1. Service Description

HousingAssist ("we", "us") provides rental market data, apartment search tools, and AI-powered housing guidance for foreigners renting in Tokyo, Japan. Our services include:

The HousingAssist website (housingassist.com)
The Tanu Telegram bot (@housingassistbot)
The Tanu Mini App within Telegram

2. Not a Real Estate Agency

HousingAssist is an information and search tool, not a licensed real estate agency. We do not broker, negotiate, or guarantee any rental transactions. Listing data is sourced from public websites (SUUMO, Homes.co.jp, at Home) and government APIs (UR Housing). We do not control listing accuracy, availability, or landlord decisions.

3. Data Accuracy

Our rental data is updated weekly from third-party sources. While we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee that listed rents, fees, or availability are current. Deal scores and cost estimates are statistical comparisons, not appraisals. Always verify details directly with the listing agency or landlord before making decisions.

4. AI-Generated Content

The Tanu bot uses AI (Claude by Anthropic) to respond to queries. AI responses are informational and may contain errors. Do not rely solely on AI-generated advice for major financial decisions like signing a lease. Cross-check important information with official sources.

5. Free and Premium Tiers

The free tier provides limited daily messages and basic search. Tanuki Plus (premium) provides unlimited messages, expanded search results, listing alerts, and priority support. Premium subscriptions are processed through Telegram's payment system. Refund policies follow Telegram's payment terms.

6. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

Scrape, crawl, or systematically download our data for commercial purposes without permission
Use automated tools to send excessive requests to the bot or website
Attempt to circumvent rate limits or access controls
Redistribute our proprietary market analysis or ward-level statistics without attribution

7. Data and Content License

Blog content is available for reference and citation with attribution to "HousingAssist (housingassist.com)". Ward-level rental statistics, deal scores, and proprietary analytics are not licensed for commercial redistribution without written permission.

8. Account Suspension and Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate access to our services for any user who violates these terms, abuses the service, or engages in activities that harm other users or the platform. This includes excessive automated requests, attempts to circumvent rate limits, or redistribution of our data without permission.

9. Limitation of Liability

HousingAssist is provided "as is" without warranty. We are not liable for any losses arising from reliance on our data, AI responses, or search results. This includes but is not limited to: rejected rental applications, incorrect cost estimates, missed listings, or decisions based on outdated data. Deal scores are automated comparisons to market averages and do not account for property condition, neighborhood quality, landlord reliability, or foreigner acceptance policies.

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold HousingAssist harmless from any claims, losses, or damages arising from your use of the service, violation of these terms, or redistribution of our data or content.

11. Third-Party Trademarks

SUUMO, Homes.co.jp, at Home, and UR Housing are trademarks of their respective owners. HousingAssist is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or partnered with any of these services.

12. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of Japan. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Tokyo District Court.

13. Changes to Terms

We may update these terms at any time. We will notify active bot users of material changes via Telegram message. Continued use of our services after notification constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

14. Contact

Questions about these terms: Telegram or email hello@housingassist.com.

Terms of Service