Home Hub Terms and Conditions of Use

Last Updated: [Insert date of first publication]

1. Introduction, Acceptance, and Scope

These Terms and Conditions of Use ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you and the operator of the Home Hub platform ("Home Hub," "we," "us," or "our"). They govern your access to and use of the Home Hub platform, including the website, all associated pages, features, tools, content, and services offered through or in connection with it (collectively, the "Platform").

By accessing or using the Platform in any manner — including browsing listings as a visitor, creating a free User account, registering as a Buyer, publishing a Listing, subscribing to a paid plan, submitting any content, leaving a review, or interacting with any feature of the Platform — you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms in their entirety, including the Privacy Policy and Refund Policy incorporated by reference herein. These three documents together form the complete agreement between you and Home Hub.

If you do not agree with any part of these Terms, you must immediately stop using the Platform.

These Terms apply to all persons who access or use the Platform, whether registered or unregistered, whether paying or non-paying, and whether accessing via a browser, mobile device, application, or any other means. Where different provisions apply to different categories of users, those distinctions are clearly indicated.

Home Hub reserves the right to update, amend, replace, or supplement these Terms at any time. Material changes that affect paid Buyer subscriptions will be communicated to affected Buyers via their registered contact details, with reasonable advance notice before the changes take effect. For all other changes, Home Hub will update the "Last Updated" date above and publish the revised Terms on the Platform. Continued use of the Platform after any update constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. You are responsible for reviewing these Terms periodically and for ensuring that you remain aware of the current version.

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any provision found to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable under applicable South African law shall be severed to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

2. Definitions

The following definitions apply throughout these Terms:

"Platform" means the Home Hub website, application, and all associated services, tools, features, and technology infrastructure operated by or on behalf of Home Hub.

"User" means any natural person who registers a free consumer account on the Platform for the purpose of discovering, browsing, and connecting with Buyers (home-based and small-scale service providers) listed on the Platform. Users pay no subscription fee to access the Platform.

"Buyer" means any natural person, sole proprietor, close corporation, private company, partnership, or other juristic entity that registers a Buyer account on the Platform for the purpose of publishing a Listing advertising their home-based or small-scale services, and who pays a monthly subscription fee to maintain active Listing visibility.

"Listing" means any advertisement, business profile, service description, photographs, images, contact details, pricing information, service area indication, availability information, or other content submitted by a Buyer and published or made available through the Platform, whether in full visibility (active subscription) or reduced visibility (lapsed subscription).

"Content" means any text, image, photograph, video, graphic, hyperlink, contact information, business name, service description, user-generated review, rating, feedback, or other material of any kind submitted, uploaded, posted, or otherwise made available on the Platform by any person.

"Subscription" or "Buyer Subscription" means the monthly recurring fee paid by a Buyer to maintain their Listing in full visibility on the Platform, as set by Home Hub from time to time and displayed at checkout and on the Platform's pricing page.

"Third-Party Services" means any services, products, work, labour, or deliverables offered, advertised, or performed by a Buyer to or for a User, entirely external to and independent of the Platform, and arranged exclusively through Off-Platform Contact.

"Off-Platform Contact" means any communication, negotiation, agreement, quotation, deposit, payment, booking, service delivery, or other interaction between a User and a Buyer conducted outside the Platform, including via telephone, email, WhatsApp, or any other channel not operated by Home Hub.

"CPA" means the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 and all regulations and notices promulgated thereunder.

"ECT Act" or "ECTA" means the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 and all regulations promulgated thereunder.

"POPIA" means the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 and all regulations promulgated thereunder.

"Information Regulator" means the Information Regulator of South Africa, established under POPIA.

"NCC" means the National Consumer Commission of South Africa, established under the CPA.

3. Platform Role — Home Hub Is a Directory and Advertising Service Only

3.1 Nature of the Platform. Home Hub operates exclusively as a classified directory and advertising platform. Home Hub's commercial purpose and operational function are limited to providing Buyers with the technical means to create and publish Listings advertising their services, and providing Users with the means to discover those Listings. Home Hub does not sell, supply, deliver, perform, arrange, procure, manage, guarantee, broker, facilitate, intermediate, quality-assess, or endorse any Third-Party Service advertised through the Platform.

3.2 Not a Party to Any Transaction. Home Hub is not a party to any agreement, contract, arrangement, negotiation, quotation, booking, or transaction concluded or attempted between a User and a Buyer. All such arrangements are concluded directly between the User and the Buyer, entirely outside the Platform, independently of Home Hub, and without Home Hub's knowledge, involvement, approval, or liability.

3.3 Not an Agent, Employer, or Principal. Home Hub is not the employer, principal, agent, franchisor, joint venture partner, labour broker, or representative of any Buyer or User. No relationship of employment, agency, mandate, or representation arises between Home Hub and any Buyer as a result of that Buyer publishing a Listing. No relationship of employment, agency, or representation arises between Home Hub and any User as a result of that User using the Platform to discover services.

3.4 Not a Broker, Intermediary, or Payment Processor for Third-Party Services. Home Hub does not broker, negotiate, arrange, intermediate, escrow, guarantee, or stand surety for any Third-Party Service. Home Hub does not take, hold, receive, process, or have any control over any payment, deposit, or financial transfer made between Users and Buyers in connection with any Third-Party Service.

3.5 Not a Verifier, Inspector, or Quality Controller. Home Hub does not verify, validate, investigate, audit, inspect, accredit, licence-check, insure, reference-check, background-screen, identity-check, or quality-assess any Buyer, User, Listing, or Third-Party Service. The fact that a Listing appears on the Platform is not, and must never be interpreted as, any indication that Home Hub has approved, endorsed, accredited, verified, recommended, or screened that Buyer, their identity, their qualifications, their legal compliance, or their services in any manner whatsoever.

3.6 Not Responsible for Third-Party Services or Outcomes. Home Hub expressly excludes all responsibility for the nature, quality, safety, legality, availability, accuracy, price, fitness for purpose, workmanship, timeliness, honesty, reliability, or any other characteristic of any Third-Party Service advertised on the Platform. All arrangements for and all experiences with Third-Party Services — including every aspect of the service engagement from initial contact through payment, performance, and dispute — are entirely and exclusively the responsibility of the Buyer and the User as between themselves.

3.7 Fundamental Nature of This Clause. This section defines Home Hub's role more clearly than any other section in these Terms. It must be read and understood before using the Platform and before entering into any arrangement with any Buyer found through the Platform. Home Hub sells listing visibility to Buyers and provides a free discovery tool to Users. It does nothing more. Any expectation that Home Hub has screened, approved, employed, stands behind, guarantees, or is in any way responsible for any Buyer or their services is expressly, unequivocally, and irrevocably excluded.

4. Eligibility, Account Registration, and Account Security

4.1 Minimum Age. You must be at least 18 years of age to register an account or use the Platform. By registering, you represent and warrant that you meet this age requirement. If you are registering on behalf of a juristic entity such as a close corporation or private company, you warrant that you have full legal authority and capacity to bind that entity to these Terms.

4.2 Accuracy of Registration Information. You must provide accurate, complete, current, truthful, and not misleading information when creating and maintaining your account. You are solely responsible for ensuring that all account information — including your name, contact details, and payment information — remains accurate and up to date at all times. Home Hub reserves the right to suspend or terminate any account where it has reason to believe that registration or account information is false, inaccurate, incomplete, outdated, or misleading.

4.3 One Account Per Person. Each individual natural person may hold only one User account and one Buyer account. Creating multiple accounts to evade a suspension, circumvent restrictions, exploit features, or artificially inflate ratings or reviews constitutes a material breach of these Terms.

4.4 Account Credentials and Security. You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and security of your login credentials. You accept full responsibility for all activities, submissions, and actions taken under your account, whether or not you personally authorised them. You must notify Home Hub immediately if you become aware of any unauthorised access to your account, any suspected compromise of your credentials, or any other security incident involving your account. Home Hub is not liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to maintain the security of your login credentials, except where such failure results from Home Hub's own fault or negligence.

4.5 Non-Transferability. Your account is personal and non-transferable. You may not sell, assign, transfer, sub-licence, or otherwise dispose of your account, your Listing, your subscription, or any access rights associated with your account to any other person without Home Hub's express prior written consent.

4.6 Additional Buyer Registration Warranties. By registering as a Buyer and publishing a Listing, you additionally warrant and represent, on an ongoing and renewable basis for as long as your Listing is active, that: (a) you are legally entitled to advertise, offer, and provide the specific services described in your Listing in the Republic of South Africa; (b) you hold all licences, registrations, permits, certifications, and qualifications that applicable law requires for the offering or provision of those services; (c) you are legally entitled to receive payment for those services; (d) all information in your Listing is accurate, complete, current, and not misleading; (e) you will promptly update your Listing whenever any information in it becomes inaccurate, outdated, or misleading; (f) you will comply with all applicable South African laws and regulations in the conduct of your business and the provision of your services; and (g) you are not subject to any prohibition, court order, or regulatory restriction that would prevent you from lawfully advertising or providing the services described in your Listing.

5. Listing Standards, Seller Obligations, and Legal Compliance

5.1 Sole Responsibility for Listings. Buyers are solely, entirely, and without limitation responsible for ensuring that their Listings are accurate, complete, truthful, lawful, and not misleading at all times. Home Hub does not review Listings before publication. The fact that a Listing has been published does not mean that Home Hub has reviewed, verified, or approved its content.

5.2 Accuracy of Descriptions and Representations. Listings must accurately describe the services the Buyer actually offers, the geographic area in which they operate, their realistic pricing expectations (where indicated), their actual qualifications and experience, their genuine contact details, and any relevant terms or conditions applicable to the engagement of their services. Exaggerated, speculative, or inflated descriptions are prohibited.

5.3 Accuracy of Images and Photographs. All images, photographs, and visual content included in a Listing must accurately represent the Buyer's own actual work, services, products, or business premises. The use of stock photographs, images not owned by or properly licensed to the Buyer, photographs of other providers' work presented as the Buyer's own, digitally manipulated or misleading images, or images intended to deceive is strictly prohibited. By submitting any image, the Buyer warrants that they either own that image outright or hold a valid licence to use it in the context of their Listing.

5.4 Lawfulness of Advertised Services. Buyers warrant that every service they advertise is lawful under all applicable South African law and does not require any licence, permit, registration, or professional accreditation that the Buyer does not hold. Buyers may not use the Platform to advertise unlawful services, regulated services for which they are unqualified or unlicensed, or services whose provision would constitute a criminal offence under any applicable law.

