Our Commitment to Fair and Transparent Terms

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your use of the Flathive platform, including our website, mobile applications, and related services. By accessing or using Flathive, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

Flathive is a shared accommodation platform operating in New Zealand, connecting individuals seeking shared homes with those offering rooms. These Terms ensure a transparent and fair experience for all users.

You must be at least 18 years old to use Flathive. By using the platform you confirm that you meet this requirement.

Your use of Flathive is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, and protect your personal information.

You retain ownership of all content you upload to Flathive, including photos, descriptions, and profile information ("Your Content").

By uploading Your Content, you grant Flathive a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use, display, reproduce, and distribute Your Content solely for the purpose of operating and promoting the platform. This licence ends when you remove the content or close your account.

You are solely responsible for ensuring that Your Content does not infringe the intellectual property rights or privacy of any third party. Flathive may remove content that violates these Terms without notice.

Flathive may offer optional identity verification features. Where provided, these features are intended to help build trust between users.

Verification does not guarantee identity. A verified badge indicates only that a user has submitted documentation that was accepted at the time of verification. Flathive does not independently guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or authenticity of any information submitted, and is not liable for any reliance placed on verification status.

Users should not rely solely on verification status when making decisions about accommodations or tenancy arrangements.

Flathive does not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access to the platform. The service is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis.

We may suspend or restrict access to the platform for scheduled or emergency maintenance, upgrades, or events beyond our reasonable control (including outages from cloud infrastructure providers). Where possible, we will provide advance notice of planned maintenance.

Flathive is not liable for any losses or inconvenience arising from platform unavailability, delays, or errors.

Flathive relies on third-party services to operate parts of the platform, including payment processing (Stripe), mapping, cloud hosting, and identity verification providers.

We are not responsible for the availability, accuracy, or conduct of any third-party service. If a third-party service fails or is interrupted, Flathive will not be liable for any resulting loss or disruption to your use of the platform.

Use of third-party services may be subject to their own terms and privacy policies. We encourage you to review those terms when relevant.

You are solely responsible for all messages and communications you send through the Flathive platform. You must not use the messaging system to:

• Harass, threaten, or abuse other users.
• Send unsolicited commercial messages or spam.
• Share personal contact details with intent to solicit users off-platform for fraudulent purposes.
• Distribute malicious links, files, or content.

Flathive may monitor communications on the platform for safety and policy compliance purposes. We reserve the right to remove messages or restrict accounts that violate these standards.

Flathive determines the order, placement, and visibility of listings on the platform at its sole discretion. Ranking may be influenced by factors including listing quality, activity, recency, user engagement, and paid promotional features.

Paid boost or featured listing products may increase a listing's visibility. The existence of such products does not affect the organic ranking of non-paid listings, except as explicitly described in the relevant product offering.

Flathive does not guarantee any specific placement or level of exposure for any listing, paid or otherwise.

Flathive reserves the right to remove, modify, or reject any listing at any time and without prior notice, at our sole discretion. Reasons may include, but are not limited to:

• Violation of these Terms or our listing policies.
• Inaccurate, misleading, or fraudulent content.
• User complaints or safety concerns.
• Non-compliance with applicable laws or local regulations.
• Content that Flathive reasonably considers inappropriate for the platform.

Removal of a listing does not automatically entitle you to a refund of any fees paid, unless otherwise required by law.

Disputes arising between users (including disagreements about accommodations, payments, or conduct) are the sole responsibility of the parties involved. Flathive is not a party to any such dispute and has no obligation to intervene or mediate.

Users are encouraged to resolve disputes directly and in good faith. Where direct resolution fails, users may seek independent mediation or legal advice.

If you have a complaint about Flathive's own conduct or services, please contact us at hello@flathive.com.au. We will endeavour to respond and resolve complaints in a fair and timely manner.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Flathive and its directors, employees, and agents will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profits, data, goodwill, or other intangible losses, arising from your use of (or inability to use) the platform.

Flathive's total liability for any claim arising out of these Terms or your use of the platform will not exceed the greater of the fees paid by you to Flathive in the 12 months preceding the claim, or $100.

Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot be excluded by law, including under applicable consumer protection legislation in New Zealand.

You may terminate your account at any time through your account settings. Upon termination, obligations that by their nature survive (such as content licences, dispute obligations, and payment liabilities) will continue to apply.

Your use of Flathive is subject to our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using the platform, you consent to the collection, use, and processing of your personal information as described in the Privacy Policy.

We handle your data in accordance with applicable privacy legislation in New Zealand.

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of New Zealand. You agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of New Zealand courts to resolve any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms, except where prohibited by applicable law.

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.