JWguest — Terms of Service

Last updated: 05.06.2026

Operated by: JWguest (the “Platform”), accessible at www.jwguest.com and hub.jwguest.com and through the JWguest mobile applications.

Acceptance of These Terms

Welcome to JWguest. These Terms of Service (this “Agreement” or these “Terms”) govern your access to and use of the JWguest websites (www.jwguest.com and hub.jwguest.com), the JWguest mobile applications, and all related software, APIs, data, communications (email, SMS, chat and telephone), buttons, widgets and advertisements (collectively, the “Services”).

By accessing or using the Services, you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to be bound by this Agreement and by the documents incorporated by reference into it (see “Entire Agreement” in Section 22). If you do not accept all of these Terms, you are not authorised to use the Services.

Please read this Agreement carefully. It contains information about your legal rights, limitations on those rights, and the law and jurisdiction that apply to any dispute. It also contains a class-action waiver and limitations of liability.

If you accept these Terms on behalf of a company or other legal entity, you represent that you are authorised to bind that entity, and “you” and “your” refer to that entity.

If there is a conflict between these Terms and any additional terms or conditions posted for a specific area of the Services, the additional terms will prevail for that area only.

1. Definitions

The following definitions apply throughout this Agreement.

Accommodation means a residential or other property listed for rental through the Services.

Accommodation Fees means the amounts payable by a Guest for staying in an Accommodation. The Host alone determines these fees and may include a cleaning fee, any other fee permitted on the Platform, and any Taxes the Host is required to collect.

Application means the JWguest applications available for mobile devices.

Booking Currency means the currency in which a Guest pays for a booking, selected by the Platform based on the Guest’s country and available payment methods.

Booking Request Period means the period, starting when a Guest requests a booking, within which a Host may confirm or reject that request, as stated on the Platform. Different periods may apply in different places.

Collective Content means Member Content and JWguest Content together.

Content means text, graphics, images, music, software (excluding the Application), audio, video, information or other materials.

Display Currency means the currency in which a Guest views Listing prices on the Platform.

Guest means a Member who requests or makes a booking of an Accommodation, or who stays at an Accommodation and is not the Host of that Accommodation.

Guest Fees means the fee JWguest charges a Guest for using the Services, calculated as a percentage of the applicable Accommodation Fees and displayed before the Guest sends a booking request.

Host means a Member who creates a Listing through the Services.

Host Fees means the fee JWguest charges a Host for using the Services, calculated as a percentage of the applicable Accommodation Fees and displayed before the Host confirms a booking request.

JW is an abbreviation for “Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

JWguest Account means the account a Member registers in order to access certain features of the Services.

JWguest Content means all Content that JWguest makes available through the Services, including Content licensed from third parties, but excluding Member Content.

Listing means an Accommodation that a Host lists as available for rental through the Services.

Listing Currency means the currency in which a Listing’s price is set by the Host.

Member means a person who completes the JWguest registration process, including Hosts and Guests.

Member Content means all Content that a Member posts, uploads, publishes, submits, transmits or includes in a Listing or profile to be made available through the Services.

Payout Currency means the currency in which a Host’s payout is paid, as set by the Host.

Security Deposit means an amount a Host may require from a Guest to cover potential damage, as described in Section 7.6.

Service Fees means the Guest Fees and the Host Fees, collectively.

Tax or Taxes means any sales, value-added (VAT), goods and services (GST), occupancy, tourist, lodging or similar indirect taxes and fees, and any withholding or income taxes, that may apply to a booking or payout.

Total Fees means the Accommodation Fees and the Guest Fees together, plus any applicable Taxes.

2. Eligibility and Community Membership

JWguest is a private, membership-based community intended primarily for baptised Jehovah’s Witnesses who are 18 years of age or older. Any access to or use of the Services by anyone under 18 is prohibited.

By accessing or using the Services, you represent and warrant that you are at least 18 years old and a baptised Jehovah’s Witness. Only baptised Jehovah’s Witnesses may book Accommodations, and all members of a Guest’s party aged 18 or older must also be Jehovah’s Witnesses.

If a booking is made by, or includes, anyone who is not a Jehovah’s Witness, JWguest may cancel the booking immediately and, where appropriate, suspend or terminate the account.

JWguest reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to determine eligibility for membership and access to the Services.

3. Account Registration

To book an Accommodation, create a Listing or access certain features, you must register a JWguest Account and become a Member. You may register directly through the Services or by logging in with a third-party social-networking account (“Third-Party Account”), such as Facebook.

If you link a Third-Party Account, you authorise JWguest to access, store and make available the Content held in that account (“SNS Content”), which will be treated as Member Content. You represent that you are entitled to grant this access without breaching the third party’s terms. You may disable the connection at any time in the “Settings” area. If a Third-Party Account becomes unavailable, the related SNS Content will no longer appear on the Platform.

You agree to provide accurate, current and complete registration information and to keep it up to date. You may hold only one (1) active JWguest Account. JWguest may suspend or terminate your Listing, Account or access if you create more than one Account or if any information you provide is duplicated, inaccurate, fraudulent, outdated or incomplete.