5.5 Compliance with the Consumer Protection Act. To the extent that the CPA applies to a Buyer's commercial activities (including their dealings with customers who contact them through the Platform), the Buyer is independently and solely responsible for their own compliance with all applicable CPA obligations. This includes, without limitation, obligations relating to honest dealing, fair contractual terms, product and service liability, consumer rights, plain language requirements, and any other relevant provisions. Home Hub is not responsible for a Buyer's CPA compliance in respect of their independent business activities or customer relationships.

5.6 Regulated and Licensed Service Categories. Home Hub reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to restrict, remove, or refuse Listings in service categories that involve regulated, licensed, or legally restricted activities, including but not limited to healthcare, childcare, pharmaceutical services, financial advice, real estate brokerage, electrical and gas contracting, security and guarding services, transportation of persons or goods for reward, and any category where the Platform is unable to screen for compliance. The inclusion of any regulated service category on the Platform at any point in time does not constitute a representation by Home Hub that it has verified or will verify compliance by Buyers in that category.

5.7 Ongoing Accuracy Obligation. The obligation to maintain a Listing that is accurate and not misleading is ongoing for the entire duration that the Listing is active. If a Buyer's circumstances change — including changes to the services offered, pricing, service area, availability, contact details, qualifications, licences, legal standing, or any other material aspect of the Listing — the Buyer must update their Listing promptly and without delay.

5.8 Consequences of Non-Compliant Listings. Home Hub may, in its sole and reasonable discretion, suspend, edit, hide, unpublish, or permanently remove any Listing that it believes, based on a report, complaint, investigation, or its own review, to be inaccurate, misleading, unlawful, dangerous, or otherwise in breach of these Terms, without prior notice and without liability to the Buyer, subject to the Buyer's rights under applicable mandatory law.

6. Content Ownership, Licence, and Intellectual Property

6.1 Ownership of Your Content. You retain ownership of the Content you submit to the Platform, subject to the licence granted below, any applicable laws, and any rights of third parties that may be relevant. Nothing in these Terms transfers ownership of your Content to Home Hub.

6.2 Your Warranties Regarding Content. By submitting any Content to the Platform, you warrant and represent that: (a) you own the Content or have obtained all necessary rights, licences, consents, and permissions to submit it and to grant the licence set out in clause 6.3; (b) the Content does not infringe the intellectual property rights, privacy rights, personality rights, reputation, or any other rights of any third party; (c) the Content is accurate and not misleading; and (d) the Content complies in all respects with these Terms.

6.3 Licence Granted to Home Hub. By submitting Content to the Platform, you grant Home Hub a non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable, worldwide licence to use, reproduce, store, display, distribute, adapt, translate, and moderate that Content solely to the extent necessary to: (a) operate, maintain, and improve the Platform and provide the Services; (b) host and display your Listing and profile to Users; (c) promote the Platform and the services offered through it, including through social media and marketing materials; (d) comply with legal obligations; and (e) perform moderation, safety, fraud-prevention, and enforcement activities. This licence is limited to the purposes described in this clause.

6.4 Duration of Licence. The licence in clause 6.3 continues for as long as the Content is hosted on the Platform and for a reasonable period thereafter to accommodate backup retention, legal record-keeping, and dispute-resolution requirements. Where you delete Content that was publicly displayed, Home Hub will make commercially reasonable efforts to remove it from active display. However, Home Hub cannot guarantee the immediate removal of cached versions, archived copies, or copies indexed by third-party search engines outside of Home Hub's control.

6.5 Home Hub's Intellectual Property. All intellectual property in the Platform itself — including but not limited to the Home Hub name, brand, logo, trademarks, service marks, domain names, website design, layout, graphics, software, databases, source code, algorithms, and all other proprietary materials — belongs exclusively to Home Hub or its licensors. Nothing in these Terms grants you any right, title, interest, or licence in Home Hub's intellectual property beyond the limited right to use the Platform as permitted by these Terms.

6.6 No Scraping or Automated Extraction. You may not use automated scripts, bots, web scrapers, crawlers, spiders, or any other automated means to access, extract, index, copy, compile, or reproduce any Content, data, or Listings from the Platform without Home Hub's express prior written consent. Automated access without authorisation is a material breach of these Terms and may constitute an unlawful act under South African law.

6.7 Feedback and Suggestions. If you provide Home Hub with any feedback, suggestions, ideas, recommendations, or improvements regarding the Platform, you grant Home Hub a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free licence to use that feedback for any purpose without any obligation of confidentiality or compensation to you.

7. Prohibited Content and Conduct

7.1 General Prohibition. You may not use the Platform in any manner that is unlawful, harmful, fraudulent, deceptive, harassing, intimidating, abusive, defamatory, obscene, discriminatory, or invasive of any person's privacy or rights. The following categories of content and conduct are expressly and strictly prohibited.

7.2 Unlawful Services and Criminal Activity. You may not advertise, offer, facilitate, arrange, or assist with any service, product, or activity that is unlawful under South African law or any other applicable law, including services that constitute criminal offences, services provided without legally required licences or permits, and services that involve the exploitation, trafficking, or harm of any person.

7.3 False, Misleading, and Deceptive Content. You may not post, submit, or publish any Content that is false, inaccurate, misleading, deceptive, or fraudulent in any respect, including but not limited to: fabricated qualifications, credentials, certifications, or professional memberships; fake identities, business names, or registrations; fictitious reviews, testimonials, or ratings; misrepresentation of service quality, pricing, availability, or geographic coverage; stock photographs presented as your own work; impersonation of any identifiable person, business, or organisation; and any representation calculated or likely to create a false impression of the nature, quality, origin, or characteristics of any service.

