Endebete Legal Terms, Rules & Policies

Endebete (እንደቤቴ) is an online marketplace operated for the Ethiopian market that connects independent hosts and licensed accommodation operators ("Hosts") with travellers and renters ("Guests"). Endebete is a technology intermediary; it is not a hotelier, real-estate broker, travel agent or tour operator, and does not own, control, manage, inspect or endorse any listing.

Any booking is a direct contract between the Host and the Guest. Endebete facilitates communications, listings, availability, payment processing through Chapa, and dispute triage. These Terms form a binding agreement between you and Endebete and incorporate our Privacy Notice, House Rules and Cancellation Policy.

Acceptance & changes

• You must tick the acceptance checkbox at sign-up. Continued use after a material update is also acceptance.
• We may amend these Terms with at least 14 days' notice for material changes (email and in-app notice).
• We may suspend or terminate accounts for breach, suspected fraud, abusive behaviour, or as required by Ethiopian authorities.

• You must be at least 18 years old and legally capable of entering into contracts under the Civil Code of Ethiopia (1960), Articles 192–198 & 1675 et seq.
• You must provide accurate, current and complete information. False, misleading or impersonated information is a material breach and may constitute an offence under the Computer Crimes Proclamation No. 958/2016.
• One natural person — one account. Businesses must register the account in the legal entity's name and identify an authorised representative.
• You are responsible for safeguarding your password and for all activity under your account.
• Endebete may request government-issued ID (Kebele ID, national ID/Fayda, passport, or driving licence) and proof of address or business licence at any time for KYC, fraud prevention and host verification.

This section applies to every user who lists a stay, room or hotel inventory.

3.1 Truthful listings

• All photos must depict the actual property and be taken within the last 12 months.
• Title, description, location area, capacity, bed configuration, amenities, accessibility, house rules and price must be accurate.
• The exact address may be hidden until booking, but the approximate neighbourhood must be truthful.
• Misrepresenting the property — including bait-and-switch to a different unit on arrival — is a serious violation and triggers refund and penalty (see §8).

3.2 Legal authority to host

• You warrant you have the legal right to host the property: ownership, a written lease that permits sub-letting / short-term rental, or written authorisation from the owner and any condominium/compound association.
• Hotel and guesthouse operators must hold a valid Ministry of Tourism grading or regional Bureau of Culture & Tourism licence, a Trade Licence, and a TIN, and must upload these on request.
• You are responsible for compliance with Kebele/Woreda residency reporting, fire safety, and any city-level short-term rental rules (e.g., Addis Ababa City Administration directives).

3.3 Taxes

• Hosts are independently responsible for declaring rental income and paying applicable taxes under the Federal Income Tax Proclamation No. 979/2016 (Schedule "B" rental income), VAT under Proclamation No. 285/2002 (as amended) where the turnover threshold is met, and the Tourism Development Fund levy where applicable.
• Endebete may issue a payout statement; it is not a tax invoice on the Host's behalf.

3.4 Service standards

• Respond to booking requests and messages within 24 hours.
• Keep the calendar accurate. Confirmed bookings must be honoured.
• Provide the unit clean, safe, with working utilities, functioning locks, smoke detector where feasible, drinking water access, and the amenities promised.
• Disclose any security cameras; cameras inside bedrooms or bathrooms are strictly prohibited.
• No discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, religion, nationality, gender, disability, language, marital status or political opinion (FDRE Constitution Art. 25).

3.5 Off-platform circumvention

Soliciting Guests to pay or book outside Endebete after a contact is made on the platform is prohibited and may result in suspension, withholding of payouts for completed stays and a circumvention fee equal to the platform service fee that would have been due.

4.1 Honest information

• Use your real name and a valid phone number. Hosts may require ID on check-in as Ethiopian guesthouse regulations oblige operators to record guest identity.
• State the true number of guests, including children and infants. Unannounced extra guests may be refused at the door and trigger the same-day cancellation fee.
• Declare the purpose of stay if asked (leisure, business, event).

4.2 During the stay

• Respect the published House Rules (§5), neighbours, building rules and Ethiopian law.
• Care for the property as a reasonable person would for their own home. You are liable for damage you, your guests or invitees cause beyond ordinary wear and tear.
• Report incidents, breakages or safety issues to the Host promptly through in-app chat.

4.3 Communication

Keep all booking-related communication inside Endebete chat. This protects both sides and is the evidence Endebete will use in any dispute.

The following baseline rules apply to every booking. Hosts may add stricter rules in the listing; they may not loosen these.

• Quiet hours 22:00 – 06:00. No parties or events without prior written consent from the Host.
• Occupancy. Do not exceed the booked guest count. Visitors must be approved.
• No illegal activity. This includes drugs, trafficking in persons, prostitution, illegal firearms, and possession of khat/cannabis in jurisdictions where prohibited.
• Smoking & shisha. Not permitted indoors unless the listing explicitly allows it.
• Pets. Only if the listing allows them. Service animals are always allowed.
• Children. Must be supervised at all times.
• Cooking. Use kitchens responsibly; do not leave open flames or charcoal unattended.
• Safety. Do not tamper with smoke detectors, gas, electrical panels, water heaters or locks.
• Cultural respect. Be mindful of religious sites and local customs in towns like Lalibela, Aksum, Harar and Gondar.
• Reporting. Hosts must report long-stay foreign guests to the local Kebele/Immigration as required.

Serious violations — violence, harassment, weapons, severe damage, or endangering others — allow the Host to terminate the stay immediately, retain paid nights, and contact the Federal Police. Endebete will cooperate with lawful requests from Ethiopian authorities.