You are responsible for safeguarding your password, must not disclose it to any third party, and are solely responsible for all activity under your Account. Notify JWguest immediately of any unauthorised use of your Account.

4. Acceptable Use and Prohibited Conduct

You may use the Services only in accordance with these Terms and all applicable laws, and you are solely responsible for your compliance with all laws, regulations and Tax obligations that apply to your use of the Services. In particular, you agree that you will not:

  • violate any law, regulation, court order or third-party right, including zoning restrictions and Tax regulations;
  • use the Services for any fraudulent, deceptive or unlawful purpose, or to transmit content that is defamatory, obscene, pornographic, discriminatory, hateful, harassing, threatening, violent or otherwise objectionable;
  • create more than one JWguest Account, register on behalf of anyone other than yourself, or impersonate or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity;
  • interfere with, disrupt, damage or compromise the security or proper functioning of the Services, including through viruses, harmful code, denial-of-service attacks, IP spoofing or forged headers;
  • use bots, crawlers, scrapers, scripts or similar means to access, collect, scrape or extract data from the Services, or systematically retrieve content to build a collection, database or directory;
  • access or use JWguest Content in any way that is not publicly displayed before a booking is confirmed, that is inconsistent with the Privacy Policy or these Terms, or that violates the rights of any user or third party;
  • send unsolicited communications, spam or advertisements unrelated to lodging in a private residence, or recruit Members to competing services without JWguest’s prior written approval;
  • stalk or harass any user, or collect or store personal information about any user other than as needed to transact as a Guest or Host;
  • offer, as a Host, any Accommodation that you do not own or have permission to rent, or that may not be rented or subleased under an agreement with a third party;
  • request or book a stay you will not actually use yourself (unless JWguest expressly permits otherwise), or submit a Listing with false or misleading prices that you do not intend to honour;
  • contact a Host or Guest for any purpose other than a question related to a booking, a Listing or a Guest’s use of the Services;
  • use the Services to find a Host or Guest and then complete a booking off-platform to avoid Service Fees, or otherwise accept or make payment of Accommodation Fees outside JWguest;
  • upload photos or videos protected by copyright without a valid license or permission, or infringe any intellectual-property, privacy, publicity or contractual right;
  • use, display, mirror or frame the Services or any JWguest trademark, logo or proprietary information without JWguest’s written consent;
  • access non-public areas or systems, probe or test the vulnerability of any system, breach security or authentication measures, or decompile, disassemble or reverse-engineer any of the software; or
  • circumvent any technological measure used to protect the Services, or advocate, encourage or assist any third party in doing any of the foregoing.

If you accept or make payment of Accommodation Fees outside JWguest, you acknowledge that you would be in breach of these Terms, that you accept all risk and responsibility for such payment, and that you hold JWguest harmless from any related liability.

JWguest may investigate and prosecute violations of this Section to the fullest extent of the law. JWguest has no obligation to monitor the Services but may do so, and may access, preserve and disclose your information where it reasonably believes this is necessary to comply with law or legal process, to enforce this Agreement, for fraud prevention, risk assessment, investigation, customer support or debugging, or to protect the rights, property or safety of JWguest, its users or the public.

5. How the Platform Works

JWguest is an online marketplace that connects Hosts who have Accommodations to rent with Guests seeking to rent them. Hosts publish Listings; visitors may view Listings without registering, but must register to book an Accommodation or create a Listing.

JWguest is not an owner, operator or provider of Accommodations and does not own, sell, resell, furnish, rent, manage or control any property or provide any travel service. Except where the Platform expressly states otherwise, JWguest’s role is limited to (i) making the Services available and (ii) acting as the limited payment-collection agent of each Host to accept payments from Guests on the Host’s behalf (see Section 7.2).

Any agreement to stay at an Accommodation is concluded directly between the Guest and the Host. JWguest is not a party to that agreement, is not an insurer or contracting agent, and assumes no liability for the acts or omissions of any Host, Guest or other third party.

5.1 No Endorsement

JWguest does not endorse any Member or Accommodation. References to a Member being “verified” or “connected” mean only that the Member has completed a relevant verification process; they are not a certification or guarantee of identity, background, trustworthiness, safety or suitability. We may, but are not obliged to, carry out additional identity or background checks.

You should always exercise due diligence and care when deciding whether to host a Guest, stay with a Host, or otherwise interact with another Member. Any legal remedy you seek for the acts or omissions of another Member or third party is limited to a claim against that person; you agree not to seek any remedy from JWguest for such acts or omissions. This limitation does not apply to a Host’s claim against JWguest regarding the remittance of payments received from a Guest, which is governed by Section 16 (Limitation of Liability).

5.2 Third-Party Websites and Services

The Services may contain links to third-party websites, services or resources that JWguest does not own or control, including Google Maps/Earth (your use of which is subject to Google’s terms). JWguest is not responsible for the availability, accuracy, content, policies or practices of any third party, and you access them entirely at your own risk.

