Terms & Conditions

Last Updated: May 2026

1. Service Description

Scout The Area operates a two-sided marketplace platform connecting property buyers ("Buyers") with independent area scouts ("Scouts") who provide neighbourhood intelligence reports.

Important: Scout The Area is a technology platform only. We DO NOT:

Employ scouts or control how they perform work
Guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or quality of scout reports
Endorse or take responsibility for the opinions, observations, or conclusions in scout reports
Provide professional advice or property surveying services
Act as an agent for either buyers or scouts

Scouts are independent contractors who work at their own discretion. The relationship is solely between the buyer and the scout. Scout The Area merely facilitates the connection.

2. User Accounts

2.1 Buyers

Buyers may post jobs requesting neighbourhood intelligence for specific properties. By posting a job, you agree to:

Provide accurate property information
Pay the agreed package price upon selecting a scout
Review submitted work within 14 days - if you fail to review within this period, the work may be deemed approved and the scout's payout released
Only approve work that meets your requirements
Rate scouts honestly based on work quality
Not contact scouts directly or attempt to arrange work outside the platform
Not share, resell, or redistribute scout reports (including photos, videos, and written observations) with sellers, estate agents, letting agents, surveyors, or any party involved in the property transaction. Reports are for the buyer's personal use only
Not leave false, misleading, or retaliatory reviews. Reviews must reflect the buyer's genuine experience of the report delivered

2.2 Scouts

Scouts are independent contractors working at their own risk and discretion. By accepting a job, you agree to:

Provide your location information
Personally attend and carry out all scouting work yourself. Scouts must not subcontract, delegate, or otherwise arrange for a third party to perform any part of the job on their behalf
Complete work as described in the job posting
Submit honest, accurate reports with required photos/videos - all content must be original and captured specifically for each individual job
Only submit content captured during the specific job and within the time windows requested by the buyer. Re-using content from previous jobs, other platforms, or publicly available sources (including but not limited to Google Street View, estate agent listings, or social media) is strictly prohibited
Only access public spaces (never enter private property without permission)
Respect all laws, property rights, and privacy
Comply with UK data protection law (UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018) when capturing photos, videos, or any other content. Scouts must not photograph or film identifiable individuals (faces, children, people visible through windows), number plates, or any other personal data. If such content is unavoidably captured, it must be blurred or removed before submission. Scouts are responsible for their own compliance and agree to indemnify Scout The Area under Section 5.8 for any losses, fines, or claims arising from a breach of these obligations
Take responsibility for your own safety and well-being
Obtain appropriate insurance coverage (personal liability, accident insurance) - this is strongly recommended and is the scout's sole responsibility
File a safety report if unable to complete the job safely
Maintain professional conduct at all times
Accept that you are not an employee and are responsible for your own tax obligations
Keep all job details, buyer information, and property addresses strictly confidential
Not disclose, sell, or share any job information with third parties - including estate agents, sellers, landlords, or competing services
Not contact buyers directly or attempt to arrange future jobs, communications, or transactions outside the platform. All interactions must go through Scout The Area
Not use information obtained through the platform for any purpose other than completing the assigned job

Scouts acknowledge they work independently and Scout The Area is not responsible for their safety, conduct, or any incidents during job performance.

Any breach of confidentiality or misuse of platform data may result in immediate account termination, forfeiture of pending payouts, and legal action.

3. Payment Terms

3.1 Buyer Payments

When you select a scout, you will be charged the full job price via Stripe. Payments are processed securely and held until you approve the work. By making a payment, you agree to:

Pay the agreed package price as displayed at the time of booking
Payment is final and non-refundable once work is approved by you
If work is rejected before approval, you may request improvements or a refund at admin discretion
You will not initiate chargebacks or payment disputes with your bank after approving work
Disputes must be resolved through the platform's dispute resolution process

By approving work, you acknowledge that you have reviewed the scout's submission and are satisfied with the service provided. Approval is final.

3.2 Scout Payouts

Scouts receive their payout when buyers approve their work, minus the platform fee. Payouts are processed via Stripe Connect. By accepting payouts, you agree to:

Complete Stripe Connect onboarding (bank details, ID verification)
Accept that payouts may take 2-7 business days to reach your account
Be responsible for any tax obligations on earnings

3.3 Cancellation & Cooling-Off Rights

Under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, you have the right to cancel within 14 days of placing an order. However:

Once you select a scout and they accept the job, you expressly consent to the service beginning immediately. By doing so, you acknowledge that you lose your right to cancel once the scout has begun work.
If no scout has been selected or accepted, you may cancel the job for a refund, minus any payment processing and administration fees.
Jobs cancelled after a scout has started but before submission will be handled at admin discretion.

