Terms of Use

Welcome to Flatpulse. These terms of use (the "Terms" or "Terms of Use") govern your relationship with the website flatpulse.gr and the services it provides, as well as with the related applications for mobile devices and tablets (the "Platform"), which are operated by the company under the name FLATPULSE IKE, having its registered seat at Plapouta 4-6, Tripoli, with General Commercial Registry (GEMI) No. 191282314000 and Tax Identification Number (TIN): 803172468 ("Flatpulse" or "we"). By accessing or using the Platform, you declare that you have read, understood and fully accepted these Terms of Use. If you do not agree with these Terms, please refrain from any further use of the Platform.

1. Scope and nature of the services

Flatpulse is an online platform that enables its users (the "Users" or "User") to create profiles, post listings relating to the lease or sublease of self-contained residential spaces (indicatively, a room or an entire residence, hereinafter the "Residence"), for a stay of at least three (3) months, as well as to communicate with one another for the purpose of searching for and possibly finding a flatmate. The Platform constitutes an information society service within the meaning of Presidential Decree 131/2003, and operates as a hosting service provider/intermediary service within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 on Digital Services (the "DSA"). Flatpulse does not participate in, mediate or become a party to any lease, sublease, grant of use or other cohabitation agreement concluded between Users, does not provide brokerage services and bears no liability whatsoever for the conclusion, content or performance of the obligations arising from such agreements.

2. Conditions of use

To use the Platform, it is required that: (a) you are at least eighteen (18) years old and have full legal capacity, (b) you provide accurate, complete and up-to-date information (including name, surname, date of birth, gender and contact details), both upon registration and throughout your use of the Platform, and (c) you use the Platform in accordance with these Terms and applicable law. The Platform is intended exclusively for adults. If it is established that the Platform is being used by a minor, Flatpulse has the right to immediately suspend or permanently delete the account and, in any event, bears no liability whatsoever, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, for the content to which the minor user may have been exposed, nor for any communications and statements made by the minor to other Users through the Platform.

3. User account

Registration on the Platform is carried out either by providing an email address and password or by using third-party sign-in services (e.g. Google, Facebook). User authentication is performed through a third-party infrastructure provider (Supabase, https://supabase.com/). You are solely responsible for maintaining the security and confidentiality of your login details and passwords and for all activities carried out through your account, and you must notify us without delay of any attempt at unauthorised access to or use of your account by a third party, as well as of any loss of your passwords. The creation of multiple user accounts by the same User is expressly prohibited, as is the creation of an account using false or fictitious information. In such cases, Flatpulse reserves the right to immediately suspend or permanently delete the User's account.

4. Optional identity verification – "Verified User"

Flatpulse additionally offers an optional identity verification service for the User through a third-party identity verification service provider (Didit, https://didit.me/). If the User wishes to verify their account, by choosing to use this service, they are transferred to the online environment of the third-party provider, where the relevant verification is carried out. During the verification process, the identity verification provider asks the User to submit a photograph of an identity document (e.g. ID card, passport or driving licence for users within the EU; passport for users outside the EU), while biometric data are also collected from the User by means of a facial photograph (selfie), which the User is asked to upload, in order to compare and match it with the photograph on the uploaded identity document. It is expressly clarified that the verification of the User is optional and takes place only following the User's relevant choice.

The collection and processing of the User's personal data, in the context of the above verification service, is carried out by the third-party verification provider (Didit) and is governed by its own terms (available here: https://didit.me/terms/business/) and privacy policy (available here: https://didit.me/terms/privacy-policy/).

In the context of the verification process, Flatpulse does not collect or store on its servers any biometric data of the User (selfie photograph, ID card, passport) or personal data of the User contained in the identity document uploaded by the User. Flatpulse has access to such data only through the administrative environment of the third-party verification provider and only for reading/review purposes (without the ability to store, copy or export data locally) exclusively for the limited purposes of: a) comparing them with the information (e.g. name, surname, date of birth, age, gender) that the User has declared on Flatpulse itself, and b) obtaining knowledge of, checking and confirming the identity verification of the User carried out by the third-party provider and its outcome. This verification process is provided both upon the User's registration on Flatpulse and in the event of changes to the User's personal data. Once the process is successfully completed, the indication "Verified User" is assigned to the User's account.

The "Verified User" indication does not constitute a guarantee on the part of Flatpulse as to the identity (personal identification), reliability or suitability of the User bearing the relevant indication.