7.4 Hate Speech and Discrimination. You may not post, submit, or publish any Content that incites hatred, violence, or discrimination against any person or group of persons on the basis of race, ethnic origin, nationality, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language, birth, or any other characteristic protected under the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa or applicable law.

7.5 Harassment, Stalking, and Intimidation. You may not use the Platform — through Listings, reviews, ratings, messages, or any other mechanism — to harass, threaten, intimidate, stalk, coerce, demean, or otherwise cause harm, distress, or fear to any person, whether or not that person is a user of the Platform.

7.6 Privacy Violations and Doxxing. You may not post, publish, or distribute the personal information of any other person — including their full residential or business address, telephone number, email address, financial information, identifying photographs, or any other information that could be used to identify, locate, contact, or harm that person — without their express, informed consent. Publishing any person's private information without consent, for any purpose including harassment, intimidation, or stalking, is strictly prohibited and may constitute an offence under South African law.

7.7 Intellectual Property Infringement. You may not post, submit, or publish any Content that infringes the copyright, trademark, trade secret, patent, design right, or any other intellectual property right of any person.

7.8 Malicious Links, Phishing, and Malware. You may not include in any Content any links to or references to malicious software, viruses, ransomware, spyware, phishing pages, fraudulent websites, advance-fee scam pages, or any other harmful, deceptive, or malicious external destinations.

7.9 Spam, Unsolicited Marketing, and Contact Harvesting. You may not use the Platform to send unsolicited commercial or promotional communications to any user. You may not use the Platform to collect, harvest, compile, or aggregate the personal information or contact details of other users for any purpose other than contacting them directly in connection with a genuine enquiry about the specific services advertised in a Listing.

7.10 False Impression of Home Hub Endorsement or Verification. You may not represent, imply, or suggest in any Listing, communication, or marketing material that your services, qualifications, or business have been endorsed, approved, verified, accredited, or recommended by Home Hub, or that your status as a Buyer on the Platform constitutes any form of quality certification or official recognition.

7.11 Abuse of Platform Features. You may not: submit false, fabricated, retaliatory, incentivised, or coordinated reviews or ratings; misuse the Platform's reporting or complaint mechanisms to harm competitors or target users without genuine grounds; manipulate search rankings, algorithms, or Listing display through inauthentic means; or use any technical exploit to gain an unfair advantage on the Platform.

7.12 Circumvention of Enforcement Actions. You may not create new accounts, use alternate identities, use proxies or VPNs to mask your identity, or employ any other means to evade, bypass, or circumvent a suspension, termination, restriction, or other enforcement action imposed by Home Hub. Circumvention of any enforcement action constitutes a material breach of these Terms.

7.13 Platform Infrastructure Interference. You may not take any action that interferes with, disrupts, damages, overloads, or places an unreasonable burden on the Platform's infrastructure or the experience of other users, including through distributed denial-of-service attacks, exploiting software vulnerabilities, reverse engineering, injecting malicious code, or any other technical interference.

8. No Verification, No Endorsement, and No Guarantee

8.1 No Verification of Any Kind. Home Hub does not verify, confirm, validate, authenticate, or investigate the identity, real name, age, address, credentials, qualifications, licences, professional memberships, insurance cover, financial standing, employment history, criminal record, reputation, or any other characteristic of any Buyer, User, or Listing. The fact that a Listing appears on the Platform does not mean that Home Hub has reviewed, vetted, approved, or validated any aspect of that Listing or the Buyer behind it. Any reference to "featured," "active," "top," "popular," or similar Platform labels is a reference to subscription status, algorithmic positioning, or editorial selection only — it is not and must not be interpreted as any form of verification, endorsement, or quality certification.

8.2 No Endorsement or Recommendation. The presence of any Listing, Buyer, or service on the Platform does not constitute, and must not be interpreted as, any endorsement, recommendation, accreditation, approval, guarantee, or certification by Home Hub of the quality, safety, legality, fitness for purpose, availability, accuracy, or suitability of that Listing, Buyer, or service for any particular purpose whatsoever. Home Hub expressly and unequivocally does not endorse any Buyer or their services.

8.3 Featured Placement and Ranking. Where the Platform uses ranking algorithms, featured placement, promotional positioning, subscription-tier display logic, or any similar display features, such features reflect advertising spend, subscription tier, algorithmic outputs, or editorial selection criteria applied by Home Hub. They are commercial or technical tools, not quality signals. They do not represent any assessment or opinion by Home Hub regarding the quality, reliability, safety, or suitability of any Buyer or their services.

8.4 Reviews, Ratings, and User-Generated Content. Reviews and ratings submitted by Users reflect the subjective opinions of those Users at the time of posting and are not verified, endorsed, or adopted by Home Hub. Home Hub does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, fairness, or reliability of any review or rating. The presence of positive reviews does not constitute an endorsement by Home Hub. Home Hub is not responsible for and does not stand behind any claim, statement, or representation made in any review or rating.

8.5 No Guarantee of Leads, Enquiries, or Commercial Outcomes. Home Hub makes no guarantee, warranty, promise, or representation that use of the Platform will result in any particular commercial outcome for any Buyer, including any guarantee of leads, enquiries, customer contacts, sales, bookings, revenue, business growth, or search ranking performance. Subscription fees are charged for listing access and visibility on the Platform — not for guaranteed commercial results of any kind.

