Last updated: 10 July 2026
These Terms of Service ("Terms") form a legally binding agreement between you and Abode Software Pty Ltd (ABN pending) ("Abode", "we", "us", or "our"), the operator of the Abode platform accessible at abodeaustralia.ai and any associated mobile applications (the "Platform").
By creating an account, accessing, or using the Platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms, our Privacy Policy, and any additional terms referenced herein. If you do not agree, you must not use the Platform.
You represent that you are at least 18 years of age and have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms. If you are accepting these Terms on behalf of a company, trust, or other entity, you represent that you have authority to bind that entity.
To use most features of the Platform, you must register an account and select a user type: rental provider, renter, or trade (contractor). You agree to:
We may verify your email address before granting full access. We reserve the right to suspend or freeze any account that we reasonably believe has been compromised, is being used fraudulently, or violates these Terms.
Abode is a technology platform that facilitates direct connections between rental providers, renters, and verified trade contractors for the purposes of property management. Our services include:
Important: Abode is not a licensed real estate agent, property manager, or financial adviser. We are a technology provider. We do not provide legal, financial, or property management advice. Rental providers using Abode manage their own properties directly, with the Platform serving as a tool to facilitate that management.
You are responsible for ensuring your use of the Platform complies with all applicable laws, including state and territory residential tenancy legislation, the Australian Consumer Law, anti-discrimination laws, and any local council regulations.
Abode charges rental providers a platform fee of $35 per week per property with an active tenancy. This fee is automatically deducted from the renter's rent before the balance is disbursed to the rental provider. There are no setup fees, onboarding fees, or lock-in contracts.
The $35/week platform fee applies for each property from the date a tenancy is first activated on that property, and is deducted from rent collected through the Platform. Listing properties, creating accounts, and browsing the Platform are always free.
Rent is collected from renters via Monoova PayTo agreements and the New Payments Platform (NPP). By entering into a lease facilitated through Abode, the renter authorises Abode to collect rent on the rental provider's behalf via direct debit. Abode deducts its platform fee and disburses the remaining amount to the rental provider's nominated bank account, typically within one business day.
Rental providers must provide valid Australian BSB and account details on their profile to receive rent disbursements. Abode is not liable for delays caused by incorrect bank details, banking system outages, or third-party payment provider issues.
We may offer optional paid add-on services (such as physical property inspections or agent-hosted open houses) at prices disclosed at the time of purchase. Add-on payments are processed via Stripe. All prices are in Australian dollars and include GST where applicable.
A 10% platform fee applies to each maintenance job arranged through the Platform, deducted from the contractor's payout — the rental provider does not pay a percentage markup on top of the job cost. Invoices for maintenance jobs are issued and settled through the Platform: the rental provider is invoiced for the agreed cost of the completed works (collected via Monoova direct debit), and Abode remits payment to the contractor via NPP, less the platform fee. Where the final cost of the completed works differs from the accepted bid (for example, additional work agreed during the job), the rental provider is invoiced for the final agreed cost.
Portfolio Strategy is an optional add-on subscription billed via Stripe. The subscription automatically renews until cancelled and can be cancelled at any time from your account Settings. Any free-trial terms applicable to the subscription are as shown at checkout.
Abode offers two bond management options:
Bond disputes are handled in accordance with the relevant state or territory tribunal or bond authority processes. Abode may facilitate the claims process through the Platform but does not adjudicate bond disputes.
The Platform includes AI-powered features, including but not limited to:
These features are powered by third-party AI models (including OpenAI) and are provided for informational and convenience purposes only. AI-generated content, estimates, analyses, and recommendations:
You acknowledge that AI outputs may contain errors or omissions and agree to independently verify any AI-generated information before acting on it. Abode disclaims all liability for losses or damages arising from reliance on AI-generated content to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Rental providers may list properties on the Platform at no cost. By publishing a listing, you represent and warrant that:
Abode reserves the right to remove or suspend any listing that we reasonably believe violates these Terms, is fraudulent, or breaches applicable law.
The Platform provides a maintenance request system where renters can report issues, and a contractor marketplace where verified trades can bid on maintenance jobs.
Auto-approval and automatic bid acceptance: If a rental provider sets an auto-approve limit, maintenance requests estimated under that limit are approved automatically. Once a job enters its bidding window (24 hours, or 4 hours for emergency repairs), the cheapest qualifying bid is accepted automatically on the rental provider's behalf when the window expires. The rental provider may cancel the bidding window at any time before it expires.
Abode facilitates payment for maintenance jobs and charges a platform fee as described in clause 4.5: Abode invoices the rental provider for the accepted bid amount and remits payment to the contractor through the Platform. The contract for the works themselves remains between the rental provider and the contractor, and Abode is not liable for the acts, omissions, or negligence of any contractor or tradesperson engaged through the Platform.
The Platform includes a two-way ratings system. Rental providers may rate renters and contractors; renters may rate rental providers; and contractors may rate rental providers. By submitting a rating or review, you agree that:
Ratings are visible to other users. Abode does not verify the accuracy of reviews and is not liable for any content posted by users.
All intellectual property in the Platform — including software, design, branding, logos, AI models (as integrated), and documentation — is owned by or licensed to Abode Software Pty Ltd. You may not copy, modify, distribute, reverse-engineer, or create derivative works from any part of the Platform without our prior written consent.
Content you upload to the Platform (such as property photos, descriptions, and inspection images) remains your property