SAFETY

Before You Book

• Read the full listing — description, house rules, amenities and cancellation tier — before requesting a booking.
• Check the location on the map and make sure it matches the area described in the listing.
• Look at how many photos are provided and whether they look genuinely taken at the property (not generic stock imagery).
• Message the host through the platform with any questions before you pay — a responsive, specific answer is a good sign.
• Confirm your exact check-in and check-out times and process so there's no confusion on arrival day.

Guest Safety Tips

• Always book and pay through the Nyumbani BNBS platform — never send money to a host directly, by any method.
• Communicate with your host through the in-app chat before arrival to confirm check-in details and directions.
• Share your travel plans and the property address with a trusted friend or family member before you travel.
• On arrival, check the property for smoke detectors, working locks on doors and windows, and a clear emergency exit.
• Save your host's in-app contact and the property address somewhere accessible even without signal (screenshot or note).
• If you're travelling for a party or group event, confirm the property explicitly allows it and check any guest-count limits.
• Do not share your ID, financial details or passwords with a host or anyone claiming to represent Nyumbani BNBS by chat, call or email.
• Trust your instincts — if a property or a host's behaviour feels wrong once you arrive, leave and contact us immediately.

Messaging Safety

Every conversation between a guest and a host happens inside the Nyumbani BNBS chat, tied to a specific confirmed booking. Keeping conversations on-platform is what lets us step in when something goes wrong.

• Never share bank details, M-Pesa PINs, one-time passwords (OTPs) or card numbers in chat — Nyumbani BNBS and legitimate hosts will never ask for these.
• Be cautious of anyone who tries to move the conversation off the platform to WhatsApp, SMS or a phone call before a booking is confirmed.
• You can report an individual message or an entire conversation directly from the chat screen using the flag icon.
• You can block another user from a conversation at any time — they won't be able to send you further messages, and you can unblock them later if needed.
• Reported messages and conversations are reviewed by our trust & safety team, typically within 24 hours.

Payment & Fraud Protection

All payments on Nyumbani BNBS are processed through Paystack, a PCI-DSS Level 1 certified payment processor used across Africa — we never see or store your card or M-Pesa details ourselves. Once a payment is made, our servers independently verify it with Paystack before a booking is confirmed, so a payment can't be faked or intercepted between you and your host.

• Only ever pay through the "Request to Book" flow on the platform — this is the only payment that is protected and refundable under our cancellation policy.
• A host who asks you to pay by bank transfer, cash, or any method outside the platform is violating our terms — decline and report it.
• Your guest service fee and host service fee are shown transparently before you pay — there are no hidden charges added afterward.
• If a payment is deducted but your booking doesn't show as confirmed, contact us with your payment reference before attempting to pay again.

See our Cancellation & Refunds Policy for how refunds are calculated and processed.

Host Safety Tips

• Only confirm bookings and accept payment through the platform — this is what makes your payout and the guest's stay protected.
• Set clear house rules on your listing (parties, smoking, pets, quiet hours) so expectations are established before a guest books.
• Install working smoke detectors, a first aid kit, and clearly marked emergency exits, and keep them in working order.
• Share local emergency numbers and your in-app contact details with guests as part of your check-in message.
• A security camera covering the entrance or gate (never inside guest living spaces) is a reasonable and common precaution — always disclose it in your listing.
• Keep a record of every booking and its check-in/check-out dates in case a dispute needs to be reviewed later.
• Change property access codes and lockbox combinations between guest stays.
• Consider your own liability cover for guest injury or property damage — Nyumbani BNBS is a booking marketplace and does not provide host insurance.

How We Verify Listings

Every host on Nyumbani BNBS registers with a verified email address and agrees to our listing standards before a property goes live. We expect every host to:

• Upload clear, recent photos that genuinely represent the property, inside and out.
• Provide a real, accurate physical location for their listing.
• Respond to booking requests and guest messages promptly and honestly.
• Keep pricing, capacity, amenities and availability accurate and up to date at all times.

We reserve the right to remove any listing or suspend any account found to be misleading, unsafe, or in violation of our policies — reports from guests and hosts are what make this enforceable, so please tell us when something doesn't match.

Report a Concern

If you experience or witness anything that makes you feel unsafe — a fraudulent listing, inappropriate behaviour, a suspicious message, or a property that doesn't match its description — please report it immediately. Reports are confidential and reviewed by our trust & safety team.

Kenya Emergency Contacts

In a medical or physical emergency, always contact local emergency services first. Nyumbani BNBS's trust & safety team can assist with platform-related issues but is not a substitute for emergency response.

Avoid Scams

• Be cautious of listings priced far below similar properties in the same area — they often are.
• Never wire money, send cash, or use an untraceable payment method to pay for a booking.
• Ignore requests to move the conversation off-platform to WhatsApp or other apps before a booking is confirmed.
• If photos feel generic or too polished, reverse-image-search them to check they aren't taken from elsewhere online.
• Neither hosts nor Nyumbani BNBS staff will ever ask for your account password, card PIN, or one-time passwords.
• Be wary of last-minute "the price changed" or "pay a deposit separately" messages — all pricing is fixed at booking and paid in one transaction.

Frequently Asked Questions