Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! During the beta period, you can get free limited lease checks (top 3 flagged clauses with plain-English explanations) with a 2-per-day rate limit. Paid features (full analysis, negotiation scripts, move-in documentation, demand letters) are launching soon. Join the waitlist to be notified.

No. Counterlease provides educational information and negotiation suggestions, but is not a substitute for professional advice. We are not a law firm and do not provide professional services. For specific concerns about your rights or obligations, consult a qualified professional in your jurisdiction.

Your lease is analyzed and stored securely with a unique, unguessable ID. Personal details (emails, phone numbers, SSNs) are automatically redacted. Move-in photos are fingerprinted so you can show they weren't changed after upload, and timestamped to establish when they were taken. You can request deletion by contacting us.

When you upload a move-in photo, we generate a unique digital fingerprint of the file and store it with a server-side timestamp. If anyone tries to alter the photo, even by one pixel, the fingerprint changes. This creates a dated record showing the photo existed in its original form at a specific time, which can help support your security deposit claim.

The $9 Lease Report covers negotiation before signing (analysis + scripts). The $19 Full Protection adds deposit protection: move-in photo documentation, timestamped hashes, condition reports, deposit demand letters based on your state's law, and deadline reminders. Full Protection is currently available for 10 states (CA, NY, TX, FL, IL, PA, OH, GA, NC, WA). If your state is not yet supported, you can still get the Lease Report.

The $9 Lease Report works for leases in any US state. The $19 Full Protection tier (with move-in documentation, state-specific deposit deadlines, and demand letters) is currently available for 10 states: California, New York, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, and Washington. If your state is not yet supported, you can provide your email to be notified when we add it.

For Full Protection tier purchases, your lease data, photos, and move-in reports are kept until 90 days after your move-out date. We'll send you an email 14 days before deletion with instructions to export your evidence if needed. Lease Report data (without Full Protection) is kept for 1 year after creation. You can request earlier deletion by contacting us.

Counterlease offers 3 tone choices for negotiation scripts, outcome tracking, fallback guidance when landlords decline, timestamped move-in photo documentation, and deposit demand letters—all for a one-time fee. Some competitors offer features we don't (like side-by-side lease comparison or landlord tools). We focus on covering tenants from signing to getting their deposit back. See detailed comparison →

Yes. If a purchased report could not be generated, your file could not be read, or a technical failure prevented delivery, contact us within 7 days of purchase for a full refund. Other refund requests within 7 days are considered in good faith at our discretion. Refunds are not available because a landlord declined a request or a deposit was withheld.

Yes. For each negotiation point, we provide three versions: Friendly (warm and collaborative), Firm (businesslike and direct), and Formal (professional with legal references). Choose the tone that matches your relationship with your landlord.

When you mark a request as "Rejected" in your outcome tracking, we provide fallback guidance on next steps: documenting your concerns in writing, requesting clarifications, considering lease amendments after move-in, or consulting a local tenant organization or attorney for significant issues.

We currently provide deposit return deadline information for 10 states: California, New York, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, and Washington. More states are being added.

Yes. We use industry-standard security measures including encryption in transit (TLS/SSL), encrypted storage, and access controls. We automatically redact sensitive information like Social Security numbers and bank account numbers. See our Privacy Policy for complete details.

Yes. Counterlease works on mobile browsers. The move-in photo checklist is especially designed to be mobile-friendly, so you can document your property condition using your phone's camera.

You need an account to access Full Protection features (move-in photos, deadline tracking, demand letters). We use passwordless magic link authentication—just enter your email and we'll send you a secure login link.

We accept PDF files for lease uploads. Most standard residential lease PDFs work, including scanned documents with OCR text. For photos, we support JPEG, PNG, and other common image formats.

Counterlease is designed for residential leases only. Commercial leases have different legal frameworks and negotiation dynamics that our analysis doesn't cover.

No. Counterlease is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. We provide general legal information and self-help tools. Using Counterlease does not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your specific situation, especially eviction, lawsuit, discrimination, or unsafe housing, consult a licensed attorney or visit LawHelp.org to find free legal help in your area.

AI can make mistakes. If you believe there's an error in your analysis, please contact us at support@bluejinjer.com with details. We'll review and, if appropriate, regenerate your report at no charge.

Counterlease is designed for tenants. Some competitor tools (like FlagMyLease, TheLeaseCheck, and LeaseIQ) offer landlord compliance checking. We focus exclusively on tenant lifecycle support.