5.3 Electronic Communications

By using the Services, you consent to receive communications from JWguest electronically — by email, in-platform notification, SMS or otherwise. Such communications satisfy any legal requirement that a communication be in writing.

6. Listings and Host Responsibilities

6.1 Creating a Listing

As a Host, you may create Listings by providing information about your Accommodation, including location, capacity, size, features, availability, pricing, rules and financial terms. Every Accommodation must have a valid physical address. Once a Guest requests a booking, you may not require the Guest to pay a higher price than the one in the booking request.

You are solely responsible for your Listings and Member Content. You represent and warrant that each Listing, and any booking or stay arising from it, (i) will not breach any agreement with a third party (such as a homeowners’ association, condominium, lease or rental agreement) and (ii) will comply with all applicable laws, Tax requirements, permits, licenses and registrations, and will not conflict with third-party rights. JWguest assumes no responsibility for a Host’s compliance and may remove or disable any Listing at any time, without notice, for any reason it considers appropriate.

You may set requirements that Guests must meet to book your Accommodation (for example, a profile picture or verified phone number). You are responsible for your own acts and omissions and for those of anyone present at the Accommodation at your invitation, other than the Guest and the Guest’s invitees.

JWguest recommends that Hosts obtain appropriate insurance for their Accommodations and review any exclusions and deductibles, including whether the policy covers the actions of Guests and their invitees.

6.2 Accurate Listings

Listing information must accurately represent the Accommodation from check-in to check-out. This includes:

  • Booking details: changes to a confirmed booking (dates, price and similar) may be made only with the Guest’s prior consent.
  • Location: the address and map pin must be accurate, and Hosts should disclose environmental factors that could affect the stay, such as nearby noise.
  • Type, size and privacy: the Listing must clearly state whether it is a private room, shared space or entire home, with the correct number of rooms, bed sizes and level of privacy.
  • Property: the space provided must be the one booked; substitutions are permitted only if the Guest agrees in writing through a confirmed change.
  • Amenities and house rules: all advertised amenities must be available, any restrictions must be clearly stated, and house rules must be disclosed.

6.3 Cleanliness Standards

Every Accommodation must be thoroughly cleaned and free of health or safety hazards before each arrival. It must be free from mould, pests and other hazards, free from unpleasant odours, excessive dust, dirty dishes and pet hair, and not cluttered. Between stays, Hosts must complete laundry, trash removal, vacuuming or sweeping, and sanitising of all surfaces. A Listing that is dirty, unhygienic or has noticeable odours is unacceptable. Where a Guest provides evidence (such as photos or videos), JWguest may suspend or remove the Listing and cancel pending reservations; in such cases, any confirmed bookings will be cancelled and, notwithstanding any agreed cancellation terms, JWguest will not process the Host’s payout.

6.4 Prompt Communication

Hosts must remain accessible and respond promptly to Guest questions and concerns, before and during a stay. As a general standard:

  • Before the stay: reply to Guest messages within 48 hours.
  • Within five days of arrival: reply within 12 hours during local daytime hours, as Guests may be travelling and need details such as check-in instructions.
  • Close to check-in or during the stay: reply within 1 hour during local daytime hours, especially if an issue arises (for example, an access problem or missing amenity).

If a Host is unavailable during a critical moment, JWguest may step in to assist the Guest directly.

6.5 Host Compliance

Hosts are solely responsible for ensuring that their Listings, Accommodations and hosting activities comply with all applicable laws, regulations, permits, licenses, zoning and tax obligations, and contractual restrictions. JWguest does not verify or guarantee compliance and is not responsible for any fine, penalty, legal action or loss arising from a Host’s failure to comply.

6.6 Personal Information in Communications

To protect the community, sharing personal contact details — such as phone numbers, email addresses, social-media accounts or external websites — within the Platform’s chat system before a reservation is confirmed is strictly prohibited.

7. Bookings and Payments

7.1 Service Fees

JWguest charges Service Fees (the Guest Fees and the Host Fees) for the use of the Platform. Guest Fees are displayed before a Guest sends a booking request and are included in the Total Fees; Host Fees are displayed before a Host confirms a request and are deducted from the Accommodation Fees before remittance. Where applicable, Taxes (such as VAT in Europe) may also be charged on the Service Fees. Except as otherwise provided, Service Fees are non-refundable. JWguest may modify the Service Fees at any time in accordance with Section 22 (Modification).

JWguest does not currently charge a fee for creating Listings but reserves the right to introduce such fees, with prior notice through the Services.

7.2 JWguest as Limited Payment-Collection Agent

Each Host appoints the JWguest Finance Department as the Host’s limited payment-collection agent solely to accept Accommodation Fees from Guests. A payment made by a Guest through this agent is treated as a payment made directly to the Host, who must then make the Accommodation available as if it had received the fees. JWguest’s obligation to pay a Host is conditional upon successful receipt of the corresponding payment from the Guest; JWguest does not guarantee payments it has not received. In accepting this appointment, JWguest assumes no liability for any act or omission of a Host.

If you owe any amount to JWguest, JWguest may withhold that amount from payouts due to you and set it off against the amount owed. Where your account is delinquent or subject to chargebacks, you may also be charged related collection or third-party fees, and you agree that communications about delinquent accounts may be made by email or phone, by JWguest or anyone acting on its behalf.

7.3 Bookings — Hosts

When a Guest requests a booking, you must confirm or reject it within the Booking Request Period, or the request will expire automatically. With each request, JWguest shares the Guest’s first and last name, a link to the Guest’s profile, any mutual connections where both parties have linked the same social-networking account, and an indication of whether the Guest has provided additional information (such as a verified email or government ID). If you do not confirm a request in time, any amounts collected are refunded to the Guest and any pre-authorisation released. When you confirm, JWguest sends you a confirmation by email, SMS or in-app message.

JWguest collects the Total Fees when you confirm the booking and initiates payment of the Accommodation Fees (less Host Fees and any Taxes on those fees) within 48 hours after the Guest arrives, except where a refund is due. The time to receive a payout may depend on the payout method and any third-party processor charges.

7.4 Bookings — Guests

Hosts, not JWguest, are responsible for honouring confirmed bookings and making Accommodations available. By booking, you agree to the Host’s terms, conditions, rules and restrictions, and you acknowledge that JWguest is not a party to your agreement with the Host. Once you pay the Total Fees to JWguest, your payment obligation to the Host for the Accommodation Fees is discharged, and JWguest is responsible for remitting the Accommodation Fees to the Host as described in these Terms.

The Total Fees are displayed before you send a booking request. To establish a pending booking, JWguest (on the Host’s behalf) may pre-authorise your card for the Total Fees or charge a nominal verification amount not exceeding one Swiss franc (CHF 1) or its equivalent. As a general rule, the Total Fees are collected once the Host confirms the booking. You authorise JWguest, directly or through a third-party processor, to charge your chosen payment method for confirmed bookings, for damage as described in Section 10, and for Security Deposits where applicable. If you are directed to a third-party payment processor, that processor’s terms and privacy practices also apply. JWguest does not control, and is not responsible for, any fees your bank may charge.

7.5 Security Deposits

Hosts may require a Security Deposit, with the amount stated in the Listing. A Security Deposit is not a charge but a temporary pre-authorisation (a hold) placed on the Guest’s payment card through JWguest’s licensed payment service provider; no funds are captured unless the Host submits a valid claim. Acting solely as the Host’s limited payment-collection agent, JWguest will use commercially reasonable efforts to capture a validly claimed amount within 24 hours of check-out, up to the pre-authorised amount. JWguest facilitates the process but does not administer, manage or resolve claims; Hosts remain solely responsible for the accuracy and validity of their claims, and JWguest disclaims all liability in connection with Security Deposits.

A card pre-authorisation is typically held for up to seven (7) days, after which it expires automatically under the card networks’ rules. For stays longer than seven (7) days, the Host must choose one of the following:

  • Host-Managed Deposit (default): the Host collects and manages the deposit directly with the Guest.
  • JWguest-Managed Deposit: JWguest charges the Guest’s card for the deposit and, absent a valid damage claim, refunds it at the end of the stay. A 7% processing fee is deducted from the Host’s payout. This option must be requested at least seven (7) calendar days before check-in by emailing [email protected].

7.6 Recurring Payments

In some cases, Guests may make recurring, incremental payments toward the Total Fees before a stay. Where Recurring Payments apply, the Guest authorises JWguest, on the Host’s behalf, to collect the Total Fees, and JWguest will initiate payouts to the Host in the corresponding increments and at the corresponding frequency, as identified on the Platform.

7.7 Booking Discounts

Hosts set their own prices and may offer discounts based on factors such as length of stay or early booking. A specific discount may be offered to certain full-time volunteers — Bethelites, missionaries, circuit overseers, special pioneers, and full-time members of LDC, RDC and international construction teams. Where offered, this discount is stated in the “Prices” section of the Listing; it does not apply to regular pioneers or part-time service roles. Requests for unlisted discounts are not permitted and may lead to cancellation of the conversation or suspension of the account. Guests must enter the actual dates they intend to book; placeholder or incorrect dates are not permitted.

7.8 Rounding and Payment-Processing Errors

JWguest may round amounts payable to or from Guests or Hosts up or down to the nearest whole functional unit of the relevant currency (and, for currencies denominated in large numbers, to the nearest 10, 100 or 1,000 units). JWguest will take reasonable steps to correct any payment-processing error of which it becomes aware, including by crediting or debiting the same payment method used for the original transaction.

7.9 Donations

Some Hosts may pledge to donate part of their booking proceeds to a cause or charity. JWguest takes no responsibility for whether a Host honours such a pledge, and the Host must comply with all laws applicable to such pledges or fund-raising.

