Terms of Service

A1. Subscription Tiers

Annual plans represent a 2-month discount. Founding Landlords (first 50 paid subscribers) lock their price permanently.

A2. Paystack Bank Account Requirement

To enable digital rent collection, Landlords on paid plans must connect a valid Nigerian NUBAN bank account via the Platform. This creates a Paystack subaccount through which rent is settled directly. Dukiani does not hold rent funds at any point.

A3. Rent Payment Mechanics

When a Tenant pays rent through the Platform:

• The full rent amount is routed directly to the Landlord's Paystack subaccount;
• The NGN 1,500 Tenant Convenience Fee is collected separately by Dukiani;
• Paystack's transaction fee is borne by Dukiani and deducted from the Convenience Fee;
• Settlement to the Landlord's bank account occurs on Paystack's standard T+1 schedule.

A4. Security Deposits and Caution Fees

Dukiani does not process, hold, or escrow security deposits or caution fees. The agreed deposit is recorded in the digital lease agreement. Payment occurs directly between Landlord and Tenant outside the Platform.

A5. Maintenance and Vendor Management

Landlords may use the Platform to log maintenance requests, assign them to registered Vendors, track progress, and process payment. When a Maintenance Job is completed and approved by the Landlord, payment is processed through the Platform's payment gateway using a split payment mechanism: 90% of the job amount is settled directly to the Vendor's payout account and 10% is retained by Dukiani as a platform commission. Dukiani does not hold funds at any point — the split is executed simultaneously at the gateway level. Dukiani is not responsible for the quality, timeliness, or outcome of the underlying maintenance work.

A6. Landlord Responsibilities

• Ensure properties listed are habitable, safe, and legally lettable;
• Provide Tenants with quiet enjoyment of the property as required by law;
• Respond to maintenance requests logged on the Platform within a reasonable timeframe;
• Pay the agreed job amount through the Platform when prompted, which will be automatically split by the payment gateway — 90% to the Vendor and 10% to Dukiani as a platform commission;
• Not evict a Tenant unlawfully or interfere with access to their Platform profile.

B1. Tenant Account and Invitation

Tenants are onboarded by invitation from a Landlord. Tenants register, complete their profile, and are linked to the Landlord's property. Tenants may not register independently without a valid Landlord invitation.

B2. Tenant Verified Profile

The Platform maintains a Tenant profile recording payment history, tenancy ratings from previous Landlords, and identity verification status. This profile is portable across future tenancies on the Platform.

B3. Rent Payment Obligations

• Tenants are required to pay rent through the Platform where the Landlord has enabled digital rent collection;
• The NGN 1,500 Convenience Fee is charged per annual payment and is non-refundable once processed;
• Payment references and receipts are automatically stored in the Tenant's dashboard;
• Late or missed payments are recorded on the Tenant's profile and may affect future tenancy applications.

B4. Maintenance Requests

Tenants may submit maintenance requests through the Platform. Submitting a request creates a Maintenance Job record visible to the Landlord. The Tenant acknowledges that responsibility for arranging and funding maintenance rests with the Landlord, and that Dukiani does not guarantee any particular response time or outcome from any Vendor.

B5. Tenant's Acknowledgement

• The Platform does not act as an intermediary, escrow, or guarantor for any tenancy;
• Dukiani is not a party to the tenancy agreement and cannot adjudicate disputes;
• Property condition, availability, and suitability are solely the Landlord's and/or Agent's responsibility;
• Dukiani facilitates Maintenance Job payments through a gateway split payment mechanism but is not responsible for the quality, timeliness, or outcome of maintenance work carried out by any Vendor;
• Payment of rent through the Platform does not create any obligation on Dukiani with respect to the tenancy.

C1. Agent Registration

Agents must register on the Platform and provide accurate details including their name, agency name (if applicable), areas of operation, and contact details. Dukiani reserves the right to verify Agent credentials.

C2. Listing Standards

• A minimum of 3 original, landscape-orientation photographs per listing;
• Minimum resolution of 800×500 pixels; maximum file size 10MB;
• Accurate property details including address, unit type, bedroom count, and annual rent;
• Only properties for which the Agent holds current, valid authorisation from the Landlord;
• No stock photographs, watermarked images, or photographs sourced from other platforms.

C3. Agent Success Fee

Upon successful lease completion (Tenant signing and making first rent payment), an Agent Success Fee is payable to Dukiani, calculated as a percentage of the commission the Agent earns on that lease (not of the rent itself):

C3.2 The Success Fee is invoiced automatically upon lease completion. Payment is due within 7 days via Paystack. Failure to pay will result in suspension of the Agent's listing capability.

C3.3 An Agent who directs a Tenant to finalise a transaction offline to avoid the Success Fee is in breach of these Terms and may be permanently banned.

C4. Agency Subscription

Agents may subscribe to the Agency plan (NGN 15,000/month) for boosted listing placement, advanced analytics, and additional listing slots. This subscription is independent of the Success Fee obligation.

C5. Dukiani Verified Agent Badge

Agents who close 3 or more leases through the Platform earn the Dukiani Verified Agent badge, maintained only while the Agent remains active and compliant on the Platform.

C6. Agent Warranties

• All listings are genuine and accurately represent the property at the date of listing;
• Agents will not demand or collect fees from Tenants beyond what is expressly permitted in these Terms;
• Any caution fees collected are disclosed to the Tenant in writing before collection.

D1. Vendor Registration and Verification

Vendors must register on the Platform and provide accurate details including business name (if applicable), service categories, coverage areas, and contact details. Dukiani reserves the right to require verification of professional certifications, trade licences, or other credentials relevant to the service categories offered. Unverified Vendors may have limited visibility or job access until verification is complete.

D2. Service Categories

Vendors register under one or more of the following service categories: plumbing, electrical, painting, carpentry, air conditioning, cleaning, security systems, and general maintenance. Vendors must only accept jobs in categories for which they hold the necessary competence and, where required by Nigerian law, the relevant trade certification.

D3. Technician Management

D3.1 Vendors are responsible for managing their own Technicians. When a Vendor accepts a Maintenance Job, they are responsible for ensuring the Technician assigned is competent, properly supervised, and conducts themselves professionally on the Landlord's property.

D3.2 Vendors must keep their Technician roster up to date on the Platform, including each Technician's skills, certifications, and availability status.

D3.3 Dukiani is not an employer or co-employer of any Technician. The relationship between a Vendor and their Technicians is solely the Vendor's responsibility.

D4. Job Acceptance and Completion

• Vendors must update Maintenance Job status at each stage: accepted, in-progress, and completed;
• Vendors must provide a cost estimate before commencing work where the Landlord has requested one;
• On completion, Vendors must upload job completion evidence (photographs or a written summary);
• Vendors must not commence work at a property without the Landlord's explicit approval on the Platform;
• If a Vendor is unable to complete an accepted job, they must notify the Landlord through the Platform and update the status to "cancelled" with a reason, as soon as reasonably practicable.

D5. Payment for Maintenance Work and Vendor Commission

D5.1 Commission Rate. Dukiani charges a platform commission of 10% on every completed and approved Maintenance Job. This commission is automatically deducted at the point of payout — the Vendor receives 90% of the agreed job amount and Dukiani receives 10%. There are no other fees charged to Vendors.

D5.2 Payment Mechanism. Maintenance Job payments are processed through the Platform's payment gateway (Paystack) using a split payment arrangement. When the Landlord or Tenant pays the job amount, the gateway simultaneously settles: (a) 90% of the job amount directly to the Vendor's registered Paystack subaccount; and (b) 10% to Dukiani's account as a platform commission. Dukiani does not hold, store, or retain custody of funds at any point. The gateway processing fee is borne by the payer and is separate from Dukiani's commission.

D5.3 Payout Account. Vendors must register a valid Nigerian bank account via the Platform's Paystack subaccount setup to receive payouts. Dukiani is not responsible for failed payouts arising from incorrect or outdated bank account details provided by the Vendor.

D5.4 Payment Example. If a Maintenance Job is agreed at NGN 20,000: the Vendor receives NGN 18,000 (90%); Dukiani receives NGN 2,000 (10%). The gateway processing fee is deducted from the payer's payment separately.

D5.5 Disputes. Any dispute about the quality or scope of completed maintenance work is between the Landlord and the Vendor. Dukiani does not adjudicate maintenance work disputes but may provide job records, status logs, and payment confirmations as evidence to assist the parties.

D6. Vendor Ratings and Performance

Upon job completion, Landlords may submit a rating and review for the Vendor. These are displayed on the Vendor's profile and visible to all Landlords. Dukiani does not remove accurate and fair ratings. Vendors who accumulate consistently low ratings or who repeatedly fail to complete accepted jobs may have their account suspended or removed.

D7. Dukiani Verified Vendor Badge

Vendors who complete 5 or more jobs through the Platform with an average rating of 4.0 or above earn the Dukiani Verified Vendor badge. This badge is removed if the Vendor's average rating drops below 3.5 or if their account is suspended for any reason.

D8. Vendor Warranties

• All services offered are within the Vendor's genuine area of competence;
• Vendors hold appropriate public liability insurance for work carried out at residential and commercial properties;
• Vendors will not solicit Landlords or Tenants for business outside the Platform in respect of any job first introduced through the Platform;
• Vendors will not misrepresent their qualifications, certifications, or service areas on the Platform;
• Vendors will treat all Landlords, Tenants, and property occupants with respect and professionalism at all times.

E1. Platform Availability

Dukiani aims to maintain Platform availability 24/7 but does not guarantee uninterrupted service. Scheduled maintenance or events beyond our control may cause temporary downtime.

E2. Intellectual Property

All intellectual property in the Platform — including its design, codebase, trade mark "Dukiani", and all proprietary features — is owned by or licensed to Dukiani Digital Services Ltd. Users are granted a limited, non-exclusive licence to use the Platform for its intended purposes only.

E3. Third-Party Services

The Platform integrates with Paystack, Supabase, Vercel, and Resend. Dukiani is not responsible for the availability, accuracy, or conduct of these third-party services. Use of Paystack is additionally governed by Paystack's own Terms of Service.

E4. Governing Law

These Service Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The courts of Lagos State shall have non-exclusive jurisdiction over any disputes arising hereunder.

E5. Contact

Queries regarding these Service Terms: hello@dukiani.com | Dukiani Digital Services Ltd, Mulliner Towers, 39 Alfred Rewane Road, Ikoyi, Lagos 101233