Terms of Service

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Acceptance of Terms

Welcome to HouzRent. By accessing or using our platform — including our website, web application, or any related services — you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms").

Please read these Terms carefully. If you do not agree to any part of these Terms, you must not use HouzRent.

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes via email or in-app notification. Continued use of HouzRent after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

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Eligibility

To use HouzRent, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be a Nigerian citizen or lawful resident with a valid National Identification Number (NIN)
• Have the legal capacity to enter into binding contracts
• Not be prohibited from using the service under applicable Nigerian law
• Provide accurate and truthful information during registration

HouzRent is currently available exclusively in Nigeria. Use from outside Nigeria may be subject to additional restrictions.

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Account Registration & Security

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials. You agree to:

• Provide accurate, complete, and current information at registration
• Maintain the security of your password and not share it with anyone
• Notify HouzRent immediately of any unauthorised use of your account
• Accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account

HouzRent uses your NIN for identity verification. Attempting to verify with another person's NIN, creating multiple accounts, or misrepresenting your identity is strictly prohibited and may result in immediate account termination and referral to law enforcement.

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Landlord Terms

As a landlord on HouzRent, you agree to:

Property Listings

• Only list properties you legally own or have authority to rent
• Provide accurate descriptions, addresses, and rental terms
• Not list the same property multiple times simultaneously
• Ensure the property is in a habitable condition as required by Nigerian law

Tenant Relations

• Not discriminate against tenants on the basis of ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, or political affiliation
• Honour the terms of the lease agreement generated on the platform
• Process checkout and deposit release in a timely and fair manner
• Raise deposit claims only for legitimate, documented damage

Financial Obligations

• Accept that HouzRent wallet payments constitute valid receipt of rent
• Comply with Nigerian tax obligations on rental income received via HouzRent
• Not request payments outside the HouzRent platform for tenancies managed on the platform

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Tenant Terms

As a tenant on HouzRent, you agree to:

• Pay rent on time as agreed in your lease
• Maintain the property in good condition and report maintenance issues promptly
• Not sublet, assign, or otherwise transfer your tenancy without the landlord's written consent
• Comply with all terms of the digital lease agreement you signed
• Vacate the property on or before the agreed checkout date
• Not use the property for illegal activities
• Not dispute a deposit claim in bad faith

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Wallet & Payments

Wallet Terms

• The HouzRent wallet is a digital payment account used exclusively within the platform
• Wallet balances do not earn interest
• Wallet funds are not insured by NDIC or any government scheme
• You may not use the wallet for money laundering, fraud, or any illegal purpose
• HouzRent reserves the right to freeze a wallet pending investigation of suspected fraudulent activity

Top-ups & Withdrawals

• Top-ups are processed via Flutterwave and are subject to Flutterwave's terms
• Withdrawal processing times depend on your bank and are typically within 24 hours
• Transaction fees, if any, will be clearly displayed before confirmation
• Failed or disputed payments must be raised within 30 days of the transaction

Refunds

Rent payments made via HouzRent wallet are final and non-refundable except in cases of: (a) verified system error, (b) successful deposit dispute resolution in the tenant's favour, or (c) overpayment. Refunds are credited to the wallet, not to bank accounts, unless the wallet account is being closed.

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Lease Agreements

HouzRent provides digital lease agreement generation and signing functionality. You acknowledge that:

• Lease agreements generated on HouzRent use a standard Nigerian-compliant template unless the landlord has customised it
• Landlords are responsible for ensuring their lease terms comply with Nigerian tenancy law
• Digital signatures on HouzRent are captured with full name, timestamp, and IP address, and are legally binding
• HouzRent stores signed lease agreements and can provide certified copies upon request
• HouzRent is not a party to the lease agreement — we are a platform facilitating the agreement between landlord and tenant

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Deposit Escrow

HouzRent operates a deposit escrow service. By using this service:

• Security deposits are held by HouzRent on behalf of both parties until the tenancy ends
• Deposits are held separately from HouzRent's operating funds
• At checkout, landlords must either release the deposit cleanly or raise a claim within 14 days
• Tenants have 7 days to respond to a deposit claim
• Where parties cannot agree, HouzRent's dispute resolution team makes a final determination within 72 hours
• HouzRent's dispute resolution decision is final and binding within the platform
• Either party may seek independent legal redress outside the platform regardless of the platform decision

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Prohibited Use

You must not use HouzRent to:

• Impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your identity
• Commit or facilitate fraud, money laundering, or any financial crime
• Use another person's NIN or identity credentials
• Attempt to reverse-engineer, hack, or interfere with the platform
• Scrape, crawl, or automate access to our platform without written permission
• Post false, misleading, or defamatory content
• Use the platform for any purpose prohibited by Nigerian law
• Harass, threaten, or intimidate other users
• Create accounts for the purpose of manipulating or gaming the system

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Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by Nigerian law:

• HouzRent is a platform connecting landlords and tenants. We are not a party to any tenancy agreement and are not liable for disputes between landlords and tenants beyond our escrow and dispute resolution services.
• HouzRent is not liable for losses arising from: unauthorised access to your account due to your failure to secure credentials; actions of landlords or tenants using the platform; property conditions; or events beyond our reasonable control.
• Our total liability to you in any calendar year shall not exceed the total fees paid by you to HouzRent in that year.
• We do not guarantee uninterrupted access to the platform. Scheduled maintenance will be communicated in advance where possible.

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Termination

Either party may terminate this agreement at any time:

By You

You may close your account by contacting support. Note that accounts with active tenancies, pending payments, or escrow balances cannot be closed until all matters are resolved.

By HouzRent

We may suspend or terminate your account immediately and without notice if we determine you have: violated these Terms; engaged in fraudulent or illegal activity; posed a risk to other users or the platform; or provided false identity information.

Upon termination, your right to use the platform ceases immediately. Data retention obligations described in our Privacy Policy continue to apply.

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Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including but not limited to:

• The Evidence Act 2011 (digital signatures)
• The Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR)
• The Consumer Protection Framework (CBN)
• Applicable tenancy laws in the relevant state

Any disputes arising from these Terms that cannot be resolved through our internal process shall be submitted to the courts of competent jurisdiction in Nigeria.

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Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us: