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Terms of Use

Terms of Use

Last Updated: July 2024 

For the short version of “the rules” for users, please refer to the FAQ section of the website.

If you do not agree to all of the terms of use set out below, you may not access or use the website or app, should not click to accept these terms and should not proceed any further.

1. Privacy

Your privacy is one of our top priorities. For more information, please read our privacy policy and the FAQ on personal security. 

2. Terms of Use

These Terms of Use (“Terms”) are a binding legal agreement between you and Warmshowers.org Foundation (“Warmshowers.org”) that govern your right to use the websites, applications, and other offerings from Warmshowers.org (collectively, the “Platform”). When used in these Terms, “Warmshowers.org,” “we,” “us,” or “our” refers to the Warmshowers.org. 

The Platform offers an online venue that enables users to publish, offer, search for, and book services. You must be at least 18 years old to access or use the Platform. Warmshowers is an organization of touring cyclists who only provide hosting to other cyclists. You may not use the Platform when traveling by any other means. Users who publish and offer services are “Hosts,” Users who search for, book, or use services are “Cyclists.” Hosts offer accommodations (“Accommodations”) for Hosts (collectively, “Host Services,” and each Host Service offering, a “Listing”). You must register an account to access and use the platform’s many features and keep your account information accurate. As the provider of the Platform, Warmshowers.org does not own, control, offer, or manage any Listings. Warmshowers.org is not a real estate broker, travel agency, or insurer. Warmshowers.org is not acting as an agent in any capacity for any User. 

3. Your Responsibilities and Assumption of Risk

You alone are responsible for your interactions with other users. Warmshowers.org provides a platform for you to interact with other users, offer them hospitality, and seek hospitality. Warmshowers.org is not a party to, has no involvement or interest in, makes no representations or warranties as to, and has no responsibility or liability with respect to any communications, transactions, interactions, disputes, or any relations whatsoever between you and any other user, person or organization. You are solely responsible for your interactions with other users of our services. We reserve the right, but have no obligation, to monitor interactions between you and other users of our services.

Because our Services are merely a platform, in the event that you have a dispute with one or more users, you release us (and our officers, directors, users, employees, agents, and affiliates) from claims, demands, and damages (actual and consequential) of every kind and nature, known and unknown, suspected and unsuspected, disclosed and undisclosed, arising out of or in any way connected with such disputes. 

You acknowledge that many activities carry inherent risks and agree that, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, you assume the entire risk arising out of your access to and use of the Warmshowers.org platform and its app, including your stay at any Listing or any other interaction you have with other Users whether in person or online. This means it is your responsibility to investigate a Listing to determine whether it is suitable for you. 

4. Reporting Misconduct

If you interact with anyone through our services who you feel is acting or has acted inappropriately, including but not limited to offensive, violent, or sexually inappropriate behavior, who steals from you, or who engages in any other disturbing conduct, we strongly encourage you to report such person to the appropriate authorities immediately and then to us by going to Warmshowers.org/contact. Please note that although we encourage you to report misconduct, we are not responsible or liable for our users’ actions and are not obligated to take any action. 

5. Warmshowers.org Platform Rules

You must follow these rules and not help or induce others to break or circumvent these rules.