3.4 Platform Fee

Scout The Area charges a platform fee on all completed jobs. This fee covers payment processing, platform maintenance, customer support, and moderation.

4. Safety Reports

If a scout encounters unsafe conditions and cannot complete a job, they may file a safety report. By filing a safety report, scouts agree to:

Provide a detailed description of the safety concern
Submit honestly and in good faith
Receive fixed compensation (amount determined by platform)

Buyers will receive the safety report as valuable intelligence. The job will be marked as complete, and no refund will be issued, as the information provided may be critical to the buyer's decision.

5. Liability & Disclaimers

5.1 Platform Role

Scout The Area is a technology platform that facilitates connections between buyers and scouts. We are NOT:

A party to any contract between buyers and scouts
Responsible for scout performance, conduct, or safety
Liable for the accuracy, quality, or completeness of scout reports
Providing professional property advice or surveying services
Guaranteeing any outcomes or results from using the platform

5.2 Independent Contractors

Scouts are independent contractors who work at their own risk and discretion. Scout The Area does not employ, supervise, or control scouts. Scouts are solely responsible for their own safety, conduct, equipment, insurance, and tax obligations. Scout The Area is not liable for any injuries, accidents, or incidents involving scouts.

5.3 Third-Party Content & Hosting Status

Scout reports, photos, videos, and other content submitted by scouts constitute third-party content created by independent users, not by Scout The Area. Under the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002, Scout The Area operates as a "host" of user-generated content.

As a hosting service, Scout The Area:

May review scout submissions for authenticity and quality standards, but does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of their content
Is not liable for the content, accuracy, or quality of scout reports
Will act promptly to remove illegal content when notified
Does not endorse or adopt any user-generated content as its own

All scout reports represent the personal observations and opinions of the individual scout who created them. Scout The Area makes no representations about the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any scout-submitted content.

5.4 Verification & Authentication

Scout The Area performs basic verification of user accounts as a fraud prevention measure. This verification is designed to:

Confirm that users are real people with valid email addresses
Verify scout payment details through Stripe Connect identity checks
Prevent fraudulent accounts and scam activity

Important: This verification does NOT constitute:

An endorsement, warranty, or guarantee of any scout's work quality
A professional certification or qualification check
A background check, criminal record check, or character reference
Any assurance about scout competence, reliability, or fitness for purpose

Buyers are solely responsible for evaluating scout profiles, ratings, and reviews before selecting a scout. Verification confirms authentication only, not quality or trustworthiness.

5.5 No Warranties

THE PLATFORM AND ALL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. We specifically disclaim:

Warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose
That scout reports will be accurate, complete, or reliable
That scouts will perform work to any particular standard
That the platform will be error-free or uninterrupted
That any information obtained will lead to successful property purchases

5.6 Buyer Acknowledgment

Buyers acknowledge and agree that scout reports are observational only and DO NOT constitute professional property surveys, legal advice, or guarantees about property conditions. Buyers are solely responsible for conducting their own independent due diligence, professional surveys, and property inspections before making any purchase decisions. Scout The Area makes no representations about property suitability or condition.

5.7 Limitation of Liability

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits our liability for: (a) death or personal injury caused by our negligence; (b) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or (c) any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.

Subject to the above, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, Scout The Area's liability for any single claim is limited to the amount you paid for the specific job that gave rise to the claim. Our total aggregate liability to you in any 12-month period shall not exceed the total fees you have paid to us during that period.

WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY:

Property purchase decisions or financial losses
Indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages
Lost profits, revenue, data, or business opportunities
Personal injury or property damage caused by scouts
Disputes between buyers and scouts
Actions or omissions of third parties (including scouts)
Matters beyond our reasonable control

5.8 Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Scout The Area, its directors, officers, and affiliates from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

Your use of the platform or services
Your violation of these terms
Your violation of any rights of third parties
Any content or information you provide
For scouts: any injuries, accidents, or incidents during job performance
For buyers: any property purchase decisions based on scout reports

5.9 Assumption of Risk

Scouts acknowledge and accept that performing scouting jobs involves inherent risks including but not limited to: personal injury, confrontation with residents or property owners, adverse weather conditions, travel risks, and equipment damage. Scouts voluntarily assume all such risks and agree to take appropriate safety precautions. Scouts are strongly advised to obtain appropriate personal insurance coverage.

Buyers acknowledge and accept that scout reports are informal observations, not professional surveys or legal advice. Reports may be incomplete, subjective, or inaccurate. Buyers use scout reports entirely at their own risk and must conduct independent professional surveys and due diligence before making property purchase decisions. Scout The Area is not responsible for any property purchase outcomes.

