Community Guidelines

Homesztay works because Guests and Hosts trust each other. These guidelines apply to everyone using the Platform, in listings, messages, reviews and during stays. Breaking them can lead to warnings, removal of content, cancelled bookings or account suspension.

1. Safety

• No violence, threats, or intimidation of any person.
• No illegal activity at a property, including drugs, unlicensed alcohol sale, gambling or trafficking. We cooperate with law enforcement and report suspected human trafficking or child exploitation.
• Hosts must not hide hazards. Guests must not tamper with smoke detectors, locks or safety equipment.
• Recording devices must be disclosed and never placed in bedrooms or bathrooms.

2. Respect and non-discrimination

We do not allow discrimination against anyone on the basis of religion, caste, race, ethnicity, place of birth or origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age or language.

• Hosts may not decline, cancel or set different terms for a guest on these grounds.
• House rules must be lawful, disclosed before booking and applied equally to every guest.
• No hate speech, slurs, or harassment, in messages, reviews or in person.

3. Honesty and authenticity

• Listings must show the real property, real prices and real availability.
• No fake accounts, duplicate listings, or impersonation.
• Reviews must be about a real stay. No paid, incentivised, swapped or retaliatory reviews, and no pressure to change a review. We follow the principles of the Bureau of Indian Standards' standard on online consumer reviews (IS 19000:2022).
• No hidden fees: every charge must appear in the listing price shown at checkout.

4. Respecting the property and neighbours

• Guests should follow house rules, occupancy limits and check-out times, and leave the property in reasonable condition.
• Unauthorised parties and events are not allowed. Respect quiet hours and local noise rules, and be considerate of society and building neighbours.
• Hosts should provide the space as described and respect guests' privacy during their stay.

5. Staying on the Platform

Keep messages and payments on Homesztay. Requests to pay by cash, UPI or bank transfer outside the Platform, or to share contact details before booking to avoid fees, are not allowed. Off-platform payments are the most common way people get scammed.

6. Reporting

If you see something that breaks these guidelines, report it from the listing, profile, message or trip page, or email support@homesztay.in. In an emergency, call 112 first. Complaints are handled under our Grievance Redressal process.