Terms of Service

Last updated: 2026

1. About the service

HOMEMAKER is a technology platform that connects landlords and tenants. We are not an estate agency. Where we list properties under exclusive mandate, we act as the appointed marketing partner of the landlord.

2. Fees

Listing is free for landlords. Advertising syndication, tenant screening, and Rent Facilitation are paid services with the prices published on our Pricing page. Rent collected is never subject to commission.

3. Rent Facilitation

Rent Facilitation is offered to tenants who do not meet conventional screening thresholds. A R1,000 commitment fee is payable per inquiry. A success fee is payable only on placement: Tier 1 (Starter / Fast-Track — graduates, first-time renters and applicants missing one document or with a single flag) pays 50% of one month's rent in two equal monthly instalments; Tier 2 (Business & Independent — entrepreneurs, gig workers, foreign nationals) pays one month's rent. During facilitation, applicant identity and contact details are shared with the landlord only once the HOMEMAKER Lease and Surety Agreement are issued; landlords agree not to contract privately with a facilitated applicant introduced by HOMEMAKER. HOMEMAKER may act as surety in line with the Surety Agreement. Processing complies with POPIA and the Rental Housing Act.

4. Compliance

All lease and surety documents generated through the platform are designed to comply with the Rental Housing Act, 1999 and the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA).

5. Payments

All payments are processed by PayFast. Refunds are governed by PayFast's terms and our refund policy at support@homemaker.org.za.

6. Limitation of liability

HOMEMAKER provides the platform on an "as-is" basis. We are not liable for disputes between landlords and tenants beyond the explicit commitments in any Surety Agreement we sign.

7. Contact

Questions: support@homemaker.org.za · WhatsApp +27 81 297 5854.

8. Property Listing Syndication & Third-Party Data Sharing

8.1 Consent to Syndicate

By submitting and activating a property listing on HOMEMAKER, the Landlord expressly grants HOMEMAKER a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to reproduce, transmit, and syndicate the listing — including all photographs, descriptions, pricing, address, and contact routing information — to third-party property portals and advertising channels. These currently include, but are not limited to: Property24, Private Property, Gumtree, ImmoAfrica, MyProperty, and Facebook/Meta platforms, whether syndicated directly or via HOMEMAKER's syndication partner or any successor provider.

8.2 Corporate Aggregator Model

The Landlord acknowledges that HOMEMAKER operates as a single corporate aggregator account with third-party portals. Listings will appear under HOMEMAKER's portal accounts, not the Landlord's individual name, unless the relevant portal's terms require otherwise.

8.3 What Is Shared

Data shared with third parties is limited to what is reasonably necessary to publish the listing: property address, suburb, rent, deposit, bedrooms, bathrooms, size, photographs, features, and a HOMEMAKER-routed contact channel. The Landlord's personal banking details, ID number, and other sensitive personal information are never shared with syndication partners.

8.4 Tenant Applicant Data

Where a Tenant applies for a property, submits documents for screening, or applies for Rent Facilitation, the Tenant consents to HOMEMAKER sharing the minimum necessary information with: (a) the relevant Landlord for evaluating the application; (b) HOMEMAKER's screening service provider for verification; (c) PayFast or other payment processors solely to process payments. HOMEMAKER does not sell or share Tenant data with property portals or advertisers.

8.5 Withdrawal of Consent

A Landlord may withdraw syndication consent at any time by deactivating a listing. Removal from third-party portals occurs within the standard sync window (up to 4 hours). Withdrawal does not retroactively affect data already transmitted to a third party prior to withdrawal.

8.6 Third-Party Terms

Once syndicated, the Landlord's listing becomes subject to the relevant portal's own terms of use. HOMEMAKER is not responsible for how third-party portals independently process or display syndicated data once received.