FAQs

Everything parents ask before they join.

How matching works, what the trial covers, when to book an advisor, and how billing fits around your family.

For parents

12 answers

How it works

  • What does Houseroom actually do?

    Houseroom helps London families find the right independent school and stay on top of every deadline. You get AI-matched shortlists, verified school profiles, an admissions calendar with reminders, a tracker for applications and offers, and human advisors when you want a second opinion.

  • Does Houseroom submit applications for me?

    No. Applications still go through each school's official process. Houseroom organises your research, deadlines, open days, registration windows and next steps so nothing slips through the cracks.

  • Which schools does Houseroom cover?

    670+ UK independent schools (London-area first) across all the major entry points (3+, 4+, 7+, 11+, 13+ and 16+). Every profile combines verified school data with editorial review and, as the parent corpus grows, verified parent reviews.

Matching & shortlists

  • How does AI matching work?

    Tell us about each child — age, interests, learning style, location, budget, gender preference. Our matching engine ranks schools using verified facts (curriculum, results, fees, distance) plus signals from reviews and the Houseroom Index. You always see why a school was suggested.

  • Can I track more than one child?

    Yes. Pro covers up to 2 children; Concierge covers up to 5. Each child gets their own shortlist, timeline and tracker — but everything lives in one family account.

  • Can I add schools the algorithm didn't suggest?

    Of course. Search any school and add it to a child's shortlist with one tap. The tracker, calendar and reminders work the same way whether a school came from matching or you added it yourself.

Trial, billing & plans

  • How much does Houseroom cost?

    Browsing schools, reading guides and comparing two schools is free. Pro is £249/year (per family, up to 2 children) and Concierge is £449/year (per family, up to 5 children + monthly concierge call). Both plans are per family.

  • How does the 3-day free trial work?

    You get full access to your chosen plan for 3 days — add your children, run matches, build shortlists, use the tracker. Cancel any time before the trial ends and you won't be charged a penny.

  • Can I cancel or switch plans?

    Yes, any time. Upgrade mid-cycle and you only pay the pro-rated difference. Downgrades take effect at the end of your billing period. Cancellation is one click in your account settings.

Expert advisory & concierge

  • What's included with the Concierge plan?

    Concierge wraps the full self-serve product (alerts, AI prep plan, fit scores, tracker, comparison) with a human layer: a 30-minute concierge call each month, anytime messaging typically replied within 48 hours, concierge-led onboarding, and priority data corrections. Up to 5 children on one family account.

  • Who are the advisors?

    Former heads, admissions registrars and consultants with first-hand independent-school experience. Each advisor's background is shown on their profile before you book, so you can pick the right fit for your child's entry point.

  • When should I book an advisor versus rely on the platform?

    Use the platform for shortlisting, comparison, deadlines and tracking. Book an advisor when you need judgement: an honest opinion on a borderline school, a strategy call before 11+ assessments, or help reading between the lines of an offer.

Still have a question?

Try Houseroom free for 3 days, or message our team — usually back within a few hours.

For schools

  • How does a school claim its profile?

    Schools can start from the For schools page and request access. The Houseroom team verifies the request before granting profile management permissions.

  • Is the verified school profile free?

    Yes. The core verified profile is free. Paid tools are for open-day booking, enquiry management, follow-up workflows and admissions analytics.

  • Does Houseroom replace a school MIS?

    No. Houseroom is the front-door layer for discovery, enquiries, visits and reporting before data moves into the school's main systems.

Support

  • How do I get help?

    Use the contact page for support, profile corrections, membership questions or school-side enquiries.

  • How are school facts kept accurate?

    Houseroom combines public data, periodic checks and school-managed verified profiles so families can see clearer admissions information.