These Terms and Conditions (the "Terms") govern access to and use of VAKA, a technology platform that connects neighbors so they can rent items to each other. By creating an account, listing an item, sending a request, making an offer, consenting to a backing or completing a booking, you accept these Terms and the documents that form part of them. If you do not agree with any part, do not use VAKA.

The following documents form part of these Terms and are understood to be incorporated into them. When a topic is regulated in more detail in a specific document, that document prevails on its subject matter:

• Payments, Deposits and Refunds Terms
• Damage Claims and Dispute Resolution Policy
• Neighbor Backer Agreement
• Rental Contract between Neighbors (the template of the contract that is formed between neighbors in each booking)
• Privacy Policy and Cookies Policy
• Identity Verification Policy
• Anti-Fraud Policy and Safety Guide
• VAKA Coins program Terms

1. Definitions

These Terms use the following terms with the meaning defined below. Any difference between colloquial use within the app and this list is resolved in favor of this section.

• Neighbor: any person with an account registered on VAKA. All VAKA users are neighbors, whether they list or rent.
• Listing neighbor: the neighbor who offers an item for others to rent temporarily. They declare that they own the item or have sufficient right to transfer its use.
• Renting neighbor: the neighbor who requests, pays for and temporarily uses an item listed by another neighbor.
• Item: the physical good offered for temporary rental. It excludes professional services, real estate and the categories prohibited in clause 13.3.
• Booking: the agreement between the listing neighbor and the renting neighbor about an item, on set dates and at a set price, formalized through the platform. Each booking confirms a Rental Contract between Neighbors to which VAKA is not a party.
• Rental day: a 24-hour block counted from the documented handover of the item. The number of days in a booking is counted in 24-hour blocks, not in calendar dates.
• Documented handover and documented return: the photographic record with location (GPS) that the platform requires when handing over and returning the item. It is the evidentiary basis of the claims process.
• Security deposit: amount charged to the renting neighbor at the handover of the item and refunded automatically if the claim window closes with no claims. Full details in the Payments Terms.
• Claim window: the 48 hours following the documented return, during which the listing neighbor may open a claim.
• Claim: the formal process to report damage, loss or non-return of an item, governed by the Claims Policy.
• Neighbor Backer: the neighbor who, voluntarily and expressly, guarantees another neighbor's booking up to an exact maximum amount they consented to. Their relationship with VAKA is governed by the Neighbor Backer Agreement.
• VAKA Shield: the name of VAKA's process-based protection system, described in clause 10. It is not insurance or a policy. More information at /shield.
• Top Neighbor: a badge VAKA grants to neighbors with an outstanding track record, according to the current criteria published at /top-vecino.
• VAKA Coins: the platform's promotional program. VAKA Coins have no monetary value; their terms live at /puntos.

2. Who can use VAKA

• You must be at least 18 years old and have full legal capacity to contract.
• You must register with truthful, up-to-date and complete information.
• One person, one account. Multiple accounts associated with the same person, device or identity may be suspended.
• You may not use VAKA if you were previously suspended for fraud or for violating these Terms.
• If you use VAKA on behalf of a company, you declare that you have sufficient authority to bind it.

3. Your account and identity verification

3.1 Account security

You are responsible for keeping your credentials and the devices you access from secure. Notify us immediately through the Help Center if you believe your account has been compromised. Whatever happens from your account is presumed to be done by you, unless proven otherwise.

3.2 Verification levels

VAKA uses tiered verification: the more sensitive the action, the more verification it requires.

• Browsing the catalog: free, no account required.
• Booking and making offers: requires an account with a verified phone number.
• Chatting with the other neighbor: is enabled when there is a paid booking between you — coordination happens inside VAKA, not before booking.
• Listing items: additionally requires having uploaded your identity document.
• Accepting rental requests for your items: requires your identity to have been approved by the review team. The review is manual and may take time; VAKA does not guarantee an approval timeframe.

The handling of your identity documents is governed by the Identity Verification Policy and the Privacy Policy. VAKA may ask you for additional verification when it deems it necessary for the security of the community (for example, in the face of risk signals described in the Anti-Fraud Policy).

