Terms of Service & Usage Agreement

By accessing or using The Homes Lab website (the "Platform"), creating an account, posting a listing, purchasing or booking any service or product, or otherwise interacting with our platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms") and our Privacy Policy.

If you do not agree with any part of these Terms, you must immediately stop using the Platform. These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and The Homes Lab.

Your continued use of the Platform following any modifications to these Terms constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms.

The Homes Lab operates as a neutral online marketplace providing a platform for users to list, discover, and connect across the following categories:

• Properties: Residential and commercial property listings for sale, rent, or short-stay booking.
• Designs: Architectural and structural plans shared by registered designers and firms.
• Professionals: Verified home and construction professionals available for hire.
• Freelance: Task-based job postings for home-related services.
• Supplies & Equipment: Construction materials, tools, and equipment for sale or rent.
• Home Essentials: Furniture, appliances, and home accessories for sale, rent, or lease.

Our Role

We provide the technological infrastructure that connects users, and for some transactions we also handle the payment. Which of these applies depends on how the transaction is made:

• Arranged directly between users. Where a buyer and a seller agree terms between themselves and settle outside the Platform, we are not a party to that transaction. We do not own, manage or control any property, product, design or service listed.
• Paid through the Platform. Where payment is made through our checkout, we receive that payment as agent for the seller. We retain our commission, credit the balance to the seller’s wallet on the Platform, and pay it out to them when they request a withdrawal and we approve it. For freelance work we hold the payment until the customer confirms the work is complete, and return it to the customer if the engagement does not proceed.

Holding and releasing funds in this way does not make us the supplier of the goods or services. The seller remains responsible for what they list and for delivering it. Our responsibility is for the money we hold, and we account for it as set out in the Dispute Resolution Policy.

Seller / Lister Responsibilities

• Ensuring all listings are accurate, truthful, and up to date.
• Holding all necessary permissions, titles, or licences to list or sell the item or service.
• Responding promptly to inquiries from interested buyers or hirers.
• Complying with all applicable local and national laws regarding property, trade, and services.

Buyer / Hirer Responsibilities

• Conducting your own due diligence before committing to any transaction.
• Verifying property ownership, professional credentials, and product authenticity independently.
• Seeking independent legal, financial, or professional advice where necessary.

You must be at least 18 years of age to create an account and use the Platform. By registering, you confirm that the information you provide is accurate, complete, and current.

Account Security

• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.
• You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.
• Notify us immediately at support@thehomeslab.com if you suspect unauthorised access to your account.

Account Suspension & Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or permanently terminate your account at our discretion if you breach these Terms, engage in fraudulent activity, or pose a risk to other users or the integrity of the Platform. Verified members who have their accounts suspended may appeal by contacting us.

By creating a listing on the Platform, you grant The Homes Lab a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to display, distribute, and promote your listing content on the Platform and in related marketing materials for the purpose of operating the marketplace.

Listing Standards

• All listing information — including title, description, price, location, photographs, and specifications — must be truthful and accurate.
• Photographs must be genuine images of the actual property, product, or work. Stock images or images belonging to third parties may not be used without authorisation.
• Prices must be stated clearly in the selected currency. Hidden fees must be disclosed within the listing description.
• Duplicate listings for the same item or property are not permitted.

Property Listings

• You must own or be an authorised agent of the property you list.
• Listings must accurately reflect the property's availability, condition, and terms.
• Any material change to a listed property (e.g. sale agreed, tenant found) must be updated promptly.

Designs & Plans

• You must hold all intellectual property rights to any design plans you upload.
• Plans must clearly state the scope, intended building type, and any professional oversight required for construction.

The Homes Lab facilitates connections between buyers and sellers. Where payment is processed through the Platform, the following terms apply.

Promoted / Sponsored Listings

Users may pay to promote their listings on the Platform. Promotion fees are charged in advance and are non-refundable once a promotion campaign has commenced, unless the listing is removed by us in error. All promoted listings are clearly labelled on the Platform.

Platform Fees

Certain premium features and listing upgrades may carry fees, which will be clearly disclosed before purchase. Fee structures may be updated from time to time; continued use of paid features after any fee change constitutes acceptance of the new fees.

Third-Party Transactions

Transactions negotiated directly between users, and settled directly between them, take place entirely between those parties. The Homes Lab is not a party to them, holds no money in respect of them, and cannot refund or reverse them.

Where a payment is made through the Platform, the position is different: we receive that payment, we hold the seller’s share until it is withdrawn, and money we hold can be returned to the customer if the transaction does not complete. Those payments are covered by the Dispute Resolution Policy.

Property & Product Transaction Disputes

Disputes arising from transactions between users (e.g. deposit disputes, non-delivery of goods, property misrepresentation) are between the parties involved. We encourage users to resolve disputes amicably. While we may, at our discretion, provide mediation assistance, we are under no obligation to do so and our involvement does not create liability on our part.