• All prices are displayed in Ethiopian Birr (ETB).
• Payments are processed by Chapa (Telebirr, CBE Birr, card and bank transfer). By paying, you also agree to Chapa's terms.
• Endebete charges a Guest service fee of 8% shown at checkout, and a Host service fee deducted at payout. Fees may change with notice.
• Host payouts are released after check-in once the Guest has not raised a same-day dispute, typically within 24 hours of arrival, to a verified Ethiopian bank or mobile-money account.
• Currency, FX and bank charges from the Guest's payment method are the Guest's responsibility.
• Tourism Development Fund contributions, VAT and other government levies, where applicable, are the Host's responsibility unless explicitly itemised at checkout.

Unless the listing specifies a Strict or Long-Stay policy, the default Standard policy applies:

7.1 Guest cancellations (Standard)

• More than 7 days before check-in (local time, Africa/Addis_Ababa): full refund minus the Guest service fee.
• 7 days to 48 hours before check-in: 50% refund of the nightly rate; service fee non-refundable.
• Less than 48 hours or no-show: non-refundable.
• Mid-stay cancellation by Guest: the current night plus the next night are charged; remaining nights are refunded.

7.2 Strict policy (optional)

50% refund up to 14 days before check-in; otherwise non-refundable.

7.3 Host cancellations

Hosts must honour confirmed bookings. If the Host cancels:

• The Guest receives a 100% refund including the service fee.
• Endebete will pay an inconvenience credit of 10% of the booking total (capped at ETB 5,000) to the Guest, charged back to the Host's next payout.
• The cancelled dates are auto-blocked and a "Host cancelled" badge is shown on the listing for 90 days. Three host cancellations in 12 months results in listing suspension.

7.4 Force majeure / extenuating circumstances

Government-declared emergencies, regional curfews, civil unrest, road closures, declared epidemics, natural disasters, the death or serious illness of the Guest or an immediate family member (documented), and visa-denial for international Guests qualify for a full refund regardless of policy. Endebete may require supporting documentation and may consult Ministry of Tourism guidance.

Endebete enforces these Terms through a graduated system. The platform reserves the right to escalate based on severity.

8.1 Host penalties

• Inaccurate listing / misrepresentation — full Guest refund, ETB 1,000 administrative fine and a public listing flag. Repeat: removal.
• Bait-and-switch (different property at arrival) — full Guest refund plus relocation costs up to ETB 5,000, charged to the Host, plus permanent removal.
• Host no-show / lockout — penalties of §7.3 plus listing review.
• Last-minute Host cancellation (under 7 days) — withhold 25% of the booking total from future payouts in addition to §7.3.
• Hidden cameras in private areas — immediate ban, report to authorities.
• Discrimination — written warning, mandatory acknowledgment, and ban on second offence.
• Off-platform circumvention — circumvention fee, payout hold, possible ban.
• Operating without required licence — listing taken down until valid documents are uploaded.
• Tax evasion or use of the platform for money laundering — account closure and reporting to the Ministry of Revenue and Financial Intelligence Service as required by Proclamation No. 780/2013.

8.2 Guest penalties

• Unauthorised extra guests / parties — Host may terminate stay; remaining nights non-refundable; ETB 1,000 admin fine.
• Damage — Guest pays repair/replacement at fair market cost. Endebete may charge the payment method on file after photographic evidence and a 72-hour Guest response window.
• Smoking where prohibited / pets where prohibited — deep-clean fee up to ETB 3,000.
• False identity, chargeback fraud or fake reviews — account termination and possible referral under the Computer Crimes Proclamation No. 958/2016.
• Illegal activity on the premises — immediate termination, full forfeiture of paid amount and report to Federal Police.
• No-show — non-refundable per §7.

8.3 Process

1. Either party reports within 72 hours of the incident via the booking chat or the Help link.
2. Endebete reviews chat history, photos, ID checks and Host/Guest history.
3. A written decision is issued within 7 business days. Either party may appeal once within 7 days.
4. Decisions on platform sanctions (fees, suspensions) are final on Endebete; they do not waive either party's right to pursue civil remedies under Ethiopian courts.

• These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, including the Civil Code (1960), the Consumer Protection Proclamation No. 813/2014, the Electronic Transactions Proclamation No. 1205/2020, the Tourism Proclamation and the Computer Crimes Proclamation No. 958/2016.
• Parties shall first attempt good-faith negotiation through Endebete's in-app dispute centre.
• Unresolved disputes shall be submitted to arbitration in Addis Ababa under the Arbitration and Conciliation Working Procedure Proclamation No. 1237/2021, in Amharic or English, by a sole arbitrator. Either party retains the right to seek interim measures or small-claims relief in the competent Federal First Instance Court of Addis Ababa.
• Consumer rights under Proclamation 813/2014 are not waived by this clause.

• We collect only the personal data needed to operate the marketplace: identity, contact, listing, booking, payment metadata and device data.
• We process data in line with the Personal Data Protection Proclamation No. 1321/2024 and apply the lawful basis of contract performance, consent (for marketing) and legitimate interest (for fraud prevention).
• Phone numbers are visible only to the counterparty after a booking is confirmed.
• Approximate map locations are shown publicly; exact addresses are revealed only after confirmation.
• Data subject requests (access, correction, deletion, portability) can be made through the in-app Help link. We respond within 30 days.
• We retain transaction records for the period required by Ethiopian tax and AML law (currently 10 years).