8. Cancellations and Refunds

If a Guest cancels a requested booking before the Host confirms it, JWguest will release any pre-authorisation and refund any nominal verification amount within a commercially reasonable time.

If a Guest cancels a confirmed booking, the Host’s cancellation policy stated in the Listing (Flexible, Moderate or Strict) determines the refund, including for partial cancellations and for date changes that reduce the number of nights or that cannot be accommodated. The Guest Fee is non-refundable regardless of the policy; cleaning fees, Taxes and additional-guest fees are always fully refunded. The Guest Refund Policy explains when a Guest may be eligible for a refund.

If a Host cancels a confirmed booking, JWguest will refund the Total Fees to the Guest within a commercially reasonable time and may send the Guest alternative Listings. If a Guest then books an alternative Listing that the Host confirms, the Guest agrees to pay the Total Fees for that alternative booking.

A Host who cancels a confirmed booking may be subject to penalties, including an automated review noting the cancellation, the calendar being kept blocked for the cancelled dates, and a cancellation fee withheld from future payouts or charged to the card on file. Where JWguest has already received the Guest’s payment, JWguest may withhold the Host’s payout, refund the Guest in whole or in part, and recover any refunded amount from future Accommodation Fees.

Host cancellation fees are based on the reservation amount (base rate, cleaning fee and Service Fees, excluding Taxes and extra-guest fees), with a minimum of CHF 60 and a maximum of CHF 500:

  • cancellation more than 30 days before check-in: 5% of the reservation amount plus the Service Fee;
  • cancellation between 48 hours and 30 days before check-in: 15% of the reservation amount plus the Service Fee;
  • cancellation 48 hours or less before check-in, or after check-in: 50% of the reservation amount for the nights not stayed, plus the Service Fee.

A Host who cancels, or is deemed liable for a cancellation, will not receive a payout for the affected reservation; if a payout has already been made, future payouts will be adjusted. This Policy provides guidelines and does not limit the legal rights of Guests or Hosts.

In certain circumstances, JWguest may, at its sole discretion, cancel one or more confirmed bookings for any reason. In such cases, notwithstanding any cancellation policy, JWguest is not obliged to make any payment to the Host and may decide, at its discretion, whether to refund the Guest in whole or in part. Neither JWguest nor the relevant Guest or Host is liable for such cancellations or refunds.

Death of a Guest before check-in. If a Guest passes away before check-in, the reservation is automatically cancelled. The Host acknowledges and agrees that the reservation is cancelled and that no cancellation fee, payout or refund is due in respect of it, notwithstanding any cancellation policy that would otherwise apply. JWguest may, at its sole discretion and on receipt of appropriate evidence, refund amounts already paid for the booking to the Guest’s estate.

9. Taxes

You, as a Host, are solely responsible for determining your Tax reporting requirements and the Taxes to be collected, and for remitting to the relevant authority any Taxes you collect. JWguest does not provide Tax advice. Where required, or on a Host’s request, JWguest may issue a valid VAT invoice.

9.1 Occupancy Taxes — Collection and Remittance

Where a Tax authority asserts that JWguest or Hosts have an obligation to collect and remit occupancy, tourist, lodging or similar taxes (“Occupancy Taxes”), JWguest may, at its sole discretion, facilitate their collection and remittance. In any jurisdiction where JWguest does so, you instruct and authorise JWguest to collect Occupancy Taxes from Guests when Accommodation Fees are collected and to remit them to the Tax authority. JWguest will notify existing Hosts when it begins facilitating collection in a jurisdiction, and Hosts may not separately collect Occupancy Taxes there.

9.2 Occupancy Taxes — Opt-in Host Remittance

In other jurisdictions, JWguest may facilitate collection by sending Occupancy Taxes received from Guests directly to the Host, who is then solely responsible for remitting them to the Tax authority. Where this applies, JWguest is merely processing your election and is not responsible for remitting those taxes.

9.3 General Tax Provisions

The amount of Occupancy Taxes collected and remitted by JWguest will be stated separately to Guests and Hosts. You authorise JWguest to store, transfer and disclose information relating to your transactions, bookings, Accommodations and Occupancy Taxes — including names, addresses, transaction amounts and tax identification numbers — to the relevant Tax authority. You agree to release, defend, indemnify and hold JWguest and its affiliates harmless from any claim relating to the applicability, calculation, collection or remittance of Occupancy Taxes. Where JWguest does not facilitate collection or remittance, Hosts and Guests remain solely responsible for all Occupancy Taxes. Nothing in these Terms guarantees that JWguest will facilitate collection or remittance in any jurisdiction, and JWguest may cease doing so on reasonable notice to Hosts.

10. Damage, Overstays and Reporting Misconduct

10.1 Damage to Accommodations

As a Guest, you must leave the Accommodation in the condition in which you found it and are responsible for your own acts and omissions and those of anyone you invite. If a Host claims damage, missing items or excessive cleaning needs, the Host must notify JWguest in writing at [email protected] within twenty-four (24) hours after check-out, with clear, dated photographic evidence; claims submitted after that period will not be processed. Upon a timely, valid claim, JWguest will make commercially reasonable efforts to withhold the relevant Security Deposit and conduct a preliminary assessment, but final responsibility for the outcome remains with the Host and Guest.