5. User Content

Users may post text, photographs and other material on the Platform (the "User Content" or "Content"), provided that they own or have obtained all the required licences or approvals and do not infringe the rights of third parties. By posting Content, you fully consent and grant Flatpulse the right and licence to use, reproduce, display and publish the Content, always within the environment of the Platform and exclusively for the purposes of its operation and of providing and further improving and developing the services of the Platform. The aforementioned limited licence is non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, revocable, worldwide, with the right to grant sub-licences only to necessary subcontractors of Flatpulse, and does not include the use of Content for training artificial intelligence systems or machine learning models. The relevant licence automatically ceases to apply when you delete the corresponding Content or when you close your account (whichever occurs first), with the exception of any back-up copies, from which it will be deleted upon the immediately following update or new creation of such copies, as well as any disclosures already made through the Platform.

You remain solely responsible for the User Content and declare that it does not infringe the rights of third parties, applicable law or these Terms. Flatpulse reserves the right not to allow the publication of User Content or to subsequently delete it, where such Content infringes the rights of third parties or conflicts with applicable law or these Terms.

6. Rules of conduct and prohibited uses

The use of the Platform (including Flatpulse Chat, the listings, the profiles and any other related functionality) is permitted exclusively for the purpose of finding a flatmate and the related communication between Users for the direct negotiation between them of the terms of a potential cohabitation agreement.

The following are in particular prohibited:

• the publication or sending of content that is illegal, false, misleading, abusive, threatening, defamatory, racist, violent or pornographic, as well as content that incites hatred, introduces discrimination on the basis of gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation or other characteristics, or constitutes a criminal offence;
• impersonation, false declaration of identity or misleading declaration of a relationship with a third party or entity;
• harassment, intimidation, stalking or sending unsolicited bulk messages (spam);
• the infringement, in any manner whatsoever, of the private life, the personal data and the individual or social rights of other users or visitors (including, indicatively and not restrictively, the unauthorised collection, storage, processing or disclosure of their personal data);
• the collection, storage or processing of other users' personal data for any purpose other than communicating with another User regarding a specific listing posted on the Platform in the context of its operation;
• the posting of content that infringes the intellectual or industrial property rights of third parties;
• the use of automated means (bots, scrapers) to access the Platform or to collect and/or extract data from it;
• the posting or distribution of software or code capable of causing damage to the Platform or its users (viruses, malware, etc.);
• the use and/or exploitation of the Platform and its content (images, listings, data, etc.), whether commercial or non-commercial, beyond the exclusive purpose of finding a flatmate, without the prior written consent of Flatpulse;
• the use of the Platform for the purpose of the financial exploitation or deception of other users;
• the violation of provisions of Greek, European or other applicable law.

7. Content moderation and submission of reports

Flatpulse does not carry out prior review of User Content, nor does it confirm in advance its accuracy and truthfulness. However, it reserves the right, at its discretion, to inspect, check, restrict, move or remove content that infringes these Terms or applicable law, as well as to suspend or delete the account of the User who has posted it. Content moderation may be based in part on automated detection means, under the supervision and final control of specialised Flatpulse personnel, in particular prior to any decision to remove Content or to suspend/delete an account.

Users may report content or conduct that they consider unlawful or contrary to the Terms through the Platform's reporting tools or by means of a relevant request to the email address info@flatpulse.gr. Users are encouraged to provide sufficient information to enable an effective assessment of the report by Flatpulse, such as, indicatively: (i) a sufficient statement and identification of the reason(s) why the content is unlawful or contrary to the Terms, (ii) the electronic location of the content (URL), (iii) the name and email address of the person submitting the report (with the exception of the cases under Article 16(2)(c) of the DSA), and (iv) a statement as to the accuracy of the reported information. Flatpulse examines reports in a timely manner and takes the appropriate measures to handle them, and informs the competent authorities where required.

The Platform has access to specific conversations only by way of exception and to the extent necessary for the purposes of: (a) investigating and handling user reports or complaints, (b) preventing and addressing fraud, malicious use or violation of the Terms of Use or applicable law, (c) maintaining the security and proper operation of the Platform, and (d) complying with its legal obligations and the requests of competent authorities.

In the event of removal of User Content or suspension/deletion of a User's account, the User is informed by Flatpulse of such decision and the reasons for it, with the content, terms and procedure laid down by applicable law. The User has the right to submit an appeal against the decision to remove Content or to suspend/delete the account, within a period of six (6) months from the notification of the relevant decision, by email at info@flatpulse.gr. Flatpulse examines any appeals submitted by each User in accordance with the above procedure in an objective manner and within a reasonable period of time from their receipt, and informs the User, with reasons, of their outcome.

8. Charges – Additional Features

The basic use of the Platform is provided free of charge, within the limits applicable from time to time as determined by Flatpulse ("basic usage limits"). Flatpulse reserves the right to modify the basic usage limits and/or to introduce different tiers (packages), while always maintaining a free basic level of use. Any change to usage limits is made following prior notice to registered Users within a reasonable period of time before the entry into force of the new limits.

Flatpulse may offer, against payment, the following services / additional features ("premium"):

(i) Extension of the basic limits applicable from time to time and additional features:

Users are entitled, against payment, to a greater number of active listings and/or contacts and/or messages that they may send or receive, and/or to early access to listings, before these become available to Users with free access.

The tiers (packages) available from time to time, what they include and the corresponding applicable charges are displayed on the Platform before the purchase of the relevant service is completed.

(ii) Promoted listings:

Users may promote their listings, against payment, so that they appear in a preferential position in the search results. Promoted listings are clearly marked as promoted (promoted ad), and appear in accordance with the search filters of each user. The duration of the promotion, as well as the terms for renewing this feature, are displayed before the purchase of the relevant service is completed.

(iii) Template lease or sublease agreements:

The Platform provides Users with the ability to access, against a one-off charge, template lease or sublease agreements (hereinafter "Template Agreements"). The Template Agreements constitute standardised templates of a general nature, which are provided purely for the purposes of informing and facilitating Users and are not adapted to the specific circumstances or needs of a particular User.

The Template Agreements do not constitute – nor do they replace the need for – individualised legal advice. For the assessment of their suitability in a specific case, as well as for any adaptations or supplements thereof, it is recommended to consult a lawyer.

The Platform does not guarantee the completeness, accuracy or suitability of the Template Agreements for a specific purpose or a specific factual situation, nor does it bear any liability for any use of them by Users.

9. Payments

The individual charges, the available means of payment and the specific terms of each additional feature or service are displayed on the relevant page of the Platform before the purchase is completed.

Payments are processed through a third-party payment services provider (Stripe), which acts as an independent payment processing provider and is subject to its own terms and conditions (which are available here: https://stripe.com/en-gr/legal/consumer). For the initiation of any payment, the User is redirected to the secure environment of the payment services provider, where the payment is carried out until its completion, under the sole care and responsibility of – and in accordance with the terms and conditions of – the payment services provider.

The Platform does not collect, store or process Users' payment means data, nor does it bear any liability for the payment process or its (successful) completion.

For each transaction, the legal tax document is issued by the Platform, in accordance with applicable tax legislation. The issuance and transmission of the documents is carried out through a partner electronic invoicing provider, which transmits the relevant data to the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) and sends the document in electronic form to the User's declared email address.

Users are obliged to provide accurate and complete invoicing information.

10. Consumer protection

The Platform complies with the applicable national and European regulatory framework for consumer protection, including the provisions of Law 2251/1994, as in force from time to time.

Before the completion of any purchase, the Platform provides the User, in a clear and comprehensible manner, with the following information:

1. the main characteristics of the services provided,
2. the total price, including all taxes and any additional charges,
3. the method of payment,
4. the duration of the contract or, where applicable, the terms for its termination,
5. the existence of the right of withdrawal, as well as the terms and the manner of exercising it.

Each User acting as a consumer has the right to withdraw from the service contract concluded with the Platform within fourteen (14) calendar days from its conclusion, without the need to provide any justification, in accordance with Article 3e of Law 2251/1994.

The right of withdrawal is exercised by a written statement of the User to the Platform, which is sent to the email address info@flatpulse.gr.

In the event that the User proceeds to the immediate commencement of the performance of the service before the expiry of the prescribed withdrawal period, the User acknowledges and accepts that, upon the full performance of the service, they lose the right of withdrawal, in accordance with Article 3i(b) of Law 2251/1994. Subject to the preceding sentence, in the event of a valid exercise of the right of withdrawal, Flatpulse refunds to the User the entire amount paid for the service, without undue delay and in any event within fourteen (14) calendar days from receipt of the withdrawal statement, using the same means of payment used by the User. Due to the restrictions imposed by applicable law, refunds are not permitted by any means of payment other than the one declared by the User, or in cash.