8.6 Accuracy of Listings. Home Hub makes no representation that any Listing is accurate, complete, current, or reliable. All information in Listings is provided by Buyers and is not independently verified. Users rely on Listing information entirely at their own risk and are strongly encouraged to verify all relevant details directly with the Buyer before entering into any arrangement or making any payment.

9. Off-Platform Contact, External Transactions, and Risk Allocation

IMPORTANT NOTICE — THIS SECTION ALLOCATES SIGNIFICANT RISK TO YOU. IT IS DRAWN TO YOUR ATTENTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 49 OF THE CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT.

9.1 All Transactions Occur Entirely Off-Platform. All contact, negotiation, quoting, booking, payment, service delivery, and any other interaction or transaction between Users and Buyers occurs entirely outside the Platform. Home Hub provides no messaging, payment, escrow, booking, mediation, or dispute-resolution service for arrangements between Users and Buyers. Once a User chooses to contact a Buyer through details provided in a Listing, all subsequent interactions are entirely outside Home Hub's knowledge, control, and responsibility.

9.2 Home Hub Is Not Involved. Home Hub does not monitor, record, review, participate in, or have any visibility into Off-Platform Contact between Users and Buyers. Home Hub has no knowledge of, and takes no responsibility for, any representation, promise, agreement, quotation, cancellation policy, payment arrangement, deposit, or commitment made or negotiated between any User and any Buyer outside the Platform.

9.3 Personal Safety Risks. Home Hub strongly urges Users to exercise their own careful judgment and to take all reasonable precautions for their personal safety when arranging to meet or receive services from any Buyer found through the Platform. Before inviting any provider into your home, onto your property, or into any private space, you should take independent steps to verify their identity, credentials, insurance, and references. Home Hub is not responsible for any injury, physical harm, assault, theft, property damage, or any other adverse physical outcome arising from any in-person interaction, meeting, or service delivery arranged through or following contact initiated via the Platform.

9.4 Financial Risks and Fraud. Home Hub is not responsible for any financial loss, fraud, advance fee scam, non-delivery of services, pricing dispute, deposit dispute, non-refund, or any other financial harm arising from any arrangement or payment made between a User and a Buyer outside the Platform. Home Hub does not hold, receive, process, or have any control over any payment made for Third-Party Services. Users who make payments to Buyers do so at their own risk and on their own assessment of the Buyer's credibility.

9.5 No Monitoring of Communications. Home Hub does not monitor, record, review, or intercept any telephone calls, WhatsApp messages, email communications, text messages, or any other communications between Users and Buyers conducted outside the Platform.

9.6 Acceptance of Risk. By using the Platform to connect with Buyers or Users, you explicitly and voluntarily acknowledge and accept that all physical meetings, Off-Platform communications, financial transactions, and service engagements carry inherent risks — including risks of fraud, scam, poor workmanship, injury, theft, and non-performance — that are beyond Home Hub's knowledge, influence, or ability to prevent, and that Home Hub bears no legal, financial, or moral responsibility for any adverse outcome arising from such interactions.

10. Reporting, Moderation, Content Removal, and Takedown

10.1 Right to Moderate. Home Hub reserves the right, but is under no obligation, to review, monitor, screen, investigate, moderate, edit, re-rank, delay, remove, block, or refuse to publish any Content, Listing, review, or account at any time, in its sole and reasonable discretion, with or without prior notice, and without liability to any user, subject to applicable mandatory law.

10.2 User Reporting. The Platform provides mechanisms for users to report Content, Listings, or accounts they believe to be unlawful, misleading, fraudulent, dangerous, discriminatory, or otherwise in breach of these Terms. Reports should be submitted through the reporting function on the relevant Listing or through the contact details provided in these Terms. Home Hub will investigate all reports in good faith and within a reasonable time. Home Hub is not obligated to take any specific action in response to every report, but will act appropriately in the circumstances.

10.3 No Duty to Pre-Screen. Nothing in these Terms imposes a duty on Home Hub to proactively monitor, screen, or review all Content before it is published on the Platform. Home Hub operates a reactive moderation model supplemented by user reporting, automated detection tools, and content policy enforcement.

10.4 Formal Unlawful Content Takedown. Home Hub operates a formal takedown procedure for unlawful content, defamatory material, intellectual property infringements, and privacy violations. If you believe that Content on the Platform violates your rights or applicable law, you may submit a formal takedown request to the designated contact address. Formal takedown requests must include: (a) your full legal name and contact details; (b) a precise description of the Content at issue and its location on the Platform; (c) the specific nature of the alleged violation and the applicable legal provision or right affected; (d) your relationship to the affected rights, where relevant; and (e) a declaration that the information in your request is accurate and submitted in good faith. Deliberately false or malicious takedown requests may result in account suspension and may expose the sender to legal liability.

10.5 Copyright Takedown. If you believe that Content on the Platform infringes your copyright or other intellectual property rights, please submit a detailed takedown notice to the designated contact address. Your notice must include a description of the infringing material, its location on the Platform, identification of the original work, your contact details, and a declaration of good faith and accuracy.

10.6 ECTA Safe Harbour. Home Hub supports and maintains compliance with the hosting safe-harbour provisions available under Chapter XI of the ECT Act. Home Hub will act expeditiously on properly submitted takedown notices relating to clearly unlawful content, and publicly discloses its designated contact address for this purpose in these Terms and on the Platform.

