HomeSwitch – Terms & Conditions

These Terms & Conditions govern access to and use of the digital HomeSwitch platform, including the website, web app, mobile applications, messaging functions, verification functions, the HomeSwitch Trust Score and the HomeSwitch Damage Center.

The operator is HOMESWITCH GLOBAL LTD, a private company limited by shares registered in England and Wales under company number 17459952, Registered Office: 71–75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9JQ, United Kingdom ("HomeSwitch", "we" or "us"). Contact: info@homeswitch.asia. HomeSwitch is the consumer-facing brand of HOMESWITCH GLOBAL LTD.

By registering, using the platform or confirming a home exchange, the member accepts these Terms & Conditions. Supplementary terms may apply to individual additional services and will be clearly displayed before use.

Mandatory statutory consumer rights remain unaffected. To the extent that a provision conflicts with those rights, the mandatory statutory provision applies.

Member: a natural person who uses a HomeSwitch account.

Provider or host: a member who offers a home for an exchange.

Guest: a member who uses a home as part of an exchange.

Exchange: a time-limited mutual, or where applicable non-simultaneous, use of homes agreed between members.

Home: a flat, house, room or other approved living space that a member is lawfully entitled to offer for exchange.

Listing: the description of a home published on HomeSwitch.

Exchange confirmation: the binding digital acceptance of an exchange request by the members involved.

Damage Center: the digital tool for documentation and communication in the event of alleged damage.

Trust Score: an indicative value calculated by HomeSwitch that summarises verifications and platform activity.

Content: text, photos, videos, reviews, messages and other data provided by members.

HomeSwitch provides technical functions that enable members to find each other, communicate, present homes and arrange home exchanges. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the exchange agreement is concluded directly between the members involved.

HomeSwitch is neither the owner nor the landlord of the homes offered, nor a tour operator, real estate agent, insurer or general dispute resolution body. HomeSwitch does not continuously monitor a home and does not guarantee its condition, nor the identity, solvency or conduct of a member.

Verifications, reviews, Trust Scores or moderation measures reduce risks but do not eliminate them. Members remain obliged to carry out their own reasonable checks.

A member must be at least 18 years old and have unrestricted legal capacity. HomeSwitch may require a higher minimum age for individual countries where legally required.

Registration requires complete, current and truthful information. Use under a false identity, creation of multiple accounts to circumvent rules, or registration on behalf of a suspended person is not permitted.

HomeSwitch may refuse to accept a registration, request additional information, or restrict functions until a review has been completed.

Each account is personal and may generally not be transferred or used jointly with unregistered persons. The member is responsible for keeping their access data confidential and for activity carried out through their account, to the extent such responsibility is legally permissible.

Suspicious access, loss of access data or unauthorised use must be reported to HomeSwitch without delay. HomeSwitch may terminate sessions, reset passwords or temporarily suspend an account to protect the platform.

HomeSwitch may offer or require verification via e-mail, phone number, identity documents, selfie matching, address, payment instrument or external verification providers.

Members must use only genuine and valid evidence. Manipulating documents or circumventing verification is a serious breach.

Successful verification confirms only the outcome of the check carried out at the relevant time. It is not a guarantee of future conduct, ownership status or the quality of a home.

Listings must be accurate, up to date, comprehensible and complete. Material circumstances that could affect a stay must be disclosed, in particular access restrictions, pets, outdoor cameras, stairs, construction work, significant noise exposure, known safety defects and existing damage.

Photos must show the actual home. Misleading, third-party or heavily altered depictions are not permitted. HomeSwitch may review, have edited, hide or remove listings.

Members determine availability, house rules, the maximum permitted number of guests and excluded uses. Where individual house rules conflict with these Terms & Conditions or mandatory law, these Terms & Conditions or the law, as applicable, take precedence.

The provider warrants that they are entitled to make the home available to other persons during the agreed period. They must obtain any necessary consents from owners, landlords, co-residents, property management or authorities themselves.

HomeSwitch may request suitable evidence. The member is responsible for compliance with local rental, housing, tax, registration, safety and accommodation regulations.

A request is initially non-binding unless the user interface clearly states otherwise. A binding exchange comes into effect once both members have confirmed the material details and HomeSwitch displays or sends an exchange confirmation.

Material details include at least the members involved, the homes, the stay dates, the number of guests and the accepted house rules. HomeSwitch may require additional consents before confirmation, in particular regarding responsibility for damage.

Arrangements made outside the platform are possible at the member's own risk but make support, evidencing and safety measures more difficult. HomeSwitch may restrict services in the case of undocumented side agreements.

• respectful, timely and honest communication;
• careful handling of the home, its contents, keys and access codes;
• compliance with confirmed details, guest numbers and house rules;
• prompt notification of material changes or problems;
• protection of the privacy and personal data of the other party;
• returning the home in a reasonable, agreed condition.

Each member is also responsible for accompanying or invited persons, to the extent their conduct is attributable to that member's area of responsibility.

Guests must observe house rules as well as reasonable instructions regarding safety, waste, quiet hours, pets, smoking, keys and shared areas.

Parties, events, commercial filming, subletting, illegal activities or use beyond the agreed purpose are prohibited without express written consent.

Indoor cameras in private living or sleeping areas are not permitted. Permitted security devices must be clearly disclosed in the listing and operated in accordance with applicable law.

Changes to a confirmed exchange require the consent of both parties. Unilateral changes are permitted only for urgent safety or legal reasons.

A member who cancels must inform the other party without delay and state the reason truthfully. HomeSwitch may document cancellations and, in the case of repeated or abusive cancellations, may affect the Trust Score or account usage.

A stay may be ended early if there is a serious danger, significant deception, unauthorised use or a material breach of contract. Where safely possible, the incident should be documented via the platform.

Each member is obliged to treat another party's home and the property contained within it with the care of a responsible person.

If a guest, an accompanying person or a person invited by them intentionally or negligently causes damage, loss or exceptional soiling, the responsible member is liable to the injured party in accordance with the applicable statutory provisions. This may in particular include reasonable repair, replacement, cleaning, securing and necessary consequential costs, to the extent they are demonstrable, causal and legally recoverable.

With every exchange confirmation, the member expressly declares that they will:

• be responsible for damage that they, or persons within their area of responsibility, culpably cause;
• report damage without delay and not hinder its clarification;
• review reasonable evidence and satisfy legitimate claims within an agreed or reasonable period;
• not carry out any repair, disposal or alteration that unnecessarily prevents the preservation of evidence, unless immediate danger prevention is required.

Normal wear and tear, pre-existing damage or events outside a member's area of responsibility generally do not give rise to a liability to pay compensation. The injured party must present its claim in a comprehensible manner and take reasonable measures to mitigate the loss.

HomeSwitch does not owe compensation for damage and does not assume any automatic obligation to pay. A report or case handled in the Damage Center does not replace a court decision or any acknowledgement by HomeSwitch.

The Damage Center serves for the structured reporting, documentation and communication of damage. HomeSwitch may set deadlines, mandatory fields and status levels for this purpose.

A damage report should generally be submitted without delay, if possible within 24 hours of discovery, and no later than within 7 calendar days of the end of the stay. Statutory claims remain unaffected by an internal deadline to the extent they may not be effectively limited.

A report may require the following information: exchange ID, affected home, description, time, photos or videos, existing before-photos, cost estimates, invoices, police reports and communications.

The other party is given the opportunity to comment. Both parties must cooperate truthfully. HomeSwitch may structure documents, send reminders, moderate obvious abuse or support a voluntary resolution, but does not make binding decisions on civil-law claims without an expressly agreed dispute resolution procedure.

HomeSwitch may store and evaluate cases for security, fraud prevention and quality reasons, and may take them into account in connection with account measures to the extent legally permitted.