After being notified of a claim and given 48 hours to respond, you agree to pay the cost of replacing damaged items with equivalent items, charged to the card on file in your Account. JWguest may also use a Security Deposit, pursue other available remedies, and, where it cannot charge your card, require you to pay the Host or JWguest directly. You agree to cooperate in good faith with any investigation, mediation or insurance claim relating to such damage, including under your homeowner’s, renter’s or other insurance policy.

10.2 Overstaying Without the Host’s Consent

A confirmed reservation is a license to use the Listing only for the confirmed period. If a Guest stays past the agreed check-out time without the Host’s consent, the license ends and the Host may require the Guest to leave. For each 36-hour period of unauthorised overstay, the Host may charge an additional amount equal to the average nightly Accommodation Fee originally paid, plus applicable Service Fees, Taxes and legal expenses incurred to compel the Guest to leave (“Additional Sums”). As the Host’s limited collection agent, JWguest may charge the Guest’s payment method on file to collect these Additional Sums and any related costs.

10.3 Inappropriate Behaviour

Inappropriate behaviour includes, without limitation, discrediting another party or using offensive or disrespectful language. JWguest may, at its sole discretion, temporarily or permanently suspend any account where it reasonably believes that a user has violated these Terms or community standards, or has engaged in conduct that may negatively affect other Members or the integrity of the Platform.

10.4 Reporting Misconduct

If you stay with or host anyone who behaves offensively, violently or in a sexually inappropriate way, who you suspect of theft, or who otherwise behaves in a disturbing manner, report that person to the appropriate authorities and then to JWguest, providing your police station and report number. Such a report does not oblige JWguest to take any action beyond what the law requires.

11. Foreign Currency Conversion

The Platform allows Guests and Hosts to view, pay and receive amounts in different currencies, which may require currency conversion. The Booking Currency or Payout Currency may differ from the Listing Currency, and the available currencies may be limited.

Each conversion is processed at either the Base Exchange Rate — a system-wide rate established by JWguest using data from one or more third parties, such as OANDA, with no markup — or the Adjusted Exchange Rate, which adds a markup to the Base Exchange Rate to reflect JWguest’s holding costs and currency risk. When you submit a booking request, you will be able to view the actual exchange rate applied and, where the Adjusted Exchange Rate is used, the markup included; both are also stated in your billing receipt.

JWguest updates the Base Exchange Rate regularly but not in real time, so it may not match the market rate at the exact moment of conversion. Where a booking is later modified or cancelled, any additional payment or refund is converted at the same rate applied to the original payment. Your bank or a third-party processor may apply its own conversion rate or fee, which JWguest does not control.

12. Content and Intellectual Property

12.1 User-Generated Content

Members may upload Listings, photographs, descriptions, reviews, messages and profile information (“User Content”). You represent that you hold all rights, licenses and consents necessary to publish your User Content and that it does not infringe any third-party right or violate any law. You remain solely responsible for your User Content; the license you grant JWguest is set out in the Member Content License below.

JWguest may, at its sole discretion and without prior notice, remove, restrict, disable access to or delete any User Content, Listing, review, message or image that violates these Terms or any law, infringes a third party’s rights, may harm the reputation, security or integrity of JWguest or its community, or is offensive, misleading, fraudulent or otherwise inappropriate. JWguest is not liable for any loss resulting from such removal.

12.2 Reviews

Reviews must be truthful, based on the author’s actual experience, and may not contain defamatory, fraudulent, misleading, threatening, discriminatory or offensive content. JWguest reserves the right to remove any review at its sole discretion.

12.3 Member Content License

JWguest does not claim ownership of Member Content. By making Member Content available through the Services, you grant JWguest a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable and sublicensable license to use, copy, adapt, modify, distribute, publicly display and perform, transmit and otherwise exploit that Content in order to operate, market and improve the Services. You represent that you own or have all rights necessary to grant this license and that your Member Content does not infringe any third-party right or violate any law. You remain solely responsible for your Member Content.

JWguest may format, translate, summarise, optimise, crop, resize or otherwise modify Member Content solely for operational, marketing, moderation, accessibility or other platform-related purposes.

12.4 JWguest Content and Collective Content License

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, JWguest grants you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and view JWguest Content and any Member Content to which you are permitted access, solely for your personal, non-commercial use. You may not sublicense these rights, and you may not copy, adapt, distribute, sell, publicly display or otherwise exploit the Services or Collective Content except as expressly permitted.

12.5 Application License

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, JWguest grants you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to download and use the Application on a device you own or control, solely for personal use. Any application sourced from the Apple App Store may be used only on an Apple-branded product running iOS and in accordance with the App Store’s usage rules. JWguest reserves all rights not expressly granted.

