Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Direct Estates website, platform, and services (collectively, the "Service"). By accessing or using our Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you disagree with any part of these Terms, you may not access the Service.

We reserve the right to update, change, or replace any part of these Terms at any time. It is your responsibility to check this page periodically for changes. Your continued use of the Service following the posting of any changes constitutes acceptance of those changes.

2. Description of Service

Direct Estates is an independent online platform that facilitates connections between property owners and potential buyers or renters in the United Arab Emirates. Our Service includes:

• Property listing and advertising services
• Property search and browsing functionality
• Communication tools between users
• Account management and user profiles
• Package subscription services for sellers

Important: We are not a real estate broker, agent, or intermediary. We do not facilitate property transactions, handle payments, or provide legal or financial advice.

3. User Accounts

3.1 Account Registration

To use certain features of our Service, you must register for an account. When registering, you agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information
• Maintain and update your information to keep it accurate
• Maintain the security of your password and account
• Accept responsibility for all activities under your account
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use

3.2 Seller Account Verification

Sellers must provide valid government-issued identification (Emirates ID, Passport, or Driver's License) during registration. Your seller account will remain inactive until verified by our admin team. We reserve the right to reject verification requests at our sole discretion.

3.3 Account Types

• Buyer Accounts: Can browse, search, and save properties; contact sellers; make inquiries
• Seller Accounts: Can post property listings after verification and package purchase
• Both: Combined buyer and seller functionality

4. User Conduct and Responsibilities

4.1 Acceptable Use

You agree to use our Service only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You agree not to:

• Post false, misleading, or fraudulent information
• Impersonate any person or entity
• Violate any applicable laws or regulations
• Infringe upon intellectual property rights
• Transmit viruses, malware, or harmful code
• Spam, harass, or abuse other users
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems
• Interfere with or disrupt the Service
• Use automated systems to access the Service without permission
• List properties as an agent or broker (only property owners allowed)

4.2 Property Listings

When posting property listings, you agree to:

• Provide accurate and complete property information
• Use only images you own or have permission to use
• Update listings when properties are sold or rented
• Remove listings that are no longer available
• Comply with all applicable real estate and advertising laws

5. Package Subscriptions and Payments

5.1 Package Requirements

Sellers must purchase a listing package before posting properties. Packages vary in duration, maximum listing limits, and features. Package details are available in the seller dashboard.

5.2 Payment Processing

Payments for packages are processed through Stripe, a third-party payment processor. By making a payment, you agree to Stripe's terms of service. We do not store your complete payment card information.

5.3 Package Activation

• Packages activate immediately upon successful payment
• Package duration begins from the activation date
• You can upgrade packages at any time
• New packages extend from the expiration of your current package

5.4 Refunds

Package purchases are generally non-refundable. Refund requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis and are subject to our discretion. Contact support for refund inquiries.

6. Intellectual Property Rights

The Service and its original content, features, and functionality are owned by Direct Estates and are protected by international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property laws.

You retain ownership of content you post (property listings, images, descriptions). By posting content, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute your content on our platform.

7. User-Generated Content

7.1 Content Ownership

You retain ownership of all content you post on our platform. However, by posting content, you grant us a license to use, modify, display, and distribute your content as necessary to operate the Service.

7.2 Content Responsibility

You are solely responsible for all content you post. We do not endorse, verify, or assume responsibility for user-generated content. You represent and warrant that:

• You own or have permission to use all content you post
• Your content does not violate any laws or third-party rights
• Your content is accurate and not misleading

7.3 Content Removal

We reserve the right to remove, edit, or refuse to post any content that violates these Terms or is otherwise objectionable, at our sole discretion and without notice.

8. Prohibited Activities

You are expressly prohibited from:

• Listing properties as an agent, broker, or intermediary
• Scraping, copying, or harvesting data from our platform
• Reverse engineering or attempting to extract source code
• Using the Service to compete with us
• Posting duplicate or spam listings
• Manipulating search results or rankings
• Circumventing security measures or access controls

9. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

9.1 Service Availability

We strive to provide continuous access to our Service but do not guarantee uninterrupted, secure, or error-free operation. The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind.

9.2 Property Information

We do not verify, endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of property listings, descriptions, images, or any information provided by users. All property information is provided by property owners at their own responsibility.

9.3 Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Direct Estates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to:

• Loss of profits, data, or business opportunities
• Property transaction disputes or losses
• Inaccurate or misleading property information
• Service interruptions or technical failures

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Direct Estates, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of the Service
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any law or third-party rights
• Content you post on the platform

11. Termination

11.1 Termination by You

You may terminate your account at any time by contacting us or using account deletion features (where available). Upon termination, your right to use the Service will immediately cease.

11.2 Termination by Us

We may terminate or suspend your account immediately, without prior notice, for any reason, including but not limited to:

• Violation of these Terms
• Fraudulent or illegal activity
• Listing properties as an agent or broker
• Posting false or misleading information
• Abuse of the Service or other users

11.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination, your access to the Service will be revoked, and we may delete your account and content. Provisions that by their nature should survive termination will remain in effect.

12. Dispute Resolution

12.1 Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United Arab Emirates, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

12.2 Jurisdiction

Any disputes arising from or relating to these Terms or your use of the Service shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the United Arab Emirates.

12.3 Property Transaction Disputes

We are not a party to property transactions and do not mediate disputes between buyers and sellers. All property transaction disputes must be resolved directly between the parties or through appropriate legal channels.

13. Privacy

Your use of the Service is also governed by our Privacy Policy. Please review our Privacy Policy to understand how we collect, use, and protect your information.

14. Modifications to Service

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Service at any time, with or without notice. We shall not be liable to you or any third party for any modification, suspension, or discontinuation of the Service.

15. Third-Party Links and Services

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites, services, or resources. We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or availability of such external sites. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by Direct Estates.

16. Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance under these Terms due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, war, terrorism, labor disputes, or internet failures.

17. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

18. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and Disclaimer, constitute the entire agreement between you and Direct Estates regarding the use of the Service and supersede all prior agreements and understandings.

19. Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us:

• Email: support@direct-estate.com
• Phone: +971545555806