6. Content Ownership & Licence

6.1 Scout-Submitted Content

By submitting any content through the platform (including but not limited to photos, videos, audio recordings, noise readings, written notes, observations, and reports), scouts grant Scout The Area a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, transferable licence to use, store, display, reproduce, and distribute that content for the purposes of:

Delivering reports to buyers
Platform operation, quality assurance, and dispute resolution
Retaining evidence for legal, regulatory, or insurance purposes
Improving the platform and its services

This licence survives any termination or deletion of the scout's account. Scouts represent and warrant that they have the right to grant this licence and that their content does not infringe any third-party rights.

6.2 Buyer Access to Content

Buyers receive a personal, non-transferable, non-exclusive licence to view and use scout reports solely for their own property purchase decision-making. Buyers must not:

Redistribute, resell, or publish scout content without written permission from Scout The Area
Use scout content for commercial purposes beyond personal property decisions
Claim ownership of scout-submitted content

Access to scout content is conditional on payment. Any use of content obtained through the platform without completing payment constitutes a breach of these terms and may result in legal action.

7. Prohibited Conduct

Users must not:

Create or maintain multiple accounts, or register as both a buyer and a scout
Provide false information or impersonate others
Enter private property without permission
Submit fraudulent safety reports
Submit AI-generated, manipulated, or stock imagery as scout work - all photos, videos, and audio must be original content captured in person at the specified location
Abuse, harass, or threaten other users
Photograph or film identifiable individuals (including faces, children, or people visible through windows), number plates, or any other personal data of third parties
Use the platform for illegal purposes
Attempt to bypass payment or platform fees
Use automated tools, bots, or scrapers to access or extract data from the platform
Reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to extract the source code of the platform
Use the platform or its data to build or support a competing service
Manipulate, alter, or falsify photo or video metadata (including EXIF data, timestamps, or GPS coordinates)
Coordinate with another user to manipulate ratings, reviews, or reports
Arrange, accept, or facilitate any transaction related to the platform's service outside the platform

7.1 Content Authenticity and Verification

Scouts warrant and represent that all content submitted:

Was personally captured by them at the stated location
Was captured within the time window specified by the buyer
Has not been previously submitted for any other job on the platform
Has not had its metadata (including but not limited to EXIF data, timestamps, or GPS coordinates) manipulated or altered
Does not include content sourced from third-party websites, applications, or platforms

Scout The Area reserves the right to verify the authenticity of any submission, including through metadata inspection, duplicate detection, and spot-checks. Submissions found to be inauthentic will result in immediate rejection, withholding of payment, account termination, and potential legal action.

8. Account Termination

Scout The Area reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts for violations of these terms, fraudulent activity, or repeated poor ratings. Accounts that receive multiple negative flags may be reviewed and suspended at our discretion.

9. Dispute Resolution

9.1 Platform Resolution

Disputes between buyers and scouts must first be resolved through the platform's built-in review, rejection, and admin mediation system. This is mandatory before pursuing any external resolution.

9.2 Informal Resolution

If platform resolution fails, contact us through our Contact page. We will attempt good-faith informal resolution within 14 days. You agree to participate in this process before taking legal action.

9.3 Mediation

If informal resolution fails, either party may propose mediation through a CEDR-accredited mediator (or equivalent recognised UK mediation provider). Both parties agree to consider mediation in good faith before commencing court proceedings. The costs of mediation shall be shared equally unless the mediator directs otherwise.

Nothing in this clause prevents either party from seeking urgent injunctive relief or bringing a claim in the courts of England and Wales at any time.

9.4 Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any legal proceedings must be brought in the courts of England and Wales, and you submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of those courts.

10. Changes to Terms

Scout The Area may update these terms at any time. Continued use of the platform constitutes acceptance of updated terms. We will notify users of significant changes via email.

11. Acceptance of Terms

By creating an account, accessing the platform, posting a job, or applying for a job, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these terms. You must be at least 18 years of age to use the platform. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. You must notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account. If you do not agree to these terms, you must not use the platform.

12. Severability

If any provision of these terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid by a court, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

13. Force Majeure

Scout The Area is not liable for any failure or delay in performance due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to: acts of God, natural disasters, war, terrorism, riots, strikes, power failures, internet outages, government actions, pandemics, or failures of third-party services (including payment processors or hosting providers).

14. Survival

The following provisions survive termination or deletion of your account: Content Ownership & Licence (Section 6), Liability & Disclaimers (Section 5), Indemnification (Section 5.8), Confidentiality obligations (Section 2.2), Dispute Resolution (Section 9), and any other provisions that by their nature should survive.

15. Entire Agreement

These terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Scout The Area regarding use of the platform and supersede all prior agreements or understandings.

16. Contact

For questions about these terms, please contact us through our Contact page.