4. What VAKA is: an intermediary

VAKA is a marketplace: it connects neighbors who have items with neighbors who want to rent them, and facilitates the entire process (discovery, messaging, charges and payments, handover and return evidence, and the claims process). VAKA does not own the listed items, does not offer them for rent on its own account and is not a party to the rental contract formed between the neighbors. That contract — template is published here — binds only the listing neighbor and the renting neighbor.

Consequently, VAKA does not guarantee the quality, condition, legality or suitability of the items, nor the neighbors' compliance, beyond the verification, evidence and claims processes described in these Terms. How the service works, step by step, at /how-it-works.

5. How a rental works

5.1 Listing

The listing neighbor describes the item, sets its price per day, declares its value and defines its conditions (handover method, delivery cost if applicable, whether it accepts price offers). The listing information forms part of the rental contract: it must be truthful. An inflated or false declared value may totally or partially invalidate a later claim.

5.2 Request, offers and acceptance

The renting neighbor sends a request for set dates. On items that accept offers, they may also propose a price per day; if the listing neighbor accepts the offer, the booking is created at that price. Pending requests expire automatically after 24 hours if the listing neighbor does not respond. If a paid request expires or is rejected, the charge is released or refunded at 100% — see Payments Terms.

5.3 Payment

The price you see before confirming is the total rental price: price for the selected days plus the delivery cost if applicable. The refundable security deposit is shown separately and is charged at handover. Payments are processed through Stripe. For bookings with a handover far in the future, your payment method is saved and the charge is processed automatically between 1 and 2 days before handover, as you authorize when confirming the booking. Full details in the Payments, Deposits and Refunds Terms.

5.4 Handover

The handover is coordinated between the neighbors through the platform. When handing over, the platform requires the photographic record with location (documented handover): it is the photograph of the item's condition at the start of the rental and the basis of any claim. At handover the security deposit is charged and the first rental day begins to count (a 24-hour block). Safety recommendations for the meeting at /safety.

5.5 During the rental

The renting neighbor must use the item diligently, in accordance with its purpose and the listing conditions, and may not transfer it to third parties. If an incident occurs (damage, failure, theft), they must report it immediately through the platform's messaging. For emergencies, there is /support/emergency.

5.6 Extensions

If the renting neighbor needs more days, they may request an extension from their booking. The extension requires the listing neighbor's approval. Once approved, the additional days are charged automatically at the same price per day, to the saved payment method. Keeping the item beyond the term without an approved extension is a breach and may give rise to a claim.

5.7 Return and closing

On return, the platform again requires the photographic record with location (documented return). From the documented return, the 48-hour claim window runs. If there is no claim, the security deposit is refunded to the neighbor who rented and the listing neighbor's earnings enter their payout cycle. If there is a claim, the Claims Policy.

6. Prices, commissions and payments

This is the summary; the document that governs the matter is the Payments, Deposits and Refunds Terms.

• For the renting neighbor: the price shown before confirming is the total rental price. The refundable security deposit is shown separately. Any extensions you request are charged separately, at the same price per day.
• For the listing neighbor: VAKA charges a 20% commission on the rental price of each completed booking. Neighbors with the Top Neighbor badge have a reduced commission (the current percentage is shown in your panel).
• Your earnings as a listing neighbor = rental price − VAKA commission + delivery cost (if you offered it). It enters the weekly payout cycle and is transferred via Wise to your local bank account.
• Currency: you can view and operate amounts in your local currency; the reference currency for internal calculation is the United States dollar (USD). The conversion detail is in the Payments Terms.

7. Security deposit

Every rental carries a security deposit borne by the renting neighbor. The deposit is actually charged at handover (it is not a simple temporary hold: you will see the charge on your statement) and is refunded automatically if the 48-hour claim window closes with no claims. Its amount depends on the declared value of the item and on your trust level on the platform, with a minimum floor. The current table, the exact moment of the charge and the refund timeframes are in the Payments, Deposits and Refunds Terms. If there is an open claim, the deposit is held until the claim is resolved in accordance with the Claims Policy.

8. Cancellations and refunds

VAKA has a single cancellation policy, the same for all bookings. The refund depends on when the renting neighbor cancels, counted toward the handover:

If the one who cancels is the listing neighbor, or if VAKA cancels the booking (for example, for safety reasons or because a charge cannot be processed), the renting neighbor receives 100% of what was paid. There is no additional compensation for cancellation. Repeated and unjustified cancellations by the listing neighbor may give rise to measures on their account (clause 17). Practical guide with examples at /support/cancellation and refund processing rules at /legal/pagos.