10.7 Emergency Safety Reports. If you believe that Content on the Platform poses an immediate risk to the physical safety of any person, please contact Home Hub immediately using the emergency contact details provided on the Platform or in these Terms. Home Hub will prioritise the investigation and removal of Content that presents a credible and immediate safety threat.

11. Subscription Fees, Billing, Renewal, and Cancellation

11.1 Buyer Subscription Requirement. Buyers are required to maintain an active monthly subscription to keep their Listing in full visibility on the Platform. A lapsed or cancelled subscription will result in the Buyer's Listing being deactivated and removed from active search results. The current subscription fee is displayed at checkout, on the Platform's pricing page, and in the Buyer's dashboard at all times.

11.2 Recurring Billing Authorisation. By subscribing, you authorise Home Hub and its payment processor (Paystack) to charge the applicable subscription fee to your chosen payment method on a recurring monthly basis. You confirm that you have the authority to authorise charges to the payment method provided. You are responsible for ensuring that valid and current payment details are maintained on your account at all times.

11.3 Billing Cycle. Your subscription is billed monthly on a recurring basis. The billing cycle commences on the date of your initial subscription and recurs monthly thereafter on the same calendar date, or the nearest available date where that date does not occur in a given month.

11.4 Automatic Renewal and Consent. Your subscription renews automatically at the end of each monthly billing period unless you cancel it before the renewal date in accordance with the cancellation process described in clause 11.6. You expressly consent to this automatic renewal and authorise the continued recurring charge. Home Hub will not process a renewal charge through negative-option, inertia, or deemed-consent mechanisms — renewal is based on your express authorisation given at the time of subscription.

11.5 Renewal and Price-Change Notifications. Home Hub will notify Buyers by email in advance of any renewal that results in a fee increase or where advance notification is required by applicable law. For natural-person Buyers, Home Hub will comply with all applicable CPA requirements regarding renewal notices, including section 14 where applicable.

11.6 Cancellation. You may cancel your subscription at any time through your Buyer dashboard by following the cancellation instructions provided. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current paid billing period. You will retain full Listing visibility and Platform access until the last day of the period for which you have already paid. No pro-rata cash refund will be issued for any unused portion of the current billing period, except where required by applicable law, a billing error has occurred, or Home Hub has materially failed to deliver the service. The full terms governing refund entitlements are set out in the Refund Policy.

11.7 Effect of Cancellation or Lapse. On cancellation or lapse: (a) your Listing will be deactivated and removed from active search results; (b) your Buyer profile may be retained in a reduced or unpublished state for a limited period to allow for potential reactivation; and (c) after a defined dormancy period, your Listing data may be permanently deleted. Home Hub is not responsible for any commercial loss arising from the deactivation of a lapsed Listing.

11.8 Payment Failures. If a scheduled payment fails or is reversed for any reason, Home Hub may suspend your Listing pending successful payment. Home Hub may retry the charge on one or more subsequent occasions. If payment remains outstanding for a defined period, Home Hub may terminate your subscription. Home Hub reserves the right to impose reasonable administrative charges for chargebacks or payment reversals caused by your actions.

11.9 Fee Changes. Home Hub may revise the subscription fee at any time. For natural-person Buyers who are subject to the CPA, Home Hub will provide at least twenty (20) business days' written notice of any fee increase before it takes effect. If you do not accept the revised fee, you may cancel your subscription before the new fee takes effect, and you will not be charged the higher fee. Continued subscription after the expiry of the notice period constitutes acceptance of the new fee.

11.10 Taxes and Invoicing. Subscription fees are displayed inclusive or exclusive of Value Added Tax as required by applicable South African tax law. Home Hub will issue tax invoices or receipts as required. Buyers who are VAT-registered vendors and who require a valid tax invoice for input tax credit purposes must ensure that their VAT registration number is accurately recorded in their Buyer account.

11.11 ECTA Checkout Disclosures. Home Hub's checkout process complies with the disclosure requirements of section 43 of the ECT Act. Before you confirm your subscription, the checkout will clearly display all material terms, including the nature of the subscription service, the recurring monthly fee, the billing cycle, the cancellation process, and a summary of the applicable refund policy. You will have the opportunity to review, correct errors in, and confirm or withdraw your order before any charge is processed.

11.12 Refunds. For the complete terms governing refund entitlements, non-refundable situations, partial refunds, billing-error refunds, and the process for requesting a refund, please refer to the Home Hub Refund Policy, which is incorporated into and forms part of these Terms.

12. Privacy and Personal Information

12.1 POPIA Commitment. Home Hub is committed to the lawful, responsible, and transparent processing of personal information in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and all applicable South African privacy legislation. The complete and detailed terms governing the collection, use, storage, disclosure, retention, and protection of your personal information, and your rights as a data subject, are set out in the Home Hub Privacy Policy.

12.2 Incorporation of Privacy Policy. The Home Hub Privacy Policy is incorporated into and forms an integral part of these Terms. By using the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the Privacy Policy and that you agree to its terms to the extent required.

12.3 Data Subject Rights. You have rights under POPIA regarding your personal information, including the right to access, correct, and in certain circumstances request the deletion of your personal information. The full description of these rights and the process for exercising them is set out in the Privacy Policy.

12.4 Buyer Responsibility for Customer Data. To the extent that a Buyer, in the course of their independent business activities, collects, stores, or processes personal information of their own customers (including Users who contact them through the Platform), that Buyer is independently and solely responsible for their own compliance with POPIA in respect of that personal information. Home Hub is not the responsible party for data collected or processed by Buyers in their own operations.

