Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using Makazi.io ("the Platform"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use the Platform. These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Makazi.io, governed by the laws of the United Republic of Tanzania, including the Rent Restriction Act (Cap 340) and the Land Act No. 4 of 1999. This agreement is a valid electronic contract under the Electronic Transactions Act (Cap 442) and the Law of Contract Act (Cap 345).

2. Account Registration

• You must be at least 18 years of age to create an account on Makazi.io.
• You must provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and keep your account information updated.
• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activities that occur under your account.
• Landlords and property managers must complete identity verification (NIDA, Passport, or Driving License) before listing properties.
• We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that provide false or misleading information.

3. Listing Rules

All property listings on Makazi.io must comply with the following rules, in accordance with Tanzania's Rent Restriction Act and applicable housing regulations:

• Listings must represent real, available properties that the lister has the legal right to rent out.
• All information (price, location, amenities, photographs) must be accurate and not misleading.
• Rental prices must comply with any applicable rent control regulations under the Rent Restriction Act.
• Listings must not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, or any other protected characteristic.
• Properties must meet minimum habitability and safety standards as required by Tanzanian law.
• Duplicate listings for the same property are prohibited.
• Makazi.io reserves the right to remove any listing that violates these rules without prior notice.

4. Payment Terms

• Makazi.io offers tiered subscription plans (Free, Basic, Premium, and Enterprise) with varying listing limits and features.
• All prices are listed in Tanzanian Shillings (TZS) and are inclusive of applicable taxes unless otherwise stated.
• Subscription fees are billed on a recurring monthly basis. You authorize us to charge your selected payment method for the applicable fees.
• Payments for listing boosts and premium features are non-refundable once the promotion has been activated.
• Makazi.io does not facilitate rental payments between landlords and tenants. All rental transactions are conducted directly between the parties.
• We reserve the right to change pricing with 30 days' written notice. Continued use of paid services after the notice period constitutes acceptance of the new pricing.

5. Prohibited Activities

You agree not to:

• Post fraudulent, misleading, or deceptive listings or content.
• Use the Platform for any illegal purpose, including but not limited to money laundering, fraud, or any activity in violation of Tanzanian law.
• Scrape, harvest, or collect data from the Platform without prior written consent.
• Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely claim affiliation with any person or entity.
• Interfere with or disrupt the Platform's infrastructure, security, or other users' access.
• Circumvent verification requirements or use forged identity documents.
• Harass, threaten, or send unsolicited communications to other users.
• List properties for sale (Makazi.io is a rental-only platform).

6. Limitation of Liability

• Makazi.io serves as a marketplace connecting landlords and tenants. We are not a party to any rental agreement between users.
• We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any listing, user profile, or verification status.
• To the maximum extent permitted by Tanzanian law, Makazi.io shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Platform.
• Our total liability for any claim arising from these Terms shall not exceed the amount you paid to Makazi.io in the 12 months preceding the claim.
• We are not responsible for disputes between landlords and tenants, including but not limited to issues related to property condition, rent payments, or lease terms.

7. Intellectual Property

All content, design, trademarks, and technology on Makazi.io are owned by or licensed to Makazi.io. Users retain ownership of content they upload but grant Makazi.io a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute such content in connection with operating the Platform.

8. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United Republic of Tanzania, without regard to conflict of law principles. All matters relating to rental properties on the Platform are subject to the Rent Restriction Act (Cap 340), the Land Act No. 4 of 1999, and any other applicable Tanzanian legislation governing landlord-tenant relationships and land use.

9. Dispute Resolution

• Any dispute arising from or relating to these Terms shall first be resolved through good-faith negotiation between the parties.
• If negotiation fails, the dispute shall be referred to mediation under the rules of the Tanzania Institute of Arbitrators.
• If mediation is unsuccessful, the dispute shall be submitted to binding arbitration in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in accordance with Tanzanian arbitration law.
• For disputes between landlords and tenants regarding rental matters, the Rent Tribunal established under the Rent Restriction Act shall have jurisdiction.
• Nothing in this section prevents either party from seeking injunctive or other equitable relief from the courts of Tanzania.

10. Anti-Circumvention Clause

• Users shall not use the Platform to identify or connect with landlords or tenants and then complete rental transactions outside the Platform to circumvent or avoid payment of fees or commissions owed to Makazi.io ("Circumvention").
• Circumvention includes, but is not limited to: sharing personal contact information before completing payment through the Platform, directing users to external listing services, arranging property viewings or executing rental agreements outside Makazi.io to bypass platform fees, or creating duplicate external listings of properties discovered on Makazi.io.
• Liability for Circumvention: Any user found to have engaged in Circumvention shall be liable to Makazi.io for liquidated damages equal to three times (3x) the estimated annual rental value of the affected property or properties. The parties agree that this amount represents a genuine pre-estimate of loss to Makazi.io and is not a penalty.
• The estimated annual rental value shall be calculated as twelve (12) times the listed monthly rent at the time of the Circumvention, or if no listed rent is available, a reasonable estimate determined by comparable properties on the Platform.
• In addition to liquidated damages, Makazi.io reserves the right to: (a) immediately suspend or terminate the user's account; (b) remove all active listings; (c) pursue injunctive relief in the courts of Tanzania; and (d) recover reasonable legal costs and attorneys' fees.
• This anti-circumvention obligation survives for a period of twelve (12) months after the user's last interaction with the Platform regarding the relevant property.
• All landlords must acknowledge and agree to this clause before creating their first listing. Acknowledgment is recorded with a timestamp in the user's profile.

This clause is enforced pursuant to the Law of Contract Act (Cap 345) of the United Republic of Tanzania.

11. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to Makazi.io at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice. Upon termination, your right to use the Platform ceases immediately. Provisions that by their nature should survive termination (including Limitation of Liability, Governing Law, and Dispute Resolution) shall survive.

12. Contact Us

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