Reporting Issues

If you believe a listing is fraudulent, misleading, or violates these Terms, please use the report function on the listing page or contact us directly. We investigate all credible reports and take appropriate action, which may include listing removal, account suspension, or referral to relevant authorities.

Chargebacks

If you initiate a chargeback with your payment provider for Platform fees without first contacting us to resolve the matter, we reserve the right to suspend your account pending resolution and to recover any resulting chargeback fees.

The Freelance section of the Platform allows users ("Job Posters") to post home-related tasks and freelance jobs, and allows registered professionals and freelancers ("Bidders") to submit proposals.

Job Posters

• Job descriptions must be honest, detailed, and not misleading about the scope, location, or budget of the work.
• Posters are responsible for verifying the qualifications, insurance, and suitability of any bidder they engage.
• Payment arrangements, milestones, and contractual terms must be agreed directly between the poster and the selected bidder.

Bidders / Professionals

• You must only bid on jobs you are genuinely qualified and available to complete.
• Professional profiles must accurately reflect your qualifications, certifications, and experience.
• You must hold any professional licences or registrations required by law in your jurisdiction for the services you offer.

The following activities are strictly prohibited on the Platform. Violation may result in immediate account suspension or permanent ban.

• Fraudulent listings: Listing a property, product, or service you do not own, control, or have authority to list.
• Misrepresentation: Providing false, misleading, or exaggerated information in any listing, profile, or communication.
• Duplicate listings: Posting the same item or property more than once to artificially inflate visibility.
• Spam & unsolicited contact: Using the Platform's messaging system to send bulk or unsolicited promotional messages.
• Harassment or abuse: Engaging in threatening, abusive, discriminatory, or offensive behaviour toward other users or Platform staff.
• Price manipulation: Artificially inflating or deflating prices, or engaging in collusion with other users.
• Off-platform payments designed to circumvent fees: Soliciting or accepting payments through unofficial channels in order to evade Platform fees.
• Scraping or data harvesting: Using automated tools to extract data from the Platform without prior written consent.
• Impersonation: Impersonating another user, a business, a professional, or the Platform itself.
• Illegal activity: Using the Platform to facilitate any activity that violates applicable local, national, or international law.

All Platform-level content — including the brand name "The Homes Lab", logo, website design, layout, code, copy, and user interface elements — is the exclusive intellectual property of The Homes Lab and is protected by applicable copyright and trademark laws.

User Content

You retain ownership of the content you upload (listings, photos, descriptions, design plans). By submitting content, you grant us a licence to display and use it as described in Section 4. You represent that you have full rights to any content you upload and that it does not infringe on third-party intellectual property rights.

Design Plans

Architectural and structural plans purchased or downloaded from the Platform are licensed for the buyer's personal and project use only. Reselling, redistributing, or commercially exploiting purchased design plans without the express written consent of the original designer is strictly prohibited.

DMCA & Copyright Takedown

If you believe your intellectual property rights have been infringed by content on the Platform, please contact us with the details of the alleged infringement. We will investigate and take appropriate action in accordance with applicable law.

We Are Not Liable For

• Any financial loss, property damage, or personal injury arising from transactions conducted between users.
• The accuracy, completeness, or legality of any listing posted by a user.
• The professional competence, licensing status, or conduct of any professional or freelancer listed on the Platform.
• Interruptions, errors, or data loss arising from Platform downtime, cyberattacks, or technical failures.
• Third-party links, services, or content accessible from the Platform.
• Any loss arising from reliance on information displayed on the Platform without independent verification.

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, The Homes Lab's aggregate liability to you for any claim arising out of or related to your use of the Platform shall not exceed the total fees you paid to us in the twelve months preceding the claim.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless The Homes Lab, its officers, employees, and partners from any claims, losses, damages, or legal costs arising from your breach of these Terms, your use of the Platform, or any dispute between you and another user.

Your privacy is important to us. The collection, use, and protection of your personal data is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

We operate in compliance with the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019, and applicable international data protection standards. By using the Platform, you consent to the collection and processing of your personal data as described in the Privacy Policy.

Key Privacy Commitments

• We do not sell your personal data to third parties for advertising purposes.
• Payment card data is never stored on our servers; it is handled exclusively by our certified payment processors.
• You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal data at any time by contacting us.
• We use cookies and similar technologies to improve Platform functionality. You may manage your cookie preferences in your browser settings.

These Terms of Service are governed by and shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Kenya.

Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms or your use of the Platform shall first be subject to good-faith negotiation between the parties. If unresolved within 30 days, disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Nairobi, Kenya.

Nothing in this clause prevents either party from seeking urgent injunctive or other equitable relief from any competent court.

We reserve the right to update or modify these Terms at any time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify registered users via email or an in-platform notification.

It is your responsibility to review these Terms periodically. Your continued use of the Platform after any changes have been posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.