# How Kindsitters works — clear policies, no fine print

> Draft for legal review. `POLITICAS-es.md` is the canonical source; this is its
> English translation. Current prices are ALWAYS shown before you pay.

## What Kindsitters is

Kindsitters connects people who need someone to care for their home, pets or plants
with people willing to care for them. There are three ways to use it:

1. **Local sitter**: someone in your area visits your home and charges per day.
2. **Stay-for-care (house sitting)**: someone stays in your home for free in
   exchange for caring for it. No payment between you.
3. **Home swap**: two members exchange homes for a holiday.

Kindsitters is not an agency and does not employ sitters: it's the platform where you
meet, get verified, pay with protection, and get backed up if something goes wrong.

## Where Kindsitters works

Kindsitters is available worldwide **except the European Union, the European
Economic Area, the United Kingdom and Switzerland**, where we do not provide
the service for now (the site is not reachable from those countries). When we
open there, we will announce it and adapt these policies. Language is not a
country: you can use Kindsitters in Spanish, English or Portuguese from
anywhere it is available.

## Identity verification: real people

- Anyone can create an account and browse for free, with just an email.
- To **apply for a stay** or **propose a home swap**, verified identity is
  **mandatory** (ID document + selfie). For local paid care it's optional, but
  it pays off: you get the **verified badge** that builds trust and you
  **rank higher** when owners search for a sitter.
- Your document and selfie are **not stored**: they are reviewed and deleted.
  Only the outcome ("identity verified") remains on your profile.
- Reviews can only be left by people who completed a real booking, and they are
  **blind**: neither side sees the other's until both have written (or 14 days
  pass). Nobody writes under pressure.

## Your payment is protected (step by step)

1. **You book and pay** with your card or usual wallet. The money does **not**
   go to the sitter: it's held in escrow.
2. **During the care**, the money stays locked. Nobody can touch it — not even
   Kindsitters. The sitter logs each visit with photos and completed tasks, which you
   see in real time.
3. **When you confirm everything went well**, the money is released to the
   sitter. If something went wrong, you open a claim and the money stays held
   until it's resolved.

Paying **inside Kindsitters, always**, is what makes this protection possible. If
someone suggests settling outside (cash, direct transfer), say no: you lose the
refund, the dispute backing and the reviews — and it's against these rules.

## Transparent pricing

- **Creating an account, listing and searching: free.**
- **Local sitter**: the owner pays the daily price set by the sitter. Kindsitters's
  service fee is shown **before you confirm the booking** — never after.
- **Stays and swaps**: no payment between people. Applying for a stay requires
  the **traveller membership**; in a home swap **both parties** need it (both
  stay for free). You see the price before subscribing. Without a membership you
  can still list your home and receive applications.
- No hidden charges. If a booking is cancelled under these policies, the refund
  is **free of charge**.

## Cancellations and refunds

| Situation | What happens to your money |
|---|---|
| The owner cancels before the start | 100% refund |
| The sitter cancels or doesn't show up | 100% refund to the owner, and the sitter is sanctioned |
| Cancelled while the care is underway | The care done so far is paid; the rest is refunded. No agreement → a claim decides |
| Draw / a booking that never started | 100% refund, no charges |

Refunds go back through the same payment method. Crediting times depend on your
bank or wallet (typically 3–10 business days).

## If something goes wrong: claims with evidence

1. **Open the claim** from the booking, telling us what happened.
2. **Talk first**: both sides can reply and add evidence in the same thread. The
   visit photos already logged count as proof. Most problems get solved here.
3. **Escalate to Kindsitters** if there's no agreement. Our team reviews the evidence
   and responds within **72 business hours**.
4. **Resolution**: full or partial refund, payment release, or claim closed —
   always with the reason why. While a claim is open, the money doesn't move.

## Community rules

- **One person, one account.** Multiple, borrowed or fake accounts get suspended.
- **Fraud is forbidden**: simulated bookings, fake evidence, arranging payments
  outside the platform, or manipulating reviews. In case of fraud, Kindsitters may
  suspend accounts and hold escrowed funds until it's cleared up.
- **Respect**: no harassment, discrimination or abusive content in messages or
  profiles.
- **Sensitive content**: if a photo or audio shows something delicate, **mark it
  as sensitive** when sending (it's blurred until the other person chooses to
  view it). Sending inappropriate, offensive or unmarked sensitive content can
  cost you a **strike** or an account suspension — think twice before sending.
- Sanctions are gradual (warning → temporary suspension → ban) and you can
  always see in your account which sanction you have and why. You can appeal by
  writing to support.
- **If your account is suspended or closed while you have an active
  subscription**: the subscription is cancelled and we refund the unused
  portion. A sanction is never an excuse to keep your money.

## Your data

- We keep the minimum: your ID document is **deleted after review**; chat
  audio/photo files are deleted after 60 days; visit photos after 90 (unless
  they are evidence in an open claim); closed-claim evidence after one year.
- Your exact address is **never public**: the other party sees it only once the
  booking or swap is confirmed.
- You can export your data or delete your account anytime, from the app.
- We don't sell your data. Full details in the Privacy Policy.

## Your country, your law

Kindsitters operates in several countries and **each country's law is different**.
These policies are the common baseline; your country's consumer-protection and
data laws may grant you **additional rights**, and those rights always prevail
over this text. Regional details live in the Privacy Policy (GDPR-style
baseline + per-country annexes). **Kindsitters is not a legal advisor**: this
information is for guidance; for legal questions, check your country's law or
consult a professional.

## Contact

Questions, problems, something that doesn't feel right? **support.nido@gmail.com**.
We're real people and we answer.