After you move in

This is what landlords ask about most: "How is the house managed after someone moves in?" It is already in the app.

• House rules. Noise, cleaning, guests, smoking, all written where everyone can see, in Korean and English. New roommates read them before they apply.
• Calendar. Cleaning turns, bill due dates, house events in one place, with reminders.
• Settlement. Split and record bills and shared expenses so money talk stays easy.
• House chat. A group chat for the house, with a translate button so language is not a barrier.
• Cleaning and maintenance partners. For houses that want regular cleaning, we plan to introduce partner services.

6. If something goes wrong

In this order: the house rules first, then the contract, then outside help.

• Moving out. Give notice as written in the contract, mark your move-out in "My House", and settle what is left.
• Roommate conflict. Start from the house rules. If that fails, the host mediates. If it is serious, follow the contract’s terms.
• Something dangerous or unpleasant. Report and block right in the app. We review reports and suspend accounts when needed. If you suspect a crime, call 112 first.
• What nbnb cannot do. We do not resolve disputes between contract parties, hold or collect money, or give legal advice. We can point you to the Korea Legal Aid Corporation (132) or the Housing Lease Dispute Mediation Committee.

7. What nbnb does and does not do

What nbnb does

• Shows the room together with the people living in it
• Lets the current roommates decide on the new one together
• Gives you tools to run the house after move-in (house rules, calendar, settlement, chat)
• Profile verification (phone, ID)
• Report and block, translation, contract templates

What nbnb does not do

• Act as a broker
• Charge a brokerage fee
• Write the contract for you
• Hold your deposit or rent
• Give legal advice

Everything is free.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Details vary by case, so check important contracts with a professional.