Scout Beta Terms of Use

1. Who provides Scout?

Scout is currently operated in South Africa by Luan van der Westhuizen, trading as Scout. References to “Scout”, “we”, “us” or “our” in these terms refer to that beta service operator.

2. The beta service

Scout Renter Passport is software that lets renters create a reusable rental profile, store supporting documents, and create controlled shares for selected agents or landlords. The beta is provided primarily to test the product, gather feedback and improve the renter experience.

Scout is not an estate agent, landlord, credit bureau, legal adviser or tenant-screening service. Scout does not approve or reject rental applications and does not guarantee that an agent or landlord will accept information submitted through Scout.

3. Eligibility and your account

You must be at least 18 years old to create a Scout account. You are responsible for providing accurate account information, maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials, and promptly telling Scout if you believe your account has been compromised.

4. Your information and documents

You remain responsible for the information and documents you upload. You should only provide information that you are entitled to use for your own rental application and should avoid uploading unnecessary information. Unless Scout expressly says otherwise, renter information and documents are treated as renter-supplied and are not independently verified by Scout.

Where you provide details relating to another person, such as a landlord or reference, you are responsible for having a reasonable basis to use those details for your rental application.

5. Passport shares

You decide when to create a Passport share, the intended recipient, which information and documents to include, and how long access should remain available. You are responsible for sending the share link to the intended recipient and for revoking it if it is sent to the wrong person or is no longer required.

Scout provides controls intended to limit access, but once an authorised recipient has viewed information you deliberately shared, Scout cannot control everything that recipient may lawfully do with information already received or downloaded outside Scout.

6. Acceptable use

You may not use Scout to impersonate another person, submit knowingly false or fraudulent information, access another renter's information without permission, interfere with Scout's security or operation, distribute malware, use the service unlawfully, or attempt to bypass access controls.

7. Privacy

Scout's processing of personal information is described in the Scout Beta Privacy Notice. By using Scout you acknowledge that operating a cloud service may involve processing by technology providers and, where applicable, international processing as described in that notice.

8. Beta availability and changes

The beta may contain defects or incomplete features. Scout may change, add, remove, pause or restrict beta functionality where reasonably necessary to test the service, improve security, comply with law or protect users. Scout will try to avoid unnecessary disruption but does not promise uninterrupted or error-free availability.

9. Suspension and termination

Scout may suspend or restrict an account where there are reasonable grounds to believe the account is being used unlawfully, fraudulently, in breach of these terms, or in a way that creates a material security risk. You may stop using Scout at any time and may submit an account-deletion request through Settings.

10. Feedback

You are welcome to provide feedback about the beta. You give Scout permission to use suggestions and product feedback to improve Scout without owing compensation for doing so. This does not give Scout ownership of your personal information or documents.

11. Scout intellectual property

The Scout name, interface, software, branding and original product materials remain the property of the Scout operator or applicable licensors. These terms do not transfer ownership of Scout's software or intellectual property to you. Your own information and documents remain yours.

12. Third-party services

Scout relies on third-party technology and infrastructure providers to operate. Scout may also link to third-party sites or services. Those providers may have their own terms and privacy practices, and Scout is not responsible for third-party services outside Scout's control.

13. Responsibility and limitation of liability

Scout will use reasonable care in operating the beta, but you use an early-stage service with the understanding that features may change and occasional errors may occur. To the maximum extent permitted by South African law, Scout will not be liable for indirect or consequential loss arising solely from beta downtime, a recipient's independent rental decision, or information a user chooses to provide inaccurately.

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits any right or liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited, including rights that may apply under consumer or data-protection law.

14. Governing law

These terms and the Scout beta are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any dispute should first be raised with Scout so that the parties can try to resolve it reasonably before pursuing other remedies available by law.

15. Changes to these terms

Scout may update these beta terms as the service develops. Material changes will be shown through a new version and effective date, and Scout may require renewed acceptance where appropriate.

16. Contact

Support and privacy requests can be submitted from within Scout. Privacy matters may also be sent to luanvdwest@gmail.com. Scout's service address for the beta is 267 Beach Road, Arthur Seat Mansions, Sea Point, Cape Town, Western Cape, 8005.