HomeSwitch may in future introduce optional or mandatory deposits, payment authorisations, guarantees or protection services. Such services only apply if their terms, costs, coverage, exclusions and procedures are expressly displayed and accepted before the exchange.

Unless a separate protection service has been confirmed, there is no insurance cover provided by HomeSwitch. Members should check before the exchange whether private liability, household contents, buildings, travel or other insurance covers the specific home exchange.

A notice, badge or technical check by HomeSwitch does not constitute insurance advice or a promise of coverage.

Reviews must be based on actual experiences, phrased objectively and free of threats, discrimination, confidential data or demonstrably false factual claims.

HomeSwitch may withhold, remove or limit the visibility of reviews where there are indications of manipulation, retaliation, extortion or rule violations.

The Trust Score may take into account, among other things, verifications, profile completeness, response behaviour, confirmed exchanges, reviews, cancellations, reports and safety incidents. The methodology and weighting may remain partly confidential to prevent abuse.

The Trust Score is an indicative system and not a guarantee. Automated or partially automated decisions are used only to the extent legally permitted; the necessary information and complaint options will be provided.

HomeSwitch may offer free and paid plans. Before conclusion, the price, billing period, included services, automatic renewal, cancellation options and any applicable taxes will be clearly displayed.

Payments may be processed via external payment service providers. Their terms may apply in addition. Members must provide valid payment details and must not use unauthorised means of payment.

HomeSwitch may change prices for future billing periods where members are informed in a timely and transparent manner. Services already purchased will not be retroactively reduced, unless there is a compelling reason or an expressly agreed rule.

Consumers may have statutory rights of withdrawal or cancellation. The specific notice will depend on the operator's country, the customer's place of residence, the type of service and the time the service begins, and will be finalised separately before sales launch.

If a member requests that a digital service begin before the expiry of a withdrawal period, HomeSwitch will obtain the necessary express declarations. Rights must not be impeded by misleading user guidance.

Subscriptions must be cancellable via a reasonable and easily accessible method. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the paid period, unless something more favourable is provided by law or in the offer.

• fraud, identity deception or falsified evidence;
• discrimination, harassment, threats of violence or hateful content;
• human trafficking, sexual exploitation, drug trafficking or other illegal activities;
• unauthorised commercial letting or onward brokerage;
• circumvention of fees, verifications, blocks or safety mechanisms;
• malware, automated scraping, attacks or disruption of the platform;
• publication of third parties' personal data without a legal basis;
• content for which the member does not hold the necessary rights.

HomeSwitch may review content and take measures but is not obliged to check all content prior to publication.

Possible measures include warnings, removal of content, functional restrictions, reduction or suspension of certain trust features, temporary suspension and permanent account closure.

In making decisions, HomeSwitch will consider in particular the severity, repetition, evidence, safety risk and statutory obligations. Where legally required and safely justifiable, the member will receive a statement of reasons and an internal complaint option.

The platform, software, trademarks, designs, text and other HomeSwitch content are legally protected. Use beyond the intended platform purpose requires HomeSwitch's consent.

The member generally retains their rights to their own content. However, they grant HomeSwitch a non-exclusive, worldwide licence necessary for the operation, security, display, translation, technical adaptation and promotion of the platform. This licence generally ends upon deletion of the content, unless retention is required for legal, safety or evidentiary reasons.

The member warrants that they hold the necessary rights and that any persons or private areas shown are depicted lawfully.

Personal data is processed in accordance with the applicable Privacy Policy. The Terms & Conditions do not replace the Privacy Policy.

Contractual and safety notices may be sent via e-mail, platform messages or other stated contact channels. Marketing messages will only be sent in accordance with applicable law and may be unsubscribed from.

HomeSwitch endeavours to provide reliable availability but does not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation. Maintenance, security incidents, external services or force majeure may cause interruptions.

Features in the Genesis, preview, alpha or beta phase may be incomplete, changed or discontinued. HomeSwitch will not make misleading claims about services that do not exist. In particular, support hours, insurance cover or verification levels may only be advertised if they are actually offered.