13. Disclaimers and Service Availability

13.1 Platform Provided "As Is." The Platform is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranty of any kind. To the fullest extent permitted by South African law, Home Hub makes no warranties, representations, or guarantees — whether express, implied, statutory, or arising from course of dealing — regarding the Platform, its availability, security, accuracy, fitness for purpose, or freedom from defects.

13.2 No Warranty as to Content. Home Hub does not warrant that any Content, Listing, description, image, contact detail, review, rating, service area, pricing indication, or other information on the Platform is accurate, complete, current, reliable, non-infringing, or fit for any purpose. All such Content is user-generated and unverified.

13.3 No Warranty of Continuous Availability. Home Hub does not warrant that the Platform will be available at all times or that access will be continuous, uninterrupted, timely, or error-free. The Platform may be subject to maintenance, technical failures, cyberattacks, third-party outages, or other interruptions at any time. Home Hub will use reasonable efforts to minimise unplanned downtime but does not guarantee any particular level of availability.

13.4 No Warranty of Freedom from Malicious Content. Home Hub does not warrant that the Platform is free from malicious code, viruses, phishing material, or other harmful content uploaded by third-party users. Home Hub takes reasonable steps to detect and remove such content but cannot guarantee complete success.

13.5 Third-Party Links and Content. The Platform may contain links to or references to external websites, third-party services, or external content not operated by Home Hub. Home Hub has no control over and accepts no responsibility for the content, accuracy, practices, availability, or security of any external website or third-party service. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement.

13.6 Preservation of Statutory Rights. Nothing in these disclaimers limits, excludes, or modifies any right, remedy, or guarantee that you are entitled to under applicable South African law that cannot lawfully be excluded, limited, or modified, including your rights under the CPA and the ECT Act.

14. Limitation of Liability

IMPORTANT — THIS SECTION LIMITS HOME HUB'S LIABILITY TO YOU. IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 49 OF THE CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT, YOUR ATTENTION IS EXPRESSLY DRAWN TO THIS CLAUSE.

14.1 Exclusion of Indirect and Consequential Loss. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable South African law, Home Hub (including its directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors, affiliates, and service providers) shall not be liable to you for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive, or exemplary loss or damage arising out of or in connection with your use of or inability to use the Platform, including but not limited to: loss of profit, revenue, or income; loss of business opportunity or customers; loss of goodwill or reputation; loss of anticipated savings; loss of data; business interruption; and any loss or damage arising from Off-Platform Contact, Third-Party Services, or the conduct of any Buyer or User.

14.2 Cap on Direct Liability. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable South African law, Home Hub's total aggregate liability to you for all direct losses, claims, and damages arising out of or in connection with these Terms, the Platform, or any service provided through the Platform — regardless of the legal basis of the claim — shall not exceed the total subscription fees actually paid by you to Home Hub in the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim.

14.3 No Liability for Third-Party Conduct. Home Hub accepts no liability for the conduct, acts, omissions, services, representations, warranties, misrepresentations, or financial obligations of any Buyer, User, or other third party in connection with any Third-Party Service, Off-Platform Contact, review, or other activity not directly performed by Home Hub.

14.4 Mandatory Law Carve-Out. Nothing in this clause 14 limits or excludes: (a) any liability for Home Hub's own gross negligence or fraudulent conduct; (b) any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded, limited, or modified under the CPA or any other applicable South African statute; or (c) any rights, remedies, or protections to which you are entitled under mandatory applicable law that cannot be waived by contract.

15. Indemnification

IMPORTANT — THIS CLAUSE CREATES FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS FOR YOU. YOUR ATTENTION IS DRAWN TO IT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 49 OF THE CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT.

15.1 Your Indemnity. You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Home Hub and its directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors, successors, and assigns from and against any claim, demand, loss, damage, liability, cost, and legal expense (including reasonable attorney's fees on an attorney-and-own-client scale) arising out of or in connection with: (a) your breach of any provision of these Terms; (b) your use of or access to the Platform; (c) any Content you submit to the Platform; (d) the content or accuracy of your Listing; (e) any Third-Party Service you offer, advertise, deliver, or perform; (f) any Off-Platform Contact, transaction, arrangement, or interaction involving you; (g) your infringement of any intellectual property right, privacy right, or other right of a third party; (h) your violation of any applicable law or regulation; and (i) any claim by a third party arising from your conduct on or in connection with the Platform.

15.2 Scope Limitation. This indemnity is limited to losses and liabilities caused by your own acts or omissions. It does not require you to indemnify Home Hub for losses caused by Home Hub's own gross negligence or intentional misconduct. This indemnity does not exclude, limit, or waive any statutory rights you may have under applicable South African law.

15.3 Cooperation. Where Home Hub receives notice of a claim that triggers this indemnity, it will notify you as promptly as reasonably practicable and cooperate reasonably with you in the management and defence of that claim.

16. Suspension, Termination, and Changes to the Platform

16.1 Suspension or Termination by Home Hub. Home Hub reserves the right, without prior notice and without liability (subject to applicable mandatory law), to suspend or terminate your access to the Platform, remove or deactivate your Listing, or cancel your subscription if it reasonably believes that: (a) you have materially breached these Terms; (b) you have provided false, misleading, or fraudulent registration or Listing information; (c) your account or Listing is the subject of credible reports, complaints, or legal process; (d) your continued access presents a legal, safety, or reputational risk to Home Hub, other users, or third parties; (e) you have failed to pay any subscription fees when due; (f) you are a repeat offender of these Terms after prior warning; or (g) your account or Listing must be suspended or removed pursuant to a court order, regulatory direction, or applicable law.