The User may exercise the right of withdrawal either by using the standard form of Annex Z of Law 2251/1994 or by another written statement.

11. Advertising and third-party provider services

The Platform may display, against payment, advertisements or information relating to the services of independent third-party providers (indicatively insurance companies, transport companies, cleaning service providers, etc.). Some advertisements are displayed generally, while others may be tailored on the basis of the User's preferences, in accordance with the terms of the Privacy Policy. Personalised advertisements are marked as such.

In the event that the User chooses to express interest in a third-party provider's service, they may be asked to provide contact details, which, following their express consent, are transmitted to the corresponding provider exclusively for the purpose of communication regarding the specific request.

The Platform is not a contracting party to any contract concluded between the User and a third-party provider, which is governed exclusively by the terms of the respective provider, and bears no liability whatsoever for the conclusion and performance of the contract, as well as for the quality, pricing or performance of those services.

12. Third-party infrastructure and functionality providers

For the operation of the Platform, Flatpulse uses third-party service providers for individual functions, such as, indicatively, hosting of the Platform, data storage, user verification, protection against malicious use, and the initiation and execution of payments.

In particular, the Platform cooperates with third-party providers, such as:

• Supabase: database, file storage and user authentication upon registration on the Platform. You can find out about the provider's terms of use and privacy policy at https://supabase.com/
• Vercel: hosting of the Platform and collection of anonymous traffic analytics data. You can find out about the provider's terms of use and privacy policy at https://vercel.com/
• Didit: optional identity verification. You can find out about the provider's terms of use and privacy policy at https://didit.me/
• Google reCAPTCHA: protection against automated access attempts. You can find out about the provider's terms of use and privacy policy at https://developers.google.com/recaptcha
• Stripe: initiation and execution of payments. You can find out about the provider's terms of use and privacy policy at https://stripe.com

Detailed information regarding the third-party providers and the transmission and processing of data is included in the Flatpulse Privacy Policy, which is available here https://flatpulse.gr/el/privacy.

13. Intellectual property

The content of the Platform (indicatively logos, design, texts, graphics and other material, excluding User Content) is the intellectual property of the Platform or its licensors and is protected by applicable law. Copying, reproducing, modifying, distributing or commercially exploiting it without prior written permission is prohibited. The storage or printing of excerpts is permitted for strictly personal and non-commercial use, to the extent reasonably required for the full enjoyment of the use and services of the Platform.

Users bear sole responsibility for the content they post on the Platform and declare that they have secured the necessary rights or licences to use it. The Platform reserves the right to remove or restrict access to content deemed to infringe the law or these Terms of Use. Users are liable towards the Platform and third parties for any damage arising from the unlawful or unauthorised use or posting of Content on the Platform or from the infringement of third-party rights therein.

14. Personal data

The processing of personal data in the context of the Platform is governed by the Privacy Policy, which is available here: https://flatpulse.gr/el/privacy and which constitutes an integral part of these Terms. By using the Platform, you declare that you have taken note of the Privacy Policy.

15. Disclaimer and limitation of liability

The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available", without any guarantee as to its availability, continuous technical operation, accuracy or suitability for a specific purpose.

Flatpulse does not guarantee the reliability, identity, trustworthiness or conduct of users and is not liable for disputes or damages arising from the communication, the conclusion or the performance of the lease, sublease, grant of use, hosting or any other agreement that may be concluded between users, the cohabitation relationship or any other legal relationship between users, within or outside the Platform.

Furthermore, Flatpulse is not liable for the accuracy, reliability or validity of the content of the listings (including photographs, descriptions of rooms and of the building in which the Residence is located, location, information on prices or availability, etc.) posted by Users; each User must verify the accuracy and validity of the information displayed through the Platform and/or consult a specialist, where required, before taking any decision.

Subject to any mandatory law provisions, including consumers' rights under Law 2251/1994 which are not subject to prior waiver and, more generally, applicable law, Flatpulse is not liable for any direct or indirect damage, whether actual or consequential, that may be caused to a User during or on the occasion of the use of the Platform. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law: a) Flatpulse is not liable for indirect or further damages or third-party damages, lost profits, loss of revenue, loss of data or reputation, and b) Flatpulse's aggregate liability towards each User for any claim relating to the use of the Platform is limited to the amount paid by the relevant User to Flatpulse during the last twelve (12) months preceding the damaging event or to three hundred (300) euros, whichever is greater. The above limitations are subject to the mandatory law provisions of consumer protection legislation and of Article 332 of the Civil Code and apply only to the extent that they do not conflict with them.

