Terms of Service

1. Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years old to use Mushrooms.
• You must be a resident of Nigeria or seeking housing in Nigeria.
• You must provide accurate, truthful information during registration and verification.
• One person may hold one account. Creating multiple accounts to circumvent bans or verification requirements is prohibited.

2. Accounts & Verification

Account Creation

You can create an account using email and password or Google Sign-In. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials.

Identity Verification

Mushrooms requires identity verification to build trust between hosts and seekers. The verification process includes:

• NIN verification — your National Identification Number is verified through an authorised provider (SmileID or Mono). A hashed reference is stored; the raw number is not retained.
• Selfie capture — a live selfie is captured through the app and compared against your NIN records.
• Government ID — voter's card or driver's license, reviewed by our team within 48 hours.

Hosts must complete identity verification before their listing can go live. Seekers are encouraged to verify for higher compatibility scores and access to verified listings.

Verification Score

Each listing receives a verification score out of 100 based on GPS verification (30 pts), listing photos (25 pts), phone verification (15 pts), FAQ completion (10 pts), viewing schedule (10 pts), and profile completeness (10 pts). A minimum score of 40 with GPS verification is required to activate a listing.

3. Platform Roles

4. Listings & Verification Suite

Host Obligations

By listing a property on Mushrooms, you represent and warrant that:

• You have the legal right to rent the property or room.
• All information in your listing is accurate and current.
• All photos are captured live at the actual property through the Mushrooms app — no stock photos, no images from other sources.
• You are physically present at the property during GPS verification.
• You will accurately answer the 9 listing FAQ questions (power, water, bills, guests, noise, smoking, parking, bathroom, security).

Multi-Room Listings

Mushrooms supports per-room booking. Each room in a listing is a separately bookable "seat" with its own availability status, photos, and bathroom type. When a seeker pays escrow on a specific room, that room is claimed transactionally — other rooms remain available to other seekers.

Listing Removal

We reserve the right to deactivate or remove listings that violate these Terms, contain misleading information, fail verification checks, or receive multiple user reports.

5. Payments & Escrow

Viewing Deposit

Seekers pay a non-refundable viewing deposit of ₦2,000 to unlock the host's contact information and viewing calendar. This deposit does not secure the room — it grants access to schedule a viewing.

Escrow Payment

When a seeker commits to a room, they pay rent into Mushrooms' escrow account. The escrow works as follows:

• Payment is held by Mushrooms — not sent directly to the host.
• The property's private street address is revealed only after escrow payment.
• The specific room is transactionally claimed — no double-booking.
• Funds are released to the host only after the seeker confirms move-in.
• If the property does not match the listing, the seeker is entitled to a full escrow refund (see Section 9).

Platform Fees

• Listing fee: Free. Hosts pay nothing to list.
• Service fee: 7% charged to seekers on escrow payments, covering escrow protection, agreement generation, and platform services.
• Host commission: 3% deducted from escrow payouts to hosts, covering payment processing and escrow infrastructure.

Payouts

Hosts can withdraw available funds to a verified Nigerian bank account at any time. Minimum withdrawal is ₦5,000. Payouts are processed within 24 hours.

6. Bookings & Viewings

Hosts set weekly viewing schedules with available time slots. Seekers can book viewings in two modes:

• Physical visit — in-person viewing at the property.
• Video call — live video walkthrough via integrated video calling.

Hosts may choose between instant confirmation or approval-required booking. Both parties can cancel a viewing with notice. No-shows may affect your account standing.

7. Flatmate Matching

Mushrooms uses a compatibility algorithm to score potential flatmate matches across 7 factors: location proximity (25 pts), budget alignment (20 pts), lifestyle compatibility (15 pts), employment schedule (10 pts), cleanliness standards (10 pts), move-in urgency (10 pts), and verification status (10 pts).

Hard dealbreakers (gender mismatch, smoking conflict, age out of range, pet incompatibility) result in an automatic 0% score. Conflicting lifestyle pairs (e.g., Early Bird vs Night Owl) incur a penalty but do not eliminate the match.

Compatibility scores are informational — they help you make better decisions but do not guarantee a successful living arrangement. Mushrooms is not responsible for the conduct of matched flatmates after move-in.

8. Tenancy Agreements

Mushrooms auto-generates a PDF subletting agreement for each completed booking. The agreement includes:

• Both parties' names, email addresses, and phone numbers
• Property address and specific room (for multi-room listings)
• Tenancy term (start and end dates)
• Rent amount, payment schedule, and escrow payment references

These agreements are generated for record-keeping and transparency. Both parties should review the agreement and seek independent legal advice if needed. Mushrooms is a technology platform — we are not a party to the tenancy agreement between host and seeker.

9. Disputes & Refunds

When You Can Dispute

Either party can raise a dispute during the escrow or move-in period. Common dispute reasons include:

• Property does not match the listing (photos, amenities, condition)
• Host is unresponsive or refuses access after escrow payment
• Undisclosed property issues (meter debt, structural problems, noise)
• Seeker causes damage or violates agreed terms

Dispute Process

• The disputing party submits a description and evidence (photos, text).
• The other party is notified and can respond with their evidence.
• The Mushrooms team reviews evidence from both sides.
• Resolution options: full refund to seeker, partial refund, release to host, or mediated split.

Escrow Refunds

If a dispute is resolved in the seeker's favour, escrowed funds are returned in full. Viewing deposits (₦2,000) are non-refundable as they cover the cost of facilitating contact and scheduling.

10. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to:

• Provide false information during registration or verification
• Use stolen or fabricated identity documents
• Post listings for properties you do not have the right to rent
• Upload photos not captured at the actual property
• Circumvent the escrow system by arranging off-platform payments
• Harass, threaten, or discriminate against other users
• Create multiple accounts to evade bans or verification
• Scrape, copy, or redistribute platform content or user data
• Use the platform for any illegal purpose

Violations may result in listing removal, account suspension, or permanent ban. Severe cases (identity fraud, financial fraud) may be referred to law enforcement.

11. Intellectual Property

The Mushrooms platform, brand, logo, design, and software are owned by Mushrooms Housing Ltd. You may not copy, modify, or distribute any part of the platform without written permission.

Content you upload (photos, text, listing descriptions) remains yours. By uploading, you grant Mushrooms a non-exclusive license to display, distribute, and use your content on the platform and in marketing materials.

12. Limitation of Liability

Mushrooms is a technology platform that connects hosts and seekers. We are not a landlord, tenant, real estate agent, or property manager. Specifically:

• We do not own, manage, or control any listed property.
• We do not guarantee the accuracy of listing information beyond what our Verification Suite checks.
• We do not guarantee compatibility between matched flatmates.
• We are not responsible for property damage, personal injury, or disputes between users after move-in, except where escrow funds are still held.
• Our total liability to any user shall not exceed the amount of fees paid by that user to Mushrooms in the 12 months preceding the claim.

The Platform is provided "as is". We make no warranties, express or implied, regarding the availability, reliability, or fitness of the Platform for any particular purpose.

13. Account Termination

By You

You may close your account at any time by contacting us. Active escrow obligations must be settled before account closure.

By Us

We may suspend or permanently terminate your account if you violate these Terms, fail identity verification, receive multiple reports from other users, or engage in fraudulent activity. Banned users will be notified with the reason.

14. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Any disputes arising from these Terms shall be resolved through the courts of Lagos State, Nigeria.

15. Contact

For questions about these Terms: