Hostshare Terms of Service Agreement
Welcome to Hostshare! By registering as a member, you agree to the following Terms of Service Agreement (the "Agreement"). This Agreement forms a binding contract between you (the "Member" or "Host") and Hostshare LLC. If you disagree with any of these terms, please refrain from using our Services.
1. Member Responsibilities
1.1. Account Information: Always provide up-to-date, accurate, and complete information for your member account. Safeguard your login details, ensuring they're never shared with third parties. You may sign in using a Hostshare password or a connected account (such as Google, Apple, or Hospitable); you are responsible for maintaining the security of whichever method you use.
1.2. Listing Integrity: You bear sole responsibility for the content of your listings, ensuring their accuracy, including descriptions, images, pricing, and availability. Ensure that your listings abide by all relevant laws and regulations.
1.3. Guest Relations: Prompt, transparent, and honest communication with other members is paramount. This includes timely responses to inquiries and bookings.
1.4. Property Standards: It is your responsibility to ensure your property meets all local laws, regulations, safety guidelines, and community standards. Your property must be cleaned, stocked, and well-maintained for an arriving guest, just as it would be for any other platform booking.
1.5. Prohibited Conduct: Engaging in illegal, harmful, or deceptive activities — such as discrimination or intellectual property violations — is strictly prohibited.
2. Bookings and Payments
2.1. Booking Commitment: Hostshare monitors each property's calendar. If a member reserves your property on available, unblocked dates, you must honor that booking. All bookings are instant. Refusing to honor confirmed bookings on open dates may result in removal from the platform.
2.2. Blockout Dates: Each member receives up to 200 blockout days per year to protect peak revenue dates, seasonal closures, or any dates the property is unavailable. Hostshare only makes available the dates not covered by your blockouts and not already booked elsewhere through your connected calendars.
2.3. Fees: Hostshare charges a service fee on every booking equal to 15% of the comparable market price for the same property and dates. This single fee covers platform operations, payment processing, and damage protection. Cleaning fees are set by the host and paid directly to the host. Cleaning fees are intended to cover the actual costs of preparing the property, not to generate profit, and Hostshare may request verification of unusually high cleaning fees.
2.4. Payment Dynamics: Hostshare handles the payment process. In exchange for using our platform, you agree to pay any associated service fees or commissions.
2.6. Communication Guidelines: All communication with other members must be conducted through official Hostshare channels. You will not attempt to contact other members via other booking platforms, social media, or external means. Coordination should occur only after a booking is confirmed, using the contact details Hostshare provides.
2.5. Host Booking Cancellations: Cancellation of a confirmed booking by the host is taken seriously. When a host cancels a confirmed booking, the host must choose one of the following, and in either case the affected guest will be credited $50:
(a) Pay a $100 cancellation fee. Of this fee, $50 is credited to the affected guest and $50 is retained by the platform.
(b) Self-ban from the platform. The host may instead elect to permanently remove their account from Hostshare. A self-banned account cannot rejoin in the future and forfeits all credits and travel nights. The affected guest is still credited $50.
These consequences do not apply where the cancellation results from a verified extenuating circumstance or a double-booking/calendar-sync issue outside the host's control. Repeated cancellations, even where the $100 fee is paid each time, may result in removal from the platform.
2.6. Guest Booking Cancellations: If you cancel a confirmed booking as the traveling guest, the refund of your nights, cleaning fee, and Hostshare service fee depends on how far in advance of check-in you cancel:
30 or more days before check-in: Your nights and cleaning fee are refunded; the Hostshare service fee is forfeited.
8 to 29 days before check-in: Your nights are refunded; the cleaning fee and Hostshare service fee are forfeited.
7 days or fewer before check-in: Your nights, cleaning fee, and Hostshare service fee are all forfeited, and a cancellation strike is added to your account.
These outcomes do not apply where the cancellation results from a verified extenuating circumstance, a host who is unresponsive or fails to honor the booking, or another verified issue outside your control — in which case your nights and applicable fees will be reinstated. Repeated late cancellations may affect your standing on the platform and could result in removal.
3. Membership Tiers & Fees
3.1. Membership Tiers: Hostshare offers four membership tiers — Starter, Starter Plus, Pro, and Max — each with different benefits, including upfront nights, credits, and access to platform features. Tier details, pricing, and benefits are described on our pricing page and in our Help Center, and may be updated from time to time.
3.2. Membership Charges & Refund Window: Paid membership fees are billed according to your selected tier (monthly or annually). Membership fees are refundable within 7 days of the initial payment, provided you have not used any travel nights during that period. After the 7-day window — or once any travel nights have been used — membership fees are non-refundable.
3.3. Billing Procedure: Your membership fee is charged upon activation of your membership and renews automatically at the start of each billing cycle.
3.4. Membership Cancellation: Cancellation rights depend on your tier:
Starter & Starter Plus: You may cancel at any time without penalty, provided you do not have an upcoming or in-progress booking as a traveler. Any earned/granted nights will be forfeited when cancelling unless upgrading.
Pro & Max: After the 7-day refund window, canceling is treated as a mid-cycle cancellation. Because Pro and Max members commit to a share contract, canceling mid-cycle without fulfilling the agreed share nights may result in removal from the platform for not honoring the commitment.
Full details are described in our Membership Cancellation & Refund Policy.
3.5. Nights & Credits: Membership provides nights (used to book stays at other members' properties) and credits (applied to the Hostshare service fee). Nights and credits are tracked in your member wallet and are designated as either "granted" (provided with your tier at signup and renewal) or "earned" (accumulated through hosting activity, reviews, referrals, and promotions). On paid tiers, nights and credits do not expire and roll over while your membership remains active. On the free Starter tier, granted and earned nights expire six months after they are issued. Nights and credits hold no cash value, are non-transferable, and cannot be redeemed for cash.
3.6. Share Contract: Pro and Max members agree to a membership-level share contract — a commitment to make a calculated number of nights available to the network each membership year, based on tier and average nightly rate. Starter and Starter Plus members have no share contract and may share on an optional basis.
3.7. Upgrades & Downgrades: Upgrades take effect immediately and carry over all existing nights and credits. Downgrades take effect at the end of the current billing cycle. Granted nights and credits may be forfeited upon downgrade; earned nights and credits are retained on paid tiers. Dropping to the free tier or canceling entirely may result in forfeiture of all balances.
3.8. Membership Adjustments: We reserve the right to adjust membership features, tiers, or fees, always informing members of significant changes in advance.
3.9. Founding Members: Members who held a paid membership prior to the launch of the current platform version may be designated "Founding Members," receiving benefits as described in our Help Center, including a locked annual rate. Founding Member status and pricing are subject to the conditions communicated at migration and remain valid only while the membership stays active.
4. Damage Protection
4.1. Every booking includes damage protection coverage of up to $50,000, provided through our protection partner, Truvi, and funded through the Hostshare service fee. Coverage is automatic and requires no separate purchase.
4.2. In the event of damage, members must submit an incident report with the required supporting information (such as the guest's details, evidence of damage, and evidence of costs) within the timeframe specified in our Help Center. Coverage is subject to the terms and limits of the underlying protection program.
4.3. Guests may be screened automatically before a booking is confirmed. Hostshare reserves the right to decline or cancel bookings flagged by screening.
5. Indemnification
5.1. You commit to defending and indemnifying Hostshare LLC, including our partners and employees, from any claims, liabilities, or expenses (including attorney fees) arising from your misuse of our Services, your listings, or any violation of this Agreement.
6. Modification and Termination
6.1. Hostshare may amend or terminate the Services or this Agreement as needed. We will notify you of significant changes. Continuing to use the Services after a change indicates acceptance. Hostshare reserves the right to remove a user from the platform should the user violate these terms, the Hostshare Pledge, or cause a nuisance in any way.
7. Legal Governance & Disputes
The laws of the State of Delaware govern this Agreement. Any disputes will be resolved in the courts of Delaware.
8. Additional Provisions
8.1. Entire Agreement: This Agreement represents the full understanding between Hostshare LLC and you regarding our Services, overruling any prior agreements.
8.2. Severability: If any provision of this Agreement is legally unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in effect.
9. Referral Program
9.1. Hostshare reserves the right to modify any referral program at its discretion, including program terms, benefits, eligibility criteria, and promotional periods. Participants will be notified of significant changes. By maintaining this flexibility, Hostshare aims to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of its referral initiatives.
10. Use of Content for Promotional Rights
10.1. By adding a listing to the Hostshare platform, you grant us permission to use the content, images, and details of your listing for marketing and promotional purposes across our website, social media, and other channels. If you'd like us to tag your social media handle in these promotions, please email it to [email protected].
11. Assumption of Risk
11.1. By using Hostshare's Services, you acknowledge that you are solely responsible for complying with the terms, conditions, and policies of any third-party booking platforms (e.g., Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com) on which your property is listed. Hostshare does not control, endorse, or assume responsibility for the operations, policies, or actions of such third-party platforms.
11.2. No Liability for Third-Party Claims: Hostshare, including its affiliates, partners, and employees, shall not be liable for any claims, demands, penalties, damages, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from actions taken by third-party platforms against you, including account suspensions, terminations, financial penalties, or legal proceedings, due to your use of Hostshare's Services.
11.3. Use at Your Own Risk: You use Hostshare's Services at your own risk with respect to your relationships with third-party platforms. Hostshare makes no representations or warranties regarding the compatibility of its Services with the policies or requirements of third-party platforms, and you agree to indemnify and hold Hostshare harmless from any liabilities or losses resulting from such relationships or conflicts.
By using Hostshare or clicking "I agree," you confirm that you have read, comprehended, and agree to this Terms of Service Agreement.