To access the Platform and use its services, equipment is required (computer, tablet, smartphone), internet access, a browser and, in the case of access through the smartphone application, the prior downloading and installation of the relevant application from the Apple Store or Google Play. The User's hardware and software must comply with the cybersecurity standards and requirements that are in force or commonly applied within the European Union. Flatpulse bears no liability for errors or malfunctions of the Platform that are due to the User's software or equipment, as well as for any cyber-attack, unauthorised access or other malicious or unlawful action by a third party made possible due to the non-compliance of the User's equipment or software with the expected security standards.

The smooth operation of the Platform relies on the services of third-party infrastructure providers (indicatively: hosting, storage, internet service and payment providers) and may be affected – or even interrupted – in the event of disruption to the smooth operation of the systems of those third-party providers. Flatpulse exercises reasonable diligence for the availability and smooth operation of the Platform, without however guaranteeing uninterrupted, error-free or fully secure access, and bears no liability for any interruptions, delays or malfunctions due to the actions, omissions or technical faults of the aforementioned third-party providers.

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites, which are provided exclusively for the convenience of users; Flatpulse does not control and is not responsible for the content, privacy policy, availability or reliability of those websites.

Finally, Flatpulse bears no liability for any malfunction of the Platform or delay or inability to perform its services due to a force majeure event, namely an event beyond its sphere of responsibility and control (such as, indicatively: natural phenomena, pandemics, war, terrorist acts, governmental or regulatory measures, large-scale strikes, interruptions of the internet or other networks, interruptions of infrastructure provider services (e.g. ISP), cyber-attacks, etc.).

16. Suspension and deletion of a User's account

You may delete your account at any time through the Platform's settings or by submitting a relevant request to the email address info@flatpulse.gr. Flatpulse reserves the right to suspend or delete your account, following prior notice, in the event of a violation of the Terms or applicable law or for reasons of security of the Platform and its Users, in accordance with the procedure and provisions of Articles 3 and 7. By way of exception, Flatpulse may proceed to an immediate suspension or, where required, deletion of an account, in order to immediately contain or address a cyber-attack or other malicious or unlawful action or attempted intrusion into the Platform's systems, in which case it informs the User accordingly afterwards, without culpable delay from the moment such notification becomes permissible (also on the basis of any relevant order of a competent authority). Amounts paid for services that have not yet been provided are refunded on a pro-rata basis, unless the termination is due to a culpable breach by the User of these Terms or applicable law.

Article 17. Point of contact with Users or competent authorities

As the Platform's point of contact for communication with Users, in accordance with Article 12 of the DSA, the email address info@flatpulse.gr is designated, through which Users may submit questions, reports or requests relating to the use of the Platform, content moderation or the exercise of their rights.

As the Platform's point of contact for communication with the competent authorities of the Member States of the European Union and the European Commission, in accordance with Article 11 of the DSA, the email address info@flatpulse.gr is designated, through which the aforementioned authorities may address requests, orders or any related communication to the Company.

Communication through the above points of contact may be conducted in the Greek or English language.

18. Amendment of the Terms

Flatpulse may amend these Terms. Any change or amendment to the Terms of Use is notified to Users via e-mail or a relevant notice on the Platform at least thirty (30) days before its entry into force. Before the entry into force of the amended Terms, the User is entitled to terminate the contract and delete their account without any charge, in which case access to their account ends upon the expiry of the current (paid) subscription period (for which the Terms, as they stood before the relevant amendment, continue to apply until its expiry). Continued use of the Platform after the entry into force of the amended Terms and/or the purchase of a service or subscription constitutes the User's effective acceptance thereof.

19. Governing law, disputes and communication

These Terms of Use are governed by Greek law. For any dispute that may arise in relation to the Terms or the use of the Platform, the User, acting as a consumer, may refer to the Consumer Ombudsman (www.synigoroskatanaloti.gr) or to an accredited alternative dispute resolution body. In the absence of an amicable resolution of the dispute, the courts of Athens shall have exclusive jurisdiction, subject to Articles 17 to 19 of Regulation (EU) No 1215/2012 (Brussels Ia) and Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 593/2008 (Rome I) on jurisdiction in the case of disputes with consumers.

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between the User and Flatpulse regarding the use of the Platform. Any invalidity or annulment of an individual term does not affect the validity of the remaining terms.

For any question or clarification regarding these Terms, you can contact us at the address info@flatpulse.gr.