  • Act with integrity and treat others with respect 
  • Use the Platform solely to arrange hospitality when you are cycle touring. It is not appropriate to use Warmshowers when you are traveling by any other means.
  • Do not lie, misrepresent something or someone, or pretend to be someone else. 
  • Be polite and respectful when you communicate or interact with others. 
  • Do not discriminate against or harass others. 
  • Do not scrape, hack, reverse engineer, compromise, or impair the Platform 
  • Do not hack, avoid, remove, impair, or otherwise attempt to circumvent any security or technological measure used to protect the Platform or Content. 
  • Do not take any action that could damage or adversely affect the performance or proper functioning of the Platform. 
  • Only use the Platform as authorized by these Terms or another agreement with us ○ You may only use another User’ss personal information as necessary to facilitate a transaction using the Platform as authorized by these Terms. 
  • Do not use the Platform, our messaging tools, or User’s personal information to send commercial messages without the recipient’s express consent. 
  • You may use content made available through the Platform (“Content”) solely as necessary to enable your use of the Platform as a Guest or Host. 
  • Do not use Content unless you have permission from the Content owner or the use is authorized by us in these Terms or another agreement you have with us. 
  • Do not engage in practices intended to manipulate our search algorithm. ○ Do not book Host Services unless you are actually using the Host Services.○ Do not use, copy, display, mirror, or frame the Platform, any Content, any branding, or any page layout or design without our consent. 
  • If you provide us with someone else’s personal information, you (i) must do so in compliance with applicable law, (ii) must be authorized to do so, and (iii) must authorize us to process that information under our Privacy Policy. 
  • Do not use or register any domain name, social media handle, trade name, trademark, branding, logo, or other source identifier that may be confused with Warmshowers.Org branding. 
  • Do not offer Host Services that violate the laws or agreements that apply to you. 

6. Termination, Suspension, and other Measures

Term. The agreement between you and Warmshowers.Org reflected by these Terms is effective when you access the Platform (for example, to create an account) and remains in effect until either you or we terminate the agreement in accordance with these Terms. 

Termination. You may terminate this agreement at any time by sending us an email or by deleting your account. Warmshowers.Org may terminate this agreement and your account for any reason by giving you 30 days notice via email or using any other contact information you have provided for your account. Warmshowers.Org may also terminate this agreement immediately and without notice and stop providing access to the Platform if you breach these Terms, you violate applicable laws, or we reasonably believe termination is necessary to protect Warmshowers.Org, its Users, or third parties. If your account has been inactive for over two years, we may terminate your account without prior notice.

User Violations. If (i) you breach these Terms, (ii) you violate applicable laws, regulations, or third-party rights, or (iii) Warmshowers.Org believes it is reasonably necessary to protect Warmshowers.Org, its Users, or third parties. Warmshowers.Org may, with or without prior notice: 

  • Suspend or limit your access to or use of the Warmshowers.Org Platform and/or your account 
  • Suspend or remove Listings, Reviews, or other Content 
  • For minor violations or where otherwise appropriate, as Warmshowers.Org determines in its sole discretion, Warmshowers.Org will give you notice of any intended measure and an opportunity to resolve the issue. You may appeal our actions under this Section by contacting customer service. 

Legal Mandates. Warmshowers.Org may take any action it determines is reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law or the order or request of a court, law enforcement, or other administrative agency or governmental body.

Effect of Termination. When this agreement has been terminated, you are not entitled to a restoration of your account or any of your Content. If your access to or use of the Platform has been limited, your Warmshowers.Org account has been suspended, or this agreement has been terminated by us, you may not register a new account or access or use the Platform through an account of another User. 

Survival. Parts of these Terms that, by their nature, will survive termination of this agreement. 

Modification. Warmshowers.Org may modify these Terms at any time. When we make material changes to these Terms, we will post the revised Terms on the Platform and update the “Last Updated” date at the top of these Terms. We will also provide you with notice of any material changes by email at least 30 days before the date they become effective. If you disagree with the revised Terms, you may terminate this agreement immediately as provided in these Terms. If you do not terminate your agreement before the date the revised Terms become effective, your continued access to or use of the Platform will constitute acceptance of the revised Terms. 

7. Intellectual Property

Warmshowers.Org owns the Platform and all intellectual property rights in it. Warmshowers.Org reserves all intellectual property rights, including, but not limited to, copyright, trademarks, domain names, design rights, brand elements, database rights, patents, and all other intellectual property rights of any kind, whether registered or unregistered. 

8. Limits on Liability

Warmshowers.Org facilitates the matching of Cyclists’ Service Seekers and Hosts by providing search functions that allow Cyclists to find the appropriate Hosts based on their preferences, needs, and locations. 

