Legal

Welcome to TOWNIK ("we," "us," or "the Platform"). TOWNIK is an online service marketplace operated at townik.com that connects customers with independent, locally-based service providers ("Workers") in Cebu, Philippines. Services offered through the Platform include, but are not limited to, home cleaning, plumbing, electrical work, beauty and wellness, laundry, and other household or professional services.

By creating an account, accessing, or using TOWNIK in any way, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, please do not use the Platform.

To register and use TOWNIK, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old. By creating an account, you confirm that you are 18 or older.
• Be a natural person (not a corporation or automated bot).
• Have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement under Philippine law.
• Provide a valid government-issued ID and a selfie for identity verification.

Accounts that are found to belong to individuals under 18, or that use fraudulent identification, will be immediately suspended and permanently banned.

When you create an account on TOWNIK, you agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration (name, phone number, email, birthday, gender).
• Submit a valid government-issued ID and a clear selfie photo for manual identity verification by our team.
• Maintain only one account per person. Duplicate accounts will be removed.
• Keep your login credentials secure and confidential. You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.
• Notify us immediately at hello@townik.com if you suspect unauthorized access to your account.
• Keep your profile information up to date, including your phone number and address.

Your account may not be transferred or sold to another person. We reserve the right to reject any registration at our sole discretion.

TOWNIK facilitates bookings between Customers and Workers as follows:

• Browse & select: Customers browse available services and Workers, view ratings, pricing, and availability.
• Book a service: Customers submit a booking request specifying the service, date, time, and location.
• Worker acceptance: The assigned Worker accepts or declines the booking. If declined, the Customer may choose another Worker.
• Service delivery: The Worker arrives at the scheduled time and location to perform the service.
• Completion & payment: Once the service is completed, payment is processed based on the agreed price.
• Review: Both parties may leave a rating and review after the booking is completed.

TOWNIK does not guarantee that a Worker will be available for any given time slot. Booking confirmations depend on Worker availability and acceptance.

TOWNIK charges a 13% service fee on each completed booking. This fee is deducted from the Worker's earnings and is how the Platform sustains its operations. Here is how pricing and payments work:

• The price displayed to the Customer is the total price they pay. There are no hidden charges for Customers.
• Workers receive 87% of the booking price (the total price minus the 13% platform fee).
• Currently accepted payment methods: Cash and GCash. Additional payment methods (such as PayMongo-powered online payments) will be added in future updates.
• For cash payments, Workers are responsible for collecting the exact amount shown in the app.
• All prices are displayed in Philippine Pesos (PHP).

TOWNIK reserves the right to adjust the service fee percentage with prior notice to all users.

• Free cancellation if done 2 or more hours before the scheduled service time.
• Cancellations made less than 2 hours before the scheduled time will incur a P50 cancellation fee — P25 goes to the Worker (compensation for their time) and P25 goes to TOWNIK.
• No-shows: If a Customer is not present at the service location without prior cancellation, the full cancellation fee applies.
• 3-strike rule: Three late cancellations (less than 2 hours before scheduled time) within a 30-day period will result in a temporary booking restriction on your account.
• Workers who repeatedly cancel accepted bookings without valid reason will also face warnings and potential suspension.

All TOWNIK users (both Customers and Workers) agree to the following rules of conduct:

• Respectful behavior: Harassment, threats, discrimination, verbal abuse, physical intimidation, or any form of inappropriate behavior toward any user is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate account suspension.
• Honest reviews: Reviews must be based on your actual experience. Fake reviews, review manipulation, or retaliatory reviews are prohibited.
• No off-platform transactions: You may not arrange or solicit payments, bookings, or services outside of the TOWNIK platform to avoid service fees. This includes exchanging personal phone numbers, social media handles, or payment details before a booking is confirmed.
• Content moderation: TOWNIK uses a profanity filter and contact-information blocker in chat. Messages containing profanity, hate speech, or personal contact details (phone numbers, email addresses, social media links) sent before a booking is confirmed will be automatically filtered.
• No fraud: Any attempt to defraud the Platform, other users, or payment systems will result in permanent banning and may be reported to law enforcement authorities.
• Compliance with law: You must comply with all applicable Philippine laws while using TOWNIK.

