← Home
English한국어

GUEST TERMS OF SERVICE

Homes in Korea

Article 1 (Purpose)

These Terms govern the rights, obligations, payment structure, refund standards, dispute procedures, and liabilities between Homes in Korea ("Company") and the Guest in connection with the use of the accommodation booking platform (website and/or application, collectively the "Service").

Article 2 (Definitions)

For purposes of these Terms:

  1. "Guest" means a registered user who searches, reserves, and uses accommodations through the Service.
  2. "Host" means a registered user who lists and provides accommodations.
  3. "Accommodation" means any residential property listed by a Host.
  4. "Reservation" means a transaction formed upon payment by the Guest and approval (or automatic confirmation) by the Host.
  5. "House Rules" mean property-specific rules established by the Host.
  6. "Period" means each independent 30-day usage cycle.
  7. "Due Date" means the mandatory payment deadline designated by the Company for each Period.
  8. "PG Provider" means the third-party payment gateway used for transaction processing.

Article 3 (Business Information)

The Company processes inquiries via email only.

Article 4 (Status of the Company – Marketplace Operator)

  1. The Company operates as an online marketplace intermediary.
  2. Accommodation contracts are formed directly between Guest and Host.
  3. The Company is not the property owner, landlord, or contractual party to the accommodation agreement.
  4. Primary responsibility for legality, safety, habitability, and property condition rests with the Host.
  5. The Company may provide reasonable mediation and user protection measures when necessary.

Article 5 (Effect and Amendment of Terms)

  1. These Terms become effective upon user consent during registration or reservation.
  2. The Company may amend these Terms in compliance with applicable law.
  3. Amendments shall be announced at least seven (7) days in advance, or thirty (30) days in advance if materially disadvantageous to users.

Article 6 (Account Responsibilities)

Guests must provide accurate information. Account security and credential management are the responsibility of the Guest. The Company may suspend accounts for violations of law or these Terms.

Article 7 (Formation of Reservation)

  1. A reservation is formed upon payment completion and Host approval (or automatic confirmation).
  2. These Terms, the Refund Policy, and applicable House Rules form part of the contract upon confirmation.

Article 8 (Payment Structure – 30-Day Prepaid Model & Service Fee)

  1. Accommodation fees are prepaid in independent 30-day Periods.
  2. Each Period requires payment before its designated Due Date.
  3. Refund calculations and contract status are determined strictly based on the Due Date, not the actual payment timestamp.
  4. Guest Service Fee. The Company charges a service fee to the Guest as consideration for the Service. (a) Rate. The rate is determined by the Company within a range of 0% to 10% of the sum of rent and maintenance fee for each Period. The actual rate applied may vary within this range depending on accommodation type, promotions, individual contracts, discount policies, events, and similar factors. (b) The rate displayed on the checkout screen at the time of reservation confirmation is the final rate applied to that reservation. Subsequent rate changes do not affect the billing or refund of already-confirmed reservations. (c) The service fee for each Period is calculated as (rent + maintenance fee) × the confirmed rate. The cleaning fee is excluded from the rate calculation base.
  5. Payment failure due to insufficient funds, card limits, or authorization refusal is the Guest's responsibility.
  6. If payment delay is caused by Company system failure, reasonable adjustment may be made.

Article 9 (Composition and Nature of the Initial Payment)

  1. The initial payment consists of the following items: (a) First-period rent; (b) First-period maintenance fee; (c) A one-time cleaning fee (included only in the initial payment); and (d) The Guest Service Fee (calculated using the rate set forth in Article 8 §4).
  2. The initial payment has dual legal character: (a) A confirmed fee securing the reservation; and (b) A prepaid usage fee for the first 30-day Period starting on the check-in date.
  3. For early termination after check-in, the first-Period usage fee is, in principle, non-refundable. Refund calculations are applied to subsequent Periods pursuant to Article 10 §3 (subject to Article 13 exceptions).
  4. Continued occupancy requires separate payment for each subsequent Period. Payment of the initial amount does not waive obligations for subsequent Periods.
  5. Each Period is independent and does not automatically renew without payment.

Article 10 (Refund & Early Termination)

The refund procedures below apply in the order listed. A higher-ranked provision, if its requirements are met, prevails over the calculation methods in lower-ranked provisions.

1) 24-Hour Free Cancellation (Full Refund)

The Guest may cancel the reservation with a full refund of the initial payment if both of the following conditions are met:

  1. Cancellation is made within 24 hours of the payment timestamp (minute-precise, KST); and
  2. Cancellation is made no later than 24 hours before 15:00 KST on the check-in date.

2) Before Check-In — Days-Remaining Tier (Item-Separated)

Refunds are calculated by item based on the number of days remaining until check-in:

Days remainingRent · Maintenance fee · Service feeCleaning fee
31 or more (more than 30 days before check-in)100% refund100% refund
16 to 30 (30 to 16 days before check-in)50% refund100% refund
15 or fewer (from 15 days before check-in)No refundNo refund

The date exactly 30 days before check-in is counted as "30 days remaining" and falls in the 50% tier.