Warmshowers.Org is not a party to THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CYCLISTS AND HOSTS. It shall not, in any way, be liable to a Cyclist or Host or any other third party arising, either directly or indirectly, from any such relationship, contact, or activities between the parties.

IN NO EVENT SHALL WARMSHOWERS.ORG, A COLORADO, USA NONPROFIT CORPORATION, OR OUR DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, USERS, OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF PROFITS OR LOSS OF DATA, WHETHER IN AN ACTION IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO: (A) THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE OUR SERVICES; (B) THE COST OF REPLACEMENT OF ANY GOODS, SERVICES OR INFORMATION PURCHASED OR OBTAINED AS A RESULT OF ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM OR TRANSACTIONS ENTERED INTO THROUGH OR FROM OUR SERVICES; (C) DISCLOSURE OF, UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR CONTENT; (D) DAMAGES FOR LOSS OR CORRUPTION OF DATA OR PROGRAMS, SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS OR PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE SERVICES, EVEN IF WE KNOW OR HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES; (E) STATEMENTS, CONDUCT OR OMISSIONS OF ANY SERVICE PROVIDERS OR OTHER THIRD PARTY ON OUR SERVICES; (F) YOUR OR ANYONE ELSE’S CONDUCT OR ACTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OF THE SERVICES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, BODILY INJURY, EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, DEATH OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES RESULTING FROM COMMUNICATIONS OR MEETINGS WITH OTHER REGISTERED USERS OF OUR SERVICES OR PERSONS INTRODUCED TO YOU BY OUR SERVICES, WHETHER ON-LINE OR OFF-LINE; OR (G) ANY OTHER MATTER ARISING FROM, RELATING TO OR CONNECTED WITH OUR SERVICES OR THESE TERMS. 

9. Indemnity

You shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Warmshowers.org (and each of our officers, directors, users, employees, agents, and affiliates) from any claim, demand, action, damage, loss, cost, or expense, including without limitation reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising out or relating to (a) your use of our services or the Platform; (b) any User Content or submissions you provide; (c) your violation of these terms; (d) your violation of any rights of another; or (e) your conduct in connection with the services. Further, suppose you are using the services on behalf of any entity. In that case, you represent and warrant that such entity agrees to indemnify you and Warmshowers.org for violations of these terms in accordance with this section. If you are obligated to indemnify us, we will have the right, in our sole and unfettered discretion, to control any action or proceeding and determine whether we wish to settle it and, if so, on what terms. 

10. Miscellaneous

Governing Law. The Platform is administered by Warmshowers.Org from a site that is located in Colorado, USA. You acknowledge and agree that your use of the Platform and all of the communications, transmissions, and transactions associated with the Platform and the provision of the Services shall be deemed to have occurred in the State of Colorado, USA. You agree that these Terms of Use shall be exclusively governed by, construed, and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Colorado and the federal laws of the USA applicable therein. In case of a dispute under these Terms of Use, such dispute shall be resolved in the Courts of the State of Colorado, USA. 

Non-assignment. These Terms of Use are not assignable, transferable, or to be sublicensed by you except with Warmshowers.Org’s prior written consent. Warmshowers.Org may assign, transfer, or delegate any of its rights and obligations hereunder without your consent. 

Modifications of Terms of Use. Warmshowers.Org may revise these Terms of Use at any time without notice. By using the Platform, you are agreeing to be bound by the current version of the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy (last updated date listed at the top of the Terms of Use). 

Errors. The content and material appearing on the Platform could include technical, typographical, or photographic errors. Warmshowers.Org does not warrant that any of the materials provided are accurate or current. 

11. Website, App, and Services Provided “As Is”

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE PLATFORM, THE SERVICES, ANY CONTENT AND OTHER INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIALS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE, APP, OR PROVIDED AS PART OF THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS. 

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about the Terms of Use or need to provide notice to or communicate with Warmshowers.Org under the Terms of Use, please contact Warmshowers.Org by going to Warmshowers.org/contact or by emailing info@warmshowers.org.