Listing Rules & Guidelines

Last updated: 14 July 2026 · Version 2

These rules govern every listing on StayLocal. They exist so seekers can trust what they see — which is what makes your listing worth publishing here. They form part of the Seller/Lister Agreement.

1. Authority to list (non-negotiable)

You must be the owner, or hold current, verifiable authorisation from the owner (broker mandate, management agreement, PG operating rights). At submission you make a recorded declaration of this authority — stored with policy version, timestamp, IP and device as evidence. Listing property you have no right to market is grounds for immediate termination and may constitute a criminal offence.

2. Photos

• All four categories required: building front, living area/bedroom, kitchen, bathroom.
• Your own photos or ones you are licensed to use, of the actual property — no stock images, no other properties, no renders presented as real.
• Minimum 800×600; no watermarks from other portals; no misleading edits. EXIF data (including GPS) is stripped automatically on upload for your privacy.

3. Accurate commercials

Rent, deposit, and brokerage must match what you will actually ask. "Bait pricing" — advertising low to renegotiate on contact — is a violation. State brokerage honestly, including "none".

4. Availability discipline

• Mark on-hold/rented promptly — within 48 hours of a change.
• Availability decays automatically: reminder at 14 days, ranking penalty at 21, automatic unlisting at 45 days without confirmation.
• Repeatedly confirming false availability is treated as bait listing.

5. Verified, reachable contact

Your call number must pass OTP verification before submission and remain reachable; a WhatsApp number is required (may be the same). Changing the call number re-requires verification.

6. Accurate location

Correct locality, pincode, and 2–5 genuine nearby places. Deliberately wrong locations to surface in more searches is a violation.

7. One listing per property

Duplicates are detected (address + photo-fingerprint matching) and consolidated — the earliest verified listing stays canonical. Persistent duplication leads to suspension.

8. Content standards

Descriptions must not contain: personal data of third parties, discriminatory statements prohibited by law, external contact bait ("call this other number"), URLs to other portals, or anything violating the Prohibited Listings Policy and Community Guidelines.

9. Consequences

Graduated per the Content Moderation Policy: information request or rejection (with stated reason, fixable) → suspension → paid-service forfeiture without refund → account termination → referral to authorities where fraud is involved. Appeals via the Grievance Redressal Policy.