Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using BeeLocal (the "Service"), operated by BeeLocal LLC ("BeeLocal," "we," "us," "our"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, do not use the Service. The Service is available through our website at beelocals.com and our mobile applications.

2. Who We Are

BeeLocal is a marketplace that connects homeowners ("Consumers") with local home improvement service professionals ("Local Bees" or "Pros"). BeeLocal does not perform any home improvement services itself and is not the employer of any Pro listed on the platform. Pros are independent contractors who set their own pricing, scheduling, and scope of work.

3. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old and able to form a legally binding contract to use the Service. By creating an account, you represent that you meet these requirements and that the information you provide is accurate.

4. Accounts

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity under your account. You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized use. BeeLocal may suspend or terminate any account that violates these Terms or that we determine, in our sole discretion, presents a risk to the platform or other users.

Pros must accurately represent their licensing, insurance, and qualifications. False representations are grounds for immediate account termination.

5. Communications & SMS

By creating an account or providing your phone number, you consent to receive transactional communications from BeeLocal, including but not limited to:

• One-time SMS verification codes when you sign up, sign in, or reset your password
• Account activity notifications (job updates, messages, payment receipts)
• Service-related announcements

These messages are sent only on your direct request or in response to your account activity. Standard message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies based on your activity. Reply HELP to any text message for help, or STOP to opt out. Note that opting out of SMS may prevent you from completing certain account actions, including verification and sign-in.

You may also opt in to receive marketing messages separately. Marketing messages are governed by our Privacy Policy and can be opted out of at any time without affecting transactional communications.

6. Independent Contractor Status of Pros

Pros listed on BeeLocal are independent third-party service providers. Pros are not employees, agents, partners, joint venturers, franchisees, or representatives of BeeLocal. BeeLocal does not direct or control how Pros perform their work, the methods they use, the schedule they keep, or the prices they charge.

Each Pro is solely responsible for their own taxes, business licenses, insurance (including general liability and workers' compensation where applicable), tools, equipment, and compliance with all federal, state, and local laws governing their work. Pros are not entitled to any employee benefits, including health insurance, retirement, paid time off, unemployment, or workers' compensation through BeeLocal.

Nothing in these Terms or in the operation of the Service creates an agency, employment, partnership, or joint venture relationship between BeeLocal and any Pro or Consumer.

7. Marketplace Terms

For Consumers: When you post a project, BeeLocal matches you with up to a small number of Pros in your area. You are not obligated to hire any Pro you are matched with, and you are responsible for evaluating each Pro before entering into any agreement. Any contract for services is between you and the Pro directly. BeeLocal is not a party to that contract.

For Pros: When you accept a lead, you are charged a per-lead fee, which is disclosed before acceptance. Lead fees are non-refundable except as provided in our refund policy (e.g., dead leads, fraudulent posts). You are solely responsible for delivering the services you agree to provide.

Payment Protection:When BeeLocal facilitates payment for a job, funds are held in escrow until the Consumer confirms the work was completed satisfactorily. Disputes are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. BeeLocal acts as a limited payment-processing intermediary only and is not a fiduciary, escrow agent, broker, or guarantor of either party's performance.

8. Fees & Payments

Lead fees, payment processing fees, and any other charges are disclosed before you incur them. Payments are processed by Stripe and are subject to Stripe's terms. BeeLocal reserves the right to change its fees with reasonable advance notice.

9. No Background Check; Vetting Is Your Responsibility

BeeLocal does not perform criminal background checks, credit checks, or comprehensive identity verification on Pros.Onboarding may include collection of basic identifying information and, where applicable, a license number self-reported by the Pro, but BeeLocal does not independently confirm a Pro's character, criminal history, civil litigation history, immigration status, or fitness to enter a Consumer's home.

Consumers are solely responsible for evaluating any Pro before granting access to their property, sharing personal information, or entering into any agreement. This includes, where appropriate, requesting proof of insurance, verifying licensing with state regulators, requesting references, and conducting your own background research.

BeeLocal makes no representation or warranty about any Pro's honesty, competence, qualifications, safety, or suitability. Any badge, score, rating, or label appearing on a Pro's profile reflects only the limited information available to BeeLocal and is not a guarantee of any kind.

10. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

• Use the Service for any unlawful purpose or in violation of these Terms
• Post false, misleading, defamatory, or fraudulent content
• Solicit Consumers off-platform to avoid lead fees (Pros)
• Interfere with the Service's operation or attempt to gain unauthorized access
• Harass, threaten, or discriminate against other users
• Reverse-engineer, scrape, or copy the Service

11. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, or non-infringement. BeeLocal does not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or meet your expectations. BeeLocal does not endorse, verify, or guarantee the work, qualifications, conduct, safety, or character of any Pro listed on the platform.

Property damage, personal injury, theft, and loss.BeeLocal is not liable for any property damage, personal injury, theft, loss of personal items, work defects, code violations, or other harm caused by, or arising out of, services performed (or not performed) by any Pro, or by any Consumer's conduct. Any such loss is between the Consumer and the Pro directly. Consumers are encouraged to maintain homeowner's or renter's insurance, and Pros are encouraged (and in many states required) to maintain general liability insurance.

12. Release Between Consumers and Pros

BeeLocal is a venue. Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising between a Consumer and a Pro — including but not limited to disputes over the quality, timeliness, or completion of work, payment, property damage, personal injury, or any conduct occurring in connection with services arranged through the Service — is solely between the Consumer and the Pro.You hereby release BeeLocal, its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates from any and all claims, demands, damages, losses, and liabilities of every kind and nature, known or unknown, arising out of or in any way connected with such disputes. If you are a California resident, you expressly waive California Civil Code §1542, which says: "A general release does not extend to claims that the creditor or releasing party does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release..."

13. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, BeeLocal will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, or for any loss of profits, revenues, data, goodwill, or business opportunity, arising from or related to your use of the Service, even if BeeLocal has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Our total aggregate liability for any and all claims arising from or related to the Service will not exceed the greater of (a) the fees you paid to BeeLocal in the twelve months preceding the claim, or (b) one hundred U.S. dollars ($100). Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, so portions of this limitation may not apply to you.

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless BeeLocal, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from or related to: (a) your use of the Service, (b) your violation of these Terms, (c) your violation of any law or third-party right, (d) any services you provide or receive through the Service, or (e) any content you submit or transmit through the Service.

15. Termination

You may stop using the Service at any time. BeeLocal may suspend or terminate your account at our discretion, with or without notice, including for any violation of these Terms. Upon termination, your right to use the Service ends immediately. Sections that by their nature should survive termination (e.g., disclaimers, limitation of liability, indemnification, release, arbitration, governing law) will survive.

16. Mandatory Arbitration; Class Action Waiver

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY. IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING YOUR RIGHT TO FILE A LAWSUIT IN COURT AND TO HAVE A JURY HEAR YOUR CLAIMS.

Agreement to Arbitrate.You and BeeLocal agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service (a "Dispute") — whether based in contract, tort, statute, fraud, misrepresentation, or any other legal theory — will be resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, rather than in court. The Federal Arbitration Act governs the interpretation and enforcement of this section.

Class Action Waiver. You and BeeLocal agree that each may bring claims against the other only in your or its individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, consolidated, or representative proceeding.The arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding.

Jury Trial Waiver. You and BeeLocal waive any right to a jury trial of any Dispute.

Arbitration Procedure.The arbitration will be conducted in Wake County, North Carolina, or by remote video at the arbitrator's discretion. The arbitrator's decision will be final and binding, and judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. The arbitrator may award the same individual relief that a court could award.

Exceptions. Either party may bring an individual action in small-claims court for any Dispute that qualifies. Either party may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in court for actual or threatened infringement, misappropriation, or violation of intellectual-property rights.

Severability of this Section. If the class-action waiver is found unenforceable as to any claim, that claim must proceed in court rather than in arbitration; the remainder of this section, including the agreement to arbitrate all other claims, remains in effect.

17. Severability; Entire Agreement

If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, that provision will be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, and the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and BeeLocal regarding the Service and supersede any prior or contemporaneous agreements.

18. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via email, in-app notification, or by posting an updated version with a new "Last updated" date. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

19. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Subject to the mandatory arbitration provision above, any judicial action permitted under these Terms will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Wake County, North Carolina, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts.

20. Contact Us

Questions about these Terms? Contact us at:

BeeLocal LLC
Raleigh, NC
hello@beelocals.com