12.6 Ownership and Proprietary Rights

The Services and Collective Content, and all associated intellectual-property rights, are the exclusive property of JWguest and its licensors and are protected by intellectual-property laws. All JWguest trademarks, service marks, logos and trade names are the property of JWguest; other marks belong to their respective owners. You may not remove, alter, erase or obscure any proprietary notice.

12.7 Feedback

We welcome feedback, comments and suggestions. You agree that all feedback you provide is the sole and exclusive property of JWguest, you irrevocably assign to JWguest all rights in it, and you waive any moral rights, executing any documents JWguest reasonably requests to perfect those rights.

12.8 Copyright Policy

JWguest respects copyright and expects users to do the same. It is JWguest’s policy to terminate, in appropriate circumstances, the accounts of users who repeatedly infringe copyright. Please see the JWguest Copyright Policy for further information.

To report content you believe infringes your copyright, email [email protected] with a description of the alleged infringement and a screenshot or other evidence identifying the content and its location on the Platform. JWguest will review the report and may remove or disable access to the content at its discretion.

13. Privacy

JWguest’s collection, processing, storage and use of personal information are governed by the JWguest Privacy Policy, which forms an integral part of these Terms and may be updated from time to time. By using the Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the Privacy Policy.

You acknowledge that membership of the JWguest community necessarily reveals that you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, which constitutes sensitive personal data (a special category of data) under the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection and the EU General Data Protection Regulation. By registering and using the Services, you give your explicit consent to JWguest processing this information for the purpose of operating the community and providing the Services. You may withdraw this consent at any time by closing your Account, after which you will no longer be able to use the Services.

For details on the cookies and similar technologies we use, please see our Cookie Policy.

14. Suspension, Termination and Account Cancellation

JWguest may, at its sole discretion and without liability, with or without cause and with or without prior notice, limit, suspend, deactivate or terminate your Account, Listing or access to the Services — in particular where it reasonably believes that these Terms have been violated, that you have engaged in fraudulent, abusive or unlawful conduct, that you have provided false or misleading information, or that continued access may expose JWguest, its users or third parties to legal, security or reputational risk.

JWguest shall have no obligation to disclose the reasons for any suspension, restriction or termination decision.

If JWguest does so, any or all of the following may occur, with or without notice: your Account is deactivated and your password disabled; pending or accepted bookings are terminated; JWguest may inform affected Guests or Hosts that a booking has been cancelled; JWguest may refund Guests in full irrespective of cancellation policies; JWguest may suggest alternative Accommodations to Guests; and you will not be entitled to compensation for any cancelled reservations. Termination does not relieve you of outstanding obligations.

You may cancel your Account at any time using the “Cancel Account” feature or by emailing JWguest. If your Account is cancelled, JWguest is not obliged to delete or return any Content you have posted, including reviews or feedback.

15. Disclaimers and Warranties

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Services and Collective Content are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis, without warranty of any kind, whether express or implied. JWguest expressly disclaims all implied warranties, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, quiet enjoyment and non-infringement, and any warranties arising from a course of dealing or usage of trade.

JWguest does not warrant that the Services will meet your requirements or be available on an uninterrupted, secure or error-free basis, and makes no warranty as to the quality, safety, legality or condition of any Accommodation, or the conduct, identity, reliability or suitability of any Host, Guest or Member. JWguest does not verify users’ statements or visit Accommodations and has no obligation to conduct background checks, though it may do so at its discretion.

You are solely responsible for your interactions with other users, and you agree to take reasonable precautions in all such interactions, particularly if you decide to meet in person. No advice or information obtained from JWguest creates any warranty not expressly stated in these Terms. You use the Services entirely at your own risk.

16. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the entire risk arising out of your access to and use of the Services, your listing or booking of any Accommodation, and any contact you have with other users remains with you. Neither JWguest nor any party involved in creating or delivering the Services will be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, exemplary or consequential damages — including lost profits, loss of data or goodwill, service interruption, computer damage, system failure, or the cost of substitute products or services — or for any damages for personal or bodily injury or emotional distress arising out of or in connection with these Terms or your use of the Services, whether based on warranty, contract, tort (including negligence), product liability or any other theory, and whether or not JWguest has been advised of the possibility of such damage.

Except for JWguest’s obligation to remit payments due to Hosts under these Terms, JWguest’s total aggregate liability arising out of or in connection with these Terms and your use of the Services will not exceed the greater of (a) the amounts you paid or owe as a Guest, or the amounts JWguest paid to you as a Host, in the twelve (12) months before the event giving rise to the liability; (b) the total Service Fees you paid to JWguest in those twelve months; or (c) one hundred Swiss francs (CHF 100). These limitations are a fundamental basis of the agreement between you and JWguest. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations, so parts of this Section may not apply to you, and nothing in these Terms limits liability that cannot be excluded by law.