9. The entire deal happens within VAKA

Taking the deal off the platform is prohibited: agreeing on payment outside, sharing contact details to bypass VAKA, or completing through another channel a rental that started here. The reason isn't only commercial: the entire protection system (security deposit, documented evidence, claims process, Neighbor Backer) works only on rentals formalized on the platform. A rental closed off-platform is left without a deposit, without evidence, and without access to the claims process.

If another neighbor proposes closing the deal off-platform, report it at /support/report. Attempting it may lead to the measures in clause 17.

10. VAKA Shield: protection by process

"VAKA Shield" is the name of VAKA's protection-by-process system. It is not a financial product: it is the combination of four mechanisms that operate together in each rental:

• the security deposit of the renting neighbor, charged at handover (/legal/pagos);
• the evidence documented with location, mandatory at handover and at return;
• the formal claims process (/legal/reclamos);
• when it exists, the Neighbor Backer, who responds up to the exact amount they consented to (/legal/respaldo).

More information about how the system operates at /shield.

11. Damages, losses, and claims

If an article comes back damaged, doesn't come back, or comes back incomplete, the publishing neighbor can open a claim from their booking, within the claim window of 48 hours after the documented return, attaching evidence. The other neighbor has 72 hours to respond; if they don't respond, the claim is resolved with the available evidence. The security deposit responds first; if it isn't enough and the booking has a Neighbor Backer, they respond up to the amount they consented to. The full process, the evaluation criteria, and the nature of the decision are in the Damage Claims and Dispute Resolution Policy.

12. Neighbor Backer

A neighbor with little history can ask another eligible neighbor to back their booking. The Neighbor Backer expressly consents to an exact maximum amount and only responds if a claim is resolved against the backed neighbor and their security deposit isn't enough. Having an active backing also reduces the security deposit required of the renting neighbor (/legal/pagos). The commitment, its limits, and the charge authorization are governed in the Neighbor Backer Agreement; the practical explanation is at /fiador.

13. Community rules

13.1 Respect and honest dealing

Treat other neighbors with respect. Harassment, intimidation, abusive language, and any attempt at deception are prohibited. You can report conduct at /support/report.

13.2 No discrimination

VAKA prohibits discrimination based on race, color, origin, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, or marital status, both in listings and in the decision to accept or reject requests and in messaging.

13.3 Prohibited articles

The following cannot be listed: weapons of any kind, drugs and medications, explosives and hazardous materials, live animals, counterfeit or illicitly sourced articles, sexual content, identity documents, and articles whose possession, use, or rental requires a license or authorization that the neighbor does not have. VAKA may remove listings that violate this rule and expand this list for safety reasons or legal requirements.

13.4 Content you publish

You are responsible for the content you upload (photos, descriptions, messages, reviews): it must be truthful, yours or with the right to use it, and must not infringe third-party rights.

14. Reviews and ratings

• You can only review a neighbor with whom you have completed a real rental.
• Reviews must be honest and refer to the rental experience; insults, third-party personal data, and discriminatory content are not allowed.
• False, paid, or coordinated reviews to inflate or sink a reputation lead to the measures in clause 17.
• VAKA may remove reviews that violate these rules, without that implying editing legitimate opinions.

15. VAKA Coins

VAKA Coins is a promotional program of the platform. The VAKA Coins have no monetary value, are not redeemable for money, are not transferable, and VAKA may modify or end the program in accordance with its terms. The program rules (how VAKA Coins are earned and redeemed) live at /puntos.

16. Top Neighbor badge

"Top Neighbor" is a badge that VAKA grants to neighbors with an outstanding history, according to the current criteria published at /top-vecino. Its current benefits include a reduced commission as a publishing neighbor and a lower security deposit as a renting neighbor (/legal/pagos). The badge is evaluated periodically and may be lost if the criteria stop being met. VAKA may adjust the program's criteria and benefits; changes do not affect bookings already confirmed.