HomeSwitch is liable without limitation to the extent liability may not be excluded by law, in particular in cases of intent, fraudulent misrepresentation, and injury to life, body or health, where applicable.

Otherwise, HomeSwitch is liable only to the extent legally permitted. HomeSwitch is generally not liable for the conduct of members, the condition of a home, personal belongings, travel decisions, missed experiences or agreements made outside the platform.

Limitations of liability do not apply where mandatory consumer law provides otherwise. A specific liability cap can only be determined by legal counsel once the tariff, the company, the insurance concept and the applicable legal system have been established.

To the extent legally permitted, a member indemnifies HomeSwitch against legitimate third-party claims arising from a culpable breach by the member of these Terms & Conditions, third-party rights or applicable law. HomeSwitch will inform the member of material claims and give them reasonable opportunities to participate.

The usage agreement runs for an indefinite period. The member may generally close their account at any time via the account settings or support. Open exchanges, payment claims, damage cases and statutory retention obligations may prevent immediate complete deletion.

HomeSwitch may terminate or suspend the agreement in the event of a serious breach, security risk, suspected fraud, statutory obligation or permanent discontinuation of the platform. Rights and obligations already accrued remain unaffected.

Complaints to HomeSwitch may be addressed to info@homeswitch.asia. HomeSwitch will acknowledge complaints within a reasonable period and describe the further process.

Disputes between members should first be resolved through direct communication and, where applicable, the Damage Center. HomeSwitch may offer voluntary mediation but is not an arbitration body without a separate agreement.

Statutory options for out-of-court dispute resolution and access to the courts remain unaffected. A binding ADR concept will be established prior to market launch based on the final legal system.

The agreement is governed by the law of England and Wales. This choice of law must not deprive a consumer of the protection of mandatory provisions that would apply, in the absence of a choice of law, under the law of their habitual residence.

An exclusive place of jurisdiction against consumers will not be established where this would be legally impermissible or inappropriate. For business customers, a place of jurisdiction at HomeSwitch's registered office may be agreed following legal review.

HomeSwitch may amend these Terms & Conditions for objective reasons, in particular in the event of legal changes, new features, security requirements or changes to the business model. Material changes will be communicated in an appropriate manner before they take effect.

Where express consent is required, HomeSwitch will obtain it. Silence will not be regarded as consent where applicable law does not permit this.

Should any provision be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain unaffected. The statutory rule shall apply in place of the invalid provision; a validity-preserving reduction shall only take place to the extent permissible.

Rights under this agreement may only be transferred by members with HomeSwitch's consent. HomeSwitch may transfer the agreement as part of a restructuring, financing or business transfer, provided that members' rights are not unreasonably affected and the necessary information is provided.

Where these Terms are published in more than one language, the English version prevails in the event of conflict, to the extent legally permissible.

The following text is intended to be displayed as a separate checkbox requiring active confirmation, immediately before the binding exchange confirmation:

„I confirm that I will treat the home, its contents and the house rules with care. I accept responsibility, in accordance with the applicable statutory provisions, for damage, loss or exceptional soiling that I or persons within my area of responsibility cause intentionally or negligently. I will report any damage without delay and cooperate in a fair documentation and clarification process. I am aware that HomeSwitch does not generally cover such damage itself unless a separate protection service has been expressly confirmed.“

The application must log the date, time, user ID, Terms & Conditions version, exchange ID and the exact checkbox text in a tamper-proof manner.

• Create case as a draft
• Select exchange and damaged area
• Record description, time and estimated amount
• Upload photos, videos and documents
• Submit report as binding
• Automatically notify the other party
• Enable comment and counter-evidence
• Document direct agreement or mark as "disputed"
• Optional admin review in the event of abuse or safety risk
• Close case and provide an exportable summary

Recommended statuses: Draft; Submitted; Response pending; Under clarification; Agreement reached; Disputed; Admin review; Closed; Withdrawn.