Chicago-based apartment rental website domu has written about “why you should ditch craigslist for your apartment search” and tallied more than 19,000 new apartment posts on Craigslist in a single day.

We’ve previously noted that domu isn’t immune from the occasional rental service scammer masquerading as a landlord.

YoChicago has always banned apartment rental services from advertising on our site, directly or through Google ads, and we maintain a do-not-call list to make it easy for renters to identify rental services. We think it’s madness to use a rental service / apartment locator, especially in the areas where you can see virtually all of your options on our at-a-glance apartment lists and maps. March madness, April madness, May madness … and so on.

Earlier this month we launched YoRents, online speed dating for renters and landlords. Landlords and management companies with 1,000s of apartments have signed up for a 90-day free trial of the service, and dozens of renters have already connected with them anonymously by filling out a single, simple apartment wanted ad at YoRents.

YoRents provides renters a free, spam-free environment to connect with qualified landlords. Give it a try, and pass on a link to anyone you know who’s looking for Downtown / Loop, Near North, Lincoln Park and Lakeview East and West apartments.

Rental service agents are not allowed to register as renters at YoRents, even if they’re genuinely seeking an apartment to rent for their own account. A valid email address is required to register as a renter, and we’ll do our best to enforce Section 3 (a) of our Terms of Use against any rental agent who violates its provisions.