Workers listed on TOWNIK are independent service providers, not employees of TOWNIK. By registering as a Worker, you agree to:

• Complete identity verification (valid government ID + selfie), which is manually reviewed by TOWNIK managers.
• Provide services professionally, on time, and in accordance with the booking details.
• Charge only the exact price shown on the app — no more, no less.
• Never request off-platform payments or attempt to redirect customers to pay outside of TOWNIK.
• Maintain accurate availability on your profile to avoid booking conflicts.
• Carry your own tools, supplies, and equipment needed for the service unless otherwise specified in the booking.
• Comply with all applicable local business permits, tax obligations, and professional licensing requirements.

Price tampering (charging a different amount, asking for direct payment, or attempting to dodge the platform fee) is a serious violation:

• 1st offense: Written warning
• 2nd offense: Temporary suspension (7 days)
• 3rd offense: Permanent ban from the Platform

• All disputes should be reported through the app using the Report function on the booking/job tracking page.
• TOWNIK will investigate and mediate disputes fairly. We aim to resolve disputes within 5 business days.
• Depending on the investigation outcome, partial or full refunds may be issued to the Customer.
• 3 valid complaints against any user (Customer or Worker) will result in a permanent block from the Platform.
• For disputes that cannot be resolved through the Platform, users may seek recourse through the appropriate Philippine government agencies, including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for consumer complaints.

All content on TOWNIK — including the app design, logos, text, graphics, icons, and software — is the property of TOWNIK and is protected by Philippine intellectual property laws. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from any TOWNIK content without our written permission.

By posting reviews, photos, or other content on the Platform, you grant TOWNIK a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute that content in connection with the Platform's operations.

TOWNIK operates solely as a marketplace platform. We are not the employer, principal, or agent of any Worker listed on the Platform. Workers are independent service providers who use TOWNIK to find customers.

• TOWNIK does not guarantee the quality, safety, timeliness, or legality of any service performed by a Worker.
• TOWNIK is not liable for any injury, property damage, loss, or dispute arising from a service performed by a Worker.
• While we verify Worker identities through ID and selfie checks, this does not constitute an endorsement, warranty, or guarantee of any Worker's skills or reliability.
• Our total liability for any claim arising from your use of the Platform is limited to the amount of fees you have paid to TOWNIK in the 3 months preceding the claim.
• TOWNIK is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. We do not warrant uninterrupted or error-free service.

TOWNIK may suspend or permanently terminate your account if you:

• Violate any provision of these Terms of Service.
• Provide false or fraudulent information during registration or verification.
• Engage in harassment, abuse, or threatening behavior.
• Attempt off-platform transactions to circumvent platform fees.
• Accumulate 3 or more valid complaints or warnings.
• Engage in any illegal activity through the Platform.

Upon termination, your access to the Platform will be revoked. Any pending bookings will be cancelled. You may request a copy of your personal data before termination by contacting hello@townik.com.

You may also voluntarily deactivate your account at any time through the app settings. Deactivated accounts are retained for 30 days in case you wish to reactivate, after which your data will be permanently deleted (subject to legal retention requirements).

These Terms of Service are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, including but not limited to:

• Republic Act No. 10173 — Data Privacy Act of 2012
• Republic Act No. 7394 — Consumer Act of the Philippines
• Republic Act No. 8792 — Electronic Commerce Act of 2000
• Civil Code of the Philippines

Any legal disputes arising from these Terms shall be resolved exclusively in the courts of Cebu City, Philippines.

TOWNIK reserves the right to update or modify these Terms of Service at any time. When we make significant changes, we will notify you through the app (via push notification or in-app banner) and/or by email. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will reflect the most recent revision.

Continued use of TOWNIK after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree with the changes, you should stop using the Platform and deactivate your account.

If you have questions, concerns, or feedback about these Terms of Service, you can reach us at:

• Email: hello@townik.com
• Website: townik.com
• In-app: Help & Support page

We aim to respond to all inquiries within 3 business days.