3) After Check-In — 30-Day Penalty Model (Departure Date Based)

  1. Penalty: Equal to 30 days of usage fees calculated from the Guest's designated departure date (per-day equivalent of rent, maintenance fee, and service fee × 30 days). The penalty is 30 days even when the next billing Period is a partial (less than 30 days) prorated Period.
  2. Refund: Any portion of already-paid usage fees covering the period beyond 30 days after the departure date is refunded on a prorated basis.
  3. If the remaining paid coverage is 30 days or fewer from the departure date, the penalty consumes the entire paid coverage; no refund is issued and no additional charge is made for any shortfall.
  4. Cleaning fee is excluded from the mid-stay refund calculation (as the service has already been rendered).
  5. Refund calculations use the Guest's designated departure date as the reference, independent of actual usage or actual departure date (subject to Article 13 exceptions).
  6. Refunds are processed to the original payment method; processing time may vary depending on the PG/card issuer.

4) Future Departure Date Requests

When requesting early termination, the Guest may designate the departure date as either today or a specific future date.

  1. Same-day designation: the penalty and refund under §3 are calculated and executed immediately.
  2. Future-date designation: (a) No funds move at the time of the request; the reservation remains active, and an estimated refund is disclosed. (b) On the designated departure date, the refund is automatically executed under §3. (c) If the Guest submits another request before the designated date arrives, the last-submitted departure date and reason prevail. (d) Periods commencing after the designated departure date will not be newly charged; charging and collection for Periods commencing before the designated departure date continue to apply.

Article 11 (Unused Periods)

If the Guest does not use the accommodation due to personal reasons (travel, absence, early departure), such unused time does not constitute early termination and is non-refundable, provided the accommodation remains contractually available.

Article 12 (Payment Delay, Restriction, and Termination)

  1. Failure to pay by the Due Date may result in restrictions on access, extension, or continuation of the reservation.
  2. Where auto-billing fails, the Company will request the Guest to change the card or adjust the balance, and will retry the charge.
  3. Where non-payment persists despite retries and reminders, the Company may (i) terminate the reservation/contract, (ii) execute a mandatory checkout of the Guest, or (iii) restrict use of the Service.
  4. Mandatory checkout is confirmed by the Company's administrator; prior notice will be given to the Guest. Legal action may be taken if the Guest refuses to depart without cause.
  5. Overdue amounts may be pursued through legal process.

Article 13 (Accommodation Issues & 24-Hour Check-In Confirmation)

  1. 24-Hour Objection Rule

    1. The Guest must report any material defect or substantial discrepancy within 24 hours after check-in.
    2. If no objection is made within 24 hours, the accommodation shall be deemed accepted.
    3. Hidden defects may be reported within a reasonable time with evidence.

  2. Protective Measures

    If objectively verified, the Company may:

    • Issue full or partial refund
    • Assist in alternative accommodation
    • Provide reasonable price difference compensation

    Applicable in cases of:

    • Non-existent listing
    • Material discrepancy
    • Check-in impossibility
    • Major safety hazards

  3. Host-Fault Refund — Full Period Recovery

    Where the Host's fault (fraudulent listing, material discrepancy, check-in impossibility, or major safety hazard) is objectively verified, the Company shall refund the full amount of each affected Period (100%) to the Guest without applying the penalty or prorated deduction in Article 10, subject to the following:

    1. Periods for which funds remain with the Company (payment-complete or settlement-pending status) are refunded in full, including past-used windows.
    2. For Periods already disbursed to the Host (settlement-complete status), refunds are not clawed back; instead, the Guest's right of occupancy is preserved for the corresponding window (the reservation end date is adjusted to the end of the last settlement-complete window).
    3. Subsequent unbilled Periods are voided without auto-billing; the full amount, including the cleaning fee and service fee, is recoverable.
    4. This paragraph prevails over the Guest's 24-hour free cancellation right and the standard refund calculations in Article 10.

Article 14 (Post-Checkout Additional Charges)

  1. Where costs attributable to the Guest are identified after checkout — including facility damage, unpaid utilities, or House Rules violations — the Company may impose additional charges on the Guest for the following items:
    • Restoration costs for damaged or soiled facilities and furnishings.
    • Unpaid utilities (electricity, water, gas, internet, etc.) that are not separately settled by the Guest.
    • Other damages arising from breach of contract or House Rules.
  2. Additional charges are, in principle, executed through the payment card (billing key) registered at the initial payment. If the billing key has expired, the Company may collect through a separately provided payment method or legal process.
  3. The Company will notify the Guest of the charged items, amount, and basis of calculation before executing the charge.

Article 15 (Prohibited Conduct)

Guests shall not:

Article 16 (Indemnification)

Guests are liable for damages caused by intentional or negligent acts. If the Company compensates a third party due to Guest fault, it may seek reimbursement.

Article 17 (Personal Data)

Personal data is processed in accordance with the separate Privacy Policy. Certain data may be provided to Hosts for reservation fulfillment, subject to separate consent.

Article 18 (Governing Law & Jurisdiction)

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of Korea. Disputes shall be resolved in courts of competent jurisdiction under Korean law.