17. Suspension and termination

VAKA may suspend or close your account, remove listings, or restrict functions if: (a) you violate these Terms or the documents that make them up; (b) we detect signs of fraud in accordance with the Anti-Fraud Policy; (c) you receive serious or repeated well-founded claims or reports; (d) you do not pay amounts you owe (including those resulting from a claim); or (e) it is required by a competent authority or applicable law.

• Appeal: you can appeal a suspension within 7 days of the notification, from your account or by writing to /contact.
• Funds: the funds associated with your account may remain held for up to 30 days from the suspension, to respond to pending claims, refunds, or chargebacks, in accordance with the Payment Terms.
• Voluntary closure: you can close your account at any time from settings. If you have active bookings or open claims, they must first be completed, canceled, or resolved.

18. Personal data

The processing of your personal data — including your identity document and the evidence records of handovers and returns — is governed by the Privacy Policy, the Identity Verification Policy and the Cookie Policy. By using VAKA you accept those processing activities under the terms described there.

19. Intellectual property

The software, the design, the trademarks, the logos, and VAKA's own content belong to VAKA or its licensors. The content you generate (photos, descriptions, reviews, messages) remains yours; by publishing it on VAKA you grant us a worldwide, free, non-exclusive license, revocable upon deleting the content (except for backup copies and records required by law or necessary for ongoing claims), to host it, display it, and distribute it in connection with the operation and promotion of the platform.

20. Disclaimers and limitation of liability

VAKA provides the platform "as is" and "as available." We work to make it function continuously and securely, but we do not guarantee uninterrupted availability or the absence of errors. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law:

• VAKA is not responsible for the neighbors' compliance with each other or for the condition, quality, or legality of the articles: the rental relationship is between neighbors (clause 4 and rental contract).
• VAKA is not liable for indirect damages, loss of profit, or loss of data, unless the law imposes it in a non-waivable manner.
• VAKA's total liability to a neighbor for any cause is limited to the amount of the commissions actually received by VAKA for that neighbor's activity in the 12 months prior to the event that gives rise to the claim, to the extent that the law of each country permits.
• Nothing in these Terms limits the non-waivable rights granted to you by your country's consumer protection legislation, nor the liability that the law does not allow to be limited.

You undertake to hold VAKA harmless against third-party claims arising from your breach of these Terms, your content, or your unlawful use of the platform, to the extent that the law of your country permits.

21. Applicable law and jurisdiction

The applicable law and competent jurisdiction for each neighbor are those established in the annex for their country (clause 24). The complete registration data of the operating entity corresponding to each country are published and updated in that annex as VAKA enables operations.

While the annex for your country is not complete: (a) no clause of these Terms limits the non-waivable rights that your country's legislation grants you as a consumer, nor your right to turn to the courts or competent authorities of your domicile when the law so provides; and (b) before resorting to any external channel, we ask you — without this limiting your rights — to try to resolve the problem with our team through the Help Center or /contact.

22. Changes to these Terms

We may modify these Terms. If the change is substantial, we will notify you through the platform's channels (email or notice within the app) at least 30 days before it takes effect. If you continue using VAKA after the effective date, you are understood to accept the new version; if you do not agree, you can close your account before that date. Changes do not affect bookings confirmed before they take effect.

23. Contact

For formal legal communications: legal@vakaland.com. For general support, the Help Center or /contact.

24. Annex by country

The body of these Terms is common to all countries where VAKA operates. The legal particularities of each country (currency, taxes, consumer protection, operating entity, applicable law, and jurisdiction) live in this annex. An incomplete annex does not deprive any neighbor of the rights granted to them by their local legislation.

Honduras

• Currency and conversion: amounts may be displayed and operated in lempiras (HNL). The reference currency for internal calculation is the US dollar (USD); conversion applies the payment processor's exchange rate at the time of each operation.
• Taxes: the taxes corresponding to each neighbor's activity are governed by the applicable Honduran legislation; the tax details will be specified in this annex when operations are enabled in the country. Each neighbor is responsible for their own tax obligations.
• Consumer protection: nothing in these Terms limits the rights that Honduran consumer protection legislation grants to neighbors, who may turn to the competent consumer protection authority. The exact regulatory references will be published in this annex when operations are enabled in the country.
• Operating entity, applicable law, and jurisdiction: will be defined and published in this annex when operations are enabled in the country.
• Language: the Spanish version of these Terms is the governing one.