16.2 Effect of Suspension or Termination. On suspension or termination: (a) your access to the Platform will be restricted or removed; (b) your Listing will be deactivated; (c) any active subscription will be cancelled; and (d) Home Hub may delete your Content subject to applicable data retention obligations. All provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination — including clauses relating to intellectual property, content licence, indemnity, limitation of liability, disclaimers, and governing law — shall survive termination.

16.3 Termination by You. You may close your User account or cancel your Buyer account at any time through your dashboard. Voluntary termination of your account does not automatically entitle you to a refund of fees paid, except as provided in the Refund Policy or required by applicable law.

16.4 Changes to the Platform. Home Hub reserves the right to modify, update, improve, expand, restrict, suspend, or discontinue the Platform or any part of its features or services at any time and for any reason. Home Hub will use reasonable efforts to provide advance notice of material changes that affect paid Buyer subscriptions. Home Hub shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from changes to or discontinuation of the Platform, subject to your non-waivable rights under applicable law.

16.5 Changes to These Terms. Home Hub may update these Terms at any time. The most current version will always be published on the Platform with an updated "Last Updated" date. For material changes affecting Buyer subscriptions, advance notice will be provided. Continued use of the Platform following the effective date of any update constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

17. Complaints, Dispute Resolution, and Governing Law

17.1 Internal Complaints. If you have a complaint about the Platform, a Listing, Home Hub's conduct, or any matter relating to these Terms, you are encouraged to contact Home Hub in the first instance using the contact details provided below. Home Hub will acknowledge your complaint within a reasonable time and investigate it in good faith. The use of Home Hub's internal complaint process is voluntary and does not limit or affect any of your statutory rights.

17.2 National Consumer Commission. You have the right to refer any unresolved complaint relating to the Consumer Protection Act to the National Consumer Commission, regardless of whether you have used Home Hub's internal complaint process.

17.3 Information Regulator. You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa in respect of any matter relating to your rights under POPIA, including in respect of Home Hub's processing of your personal information.

17.4 Other Regulatory Authorities. You have the right to approach any other regulatory authority, consumer tribunal, or court of competent jurisdiction with any complaint or claim arising from your use of the Platform, irrespective of Home Hub's internal processes.

17.5 Governing Law. These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any dispute, claim, proceeding, or matter arising out of or in connection with these Terms, the Platform, or any service provided through or in connection with the Platform shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Republic of South Africa, subject to your rights under applicable mandatory consumer law.

17.6 No Limitation of Statutory Rights. Nothing in this clause or anywhere in these Terms limits, excludes, restricts, or purports to waive any right, remedy, or protection that you are entitled to under the Consumer Protection Act, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, POPIA, or any other applicable South African statute that cannot lawfully be excluded by agreement.

18. Mandatory Website Disclosures

In compliance with sections 43 and 44 of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002, the following information is disclosed:

Business Name: Home Hub

Legal Entity Name: [Registered legal entity name — to be completed]

Company Registration Number: [Registration number — to be completed]

Registered Office Address: [Full physical registered address — to be completed]

Postal Address: [Postal address if different — to be completed]

Primary Contact Email Address: [Contact email — to be completed]

Website URL: [Platform URL — to be completed]

Legal Service Address for Formal Notices: [Address for receipt of legal notices — to be completed]

Information Officer (POPIA): [Name and contact details of registered Information Officer — to be completed]

Designated Takedown Contact (ECTA): [Email address for ECTA, copyright, and IP takedown notices — to be completed]

Payment Service Provider: Paystack (Pty) Ltd

Governing Law and Jurisdiction: Republic of South Africa

Home Hub's full company information, registration details, and registered address are available on request by contacting us at the address above or through the contact page on the Platform.

19. General Provisions

19.1 Entire Agreement. These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and the Refund Policy, constitute the entire and complete agreement between you and Home Hub regarding your use of the Platform, and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, understandings, representations, negotiations, and communications between you and Home Hub relating to the same subject matter.

19.2 Severability. If any provision of these Terms is determined by a court or competent authority to be invalid, unlawful, void, or unenforceable under applicable South African law, that provision shall be deemed severed from these Terms to the minimum extent necessary to make the remaining provisions valid and enforceable, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

19.3 No Waiver. No failure or delay by Home Hub in exercising any right, power, or remedy under these Terms shall operate as a waiver of that right, power, or remedy. A waiver of any particular breach does not constitute a waiver of any subsequent or continuing breach.

19.4 Force Majeure. Home Hub shall not be liable to you for any failure or delay in performance of its obligations under these Terms to the extent caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God, natural disasters, floods, earthquakes, pandemic, epidemic, fire, war, civil unrest, terrorism, power or utility failures, internet outages, cyberattacks, governmental restrictions, or acts of any regulatory authority.

19.5 Plain Language. These Terms are intended to be written in plain language in compliance with the requirements of section 22 of the Consumer Protection Act. If you find any provision unclear or require clarification, please contact Home Hub using the contact details provided.

19.6 Contact. All notices, queries, complaints, formal requests, and takedown notices should be directed to Home Hub's contact details as set out in clause 18 above, or as updated on the Platform from time to time.

Last Updated: [Date to be inserted upon first publication]