17. Indemnification

You agree to release, defend, indemnify and hold harmless JWguest and its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, directors, employees and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses and expenses (including reasonable legal and accounting fees) arising out of or in any way connected with: (a) your access to or use of the Services or your violation of these Terms; (b) your Member Content; (c) your interaction with any Member, your booking of an Accommodation, or your creation of a Listing; (d) the use, condition or rental of an Accommodation, including any injury, loss or damage of any kind; (e) your violation of any law or of any third party’s rights.

18. Force Majeure and Service Availability

JWguest is not liable for any delay or failure in performance caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including natural disasters, pandemics, acts of government, war, terrorism, labour disputes, internet or power outages, cyberattacks, payment-processor failures or interruptions of third-party services.

JWguest does not guarantee uninterrupted access to the Services. Maintenance, updates, technical failures, cyber incidents, third-party outages or other circumstances beyond JWguest’s control may temporarily affect availability.

19. Export Control and Restricted Countries

You agree to use the Services only in compliance with all applicable export-control laws and economic sanctions, including those of Switzerland and any other jurisdiction that applies to you. You represent that you are not located in, and will not use the Services from, a country or territory subject to applicable sanctions, and that you are not listed on any applicable sanctions or restricted-party list.

20. Artificial Intelligence

JWguest may use artificial-intelligence technologies to assist with content moderation, fraud detection, customer support, translation, search ranking and platform improvements. You acknowledge that automated systems may occasionally produce inaccurate results and that final decisions remain at JWguest’s discretion.

You acknowledge that AI-generated outputs are provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, financial, medical or other professional advice.

21. Governing Law, Jurisdiction and Dispute Resolution

21.1 Governing Law

These Terms, and any dispute arising out of or relating to them, the Services or the relationship between JWguest and you, are governed by and construed in accordance with the substantive laws of Switzerland, excluding its conflict-of-law rules and the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. The courts of Lugano, Ticino (Switzerland) have exclusive jurisdiction.

21.2 Jurisdiction

Subject to any mandatory jurisdiction that protects you as a consumer, you and JWguest agree that the courts of Lugano, Ticino (Switzerland) have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms, the Services or that relationship. Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to prevent the actual or threatened infringement, misappropriation or violation of its copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, patents or other intellectual-property rights.

21.3 Class-Action Waiver

To the extent permitted by law, any dispute shall be brought only on an individual basis and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, consolidated or representative proceeding. If this waiver is held unenforceable, the remainder of this Section continues to apply.

22. General Provisions

22.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, the Guest Refund Policy, the cancellation policies and any other policies or guidelines expressly incorporated by reference, constitute the entire and exclusive agreement between you and JWguest regarding the Services and supersede all prior oral or written understandings on that subject.

22.2 Additional Terms

Some products and offerings may be subject to additional terms or requirements. Where additional terms apply to a product you use, they form part of these Terms.

22.3 Modification

JWguest may modify the Services or these Terms, including the Service Fees, at any time. We will post the modification on the Services or otherwise notify you and update the “Last updated” date. By continuing to use the Services after a modification, you agree to be bound by the modified Terms; if they are not acceptable to you, your only recourse is to stop using the Services.

22.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms, by operation of law or otherwise, without JWguest’s prior written consent, and any attempt to do so is void. JWguest may assign or transfer these Terms at its sole discretion. These Terms bind and benefit the parties and their permitted successors and assigns.

22.5 Notices

Notices and other communications under these Terms will be in writing and given by JWguest by email (to the address you provide) or by posting on the Services. For email notices, the date of receipt is deemed to be the date of transmission.

22.6 Waiver and Severability

A failure to enforce any right or provision is not a waiver of future enforcement; a waiver is effective only if in writing and signed by an authorised representative of JWguest. If any provision is found invalid or unenforceable, it will be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, or severed, and the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

22.7 Third-Party Beneficiaries

These Terms do not confer rights or remedies on anyone other than the parties, except that the payment-card networks are third-party beneficiaries for the purpose of enforcing payment-related provisions, though their consent is not required to amend these Terms.

22.8 Relationship of the Parties

Nothing in these Terms shall be construed as creating a partnership, joint venture, employment relationship, franchise, agency or fiduciary relationship between JWguest and any Member. Members act solely on their own behalf and for their own benefit.

22.9 Survival

Any provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination — including, without limitation, payment obligations, intellectual-property rights, indemnification, limitation of liability, dispute resolution, governing law and confidentiality obligations — shall survive termination of these Terms.

22.10 Governing Language

These Terms may be made available in several languages for convenience. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the English version and a translation, the English version prevails.

23. Independent Platform Disclaimer

This platform is independently created and operated, and the ideas and opinions shared here are entirely our own. They do not necessarily represent the perspectives of JW.org or the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. We are not affiliated with JW.org or the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, and this is not an official platform, programme or application of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Although all team members are active Jehovah’s Witnesses, this platform is not designed to replace official resources or programmes and does not include spiritual food. Any personal or congregational details shown in screenshots, guides or help videos are fictional and used solely for demonstration; this platform never includes real personal or congregation data in its instructional graphics.

24. How to Contact JWguest

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact JWguest at [email protected] or +1 (845) 415-6909.