Homie Privacy Policy

Book Homie Ltd ("Homie", "we", "us", or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting personal data in accordance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and other applicable laws.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect personal information when you use our website, mobile application, booking services, and related platforms.

Homie initially facilitates accommodation bookings in Abuja, Nigeria, and may introduce additional services, including car rentals, in the future.

Data controller: Book Homie Ltd
Registration number: RC 9920886
Privacy contact: privacy@bookhomie.com

Depending on how you use Homie, we may collect the following information:

Account information

• Full name, email address, telephone number, and account credentials.
• Profile information and communication preferences.

Identity verification information

• Information needed to verify your identity, such as your legal name, date of birth, verification status, and verification reference.
• Government-issued identification information and, where necessary, a photograph or selfie used by an identity-verification provider.
• Verification results, expiry information, and records of verification decisions.

Homie does not require a Bank Verification Number (BVN) for ordinary guest bookings by default. We will not collect National Identification Number (NIN) or other sensitive identity information unless there is a justified, lawful, and appropriately disclosed reason to do so.

Where possible, identity checks will be performed by a suitable verification provider, and Homie will retain only the information reasonably necessary for its purposes.

Booking and accommodation information

• Check-in and check-out dates, number of guests, selected accommodation, booking history, and booking preferences.
• Payment amounts, transaction references, refunds, caution deposits, and relevant payment status information.
• Messages, complaints, cancellation requests, and dispute evidence.

Host information

Hosts may be required to provide identity and contact information, property details, evidence of authority to offer an accommodation, payout details, and other information reasonably required to verify their eligibility to list properties.

Technical information

We may collect device information, IP address, browser information, approximate location derived from technical information where necessary, usage events, diagnostic logs, and cookie or similar technology information.

We will request access to precise device location only where a specific feature requires it and will explain the purpose.

Support and communications

We collect information you provide when contacting our support team, reporting an issue, responding to a survey, or communicating with us through our official channels.

We process personal information for purposes including:

• Creating and maintaining accounts.
• Facilitating bookings and communicating booking details.
• Verifying guests and hosts and reducing fraud.
• Processing payments, refunds, settlements, and caution deposits.
• Managing cancellations, damage claims, complaints, and disputes.
• Providing customer support and service notifications.
• Protecting the safety and security of guests, hosts, properties, and the platform.
• Maintaining financial records, preventing abuse, and meeting applicable legal obligations.
• Improving the performance, reliability, and usability of Homie.
• Sending promotional communications where permitted by law and respecting applicable marketing preferences.

We will not use personal information for purposes incompatible with those disclosed to you without an appropriate lawful basis.

Depending on the activity, Homie may rely on one or more lawful bases permitted under applicable data-protection law, including:

• Contract: where processing is necessary to create an account, facilitate a booking, or provide a requested service.
• Legal obligation: where processing is required for applicable legal, regulatory, accounting, or reporting duties.
• Legitimate interests: where processing is necessary for a legitimate purpose, such as platform security or fraud prevention, and those interests do not override your rights.
• Consent: where consent is required or is the appropriate lawful basis, including certain optional communications or data uses.

Where processing relies on consent, you may withdraw that consent. Withdrawal does not invalidate processing lawfully completed before withdrawal, and some information may still be retained where another lawful basis or legal obligation applies.

Homie may use third-party identity-verification services to establish whether a guest or host has completed the required verification process.

Verification may involve checking a government-issued ID and matching it to a selfie, where appropriate. We aim to verify guests before their first stay and reuse a valid verification result for subsequent bookings, subject to legitimate re-verification requirements.

We may request additional checks where identity details change, a verification expires, or a specific security concern justifies further review.

Verification results may affect whether an account can complete a booking. Where required by applicable law, we will provide appropriate information and review procedures for relevant decisions.

Homie does not guarantee that identity verification eliminates all fraud or misconduct.

Payments are processed through payment providers and other financial service partners used by Homie.

We may share the information required to process payments, verify transactions, issue refunds, reconcile settlements, and prevent fraud.

Where an accommodation requires a refundable caution deposit, we process or coordinate the deposit in accordance with the terms disclosed for that booking and the applicable payment arrangement.

Payment providers may independently process certain information under their own privacy notices. Homie does not claim to provide escrow services unless an appropriate arrangement has been established.

We may share personal information with:

• Accommodation hosts, to the extent reasonably necessary to fulfil a confirmed booking.
• Guests and hosts involved in a booking, where disclosure is necessary to coordinate check-in, resolve a dispute, or manage the reservation.
• Payment processors and financial service providers.
• Identity-verification providers.
• Cloud hosting, communications, customer-support, analytics, and security service providers.
• Professional advisers, auditors, insurers, and relevant service providers where necessary.
• Law-enforcement authorities, regulators, courts, or other parties where disclosure is legally required or otherwise lawfully justified.

We require appropriate confidentiality, security, and data-processing safeguards where applicable.

We do not sell personal information to third parties.

Some service providers may process or store personal information outside Nigeria.

Where personal information is transferred internationally, Homie will take the steps required by applicable Nigerian data-protection law, including any required assessment, safeguards, or other transfer conditions.

Information about relevant transfers and safeguards may be requested through our privacy contact.

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, subject to applicable legal obligations and legitimate requirements.

Retention periods may differ for:

• Account and profile records.
• Booking and financial records.
• Identity-verification results.
• Customer-support correspondence.
• Deposit claims, disputes, and fraud-prevention records.
• Security and diagnostic logs.

When information is no longer required, we will take appropriate steps to delete it, anonymise it, or securely dispose of it, subject to lawful retention requirements.

Closing an account does not necessarily result in the immediate deletion of every record associated with it.

Homie uses appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, disclosure, and misuse.

Measures may include access controls, encryption where appropriate, secure authentication, restricted administrative permissions, audit logs, and security monitoring.

No online service can guarantee absolute security. If a personal-data breach occurs, Homie will assess and respond to it in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Subject to applicable law and relevant conditions, you may have the right to:

• Be informed about the processing of your personal data.
• Request access to personal information we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Request erasure of personal information in appropriate circumstances.
• Object to certain processing or request restriction of processing.
• Request data portability where applicable.
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
• Request appropriate human review of relevant decisions where required by law.
• Lodge a complaint with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission.

To exercise a right, contact privacy@bookhomie.com. We may need to verify your identity before responding.

Some requests may be limited by legal obligations, the rights of others, or other lawful grounds. We will explain applicable limitations where appropriate.

Homie may use essential cookies and similar technologies to maintain sessions, protect accounts, remember preferences, and support platform functionality.

Where optional analytics, advertising, or similar technologies are used, we will provide appropriate notices and choices where required by law.

You may also be able to manage cookies through your browser settings.

Homie is not intended to be used independently by children who are not legally able to enter the relevant arrangements.

Bookings must be made by a person legally capable of entering into the applicable agreement. A parent, guardian, or responsible adult must arrange any stay involving minors and comply with applicable accommodation rules.

We do not knowingly collect children's personal information beyond what is lawfully necessary for a booking or safety-related purpose.

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites or services. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies.

Homie is not responsible for the privacy practices of independent third parties outside its control.

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our services, technology, legal obligations, or data-processing practices.

We will update the effective or last-updated date and provide additional notice where required. Material changes will be communicated through appropriate channels.

For privacy questions, requests, or complaints, contact:

Book Homie Ltd
Email: privacy@bookhomie.com

You may also contact the Nigeria Data Protection Commission through its official website: ndpc.gov.ng

This Privacy Policy should be read alongside Homie's Terms of Service and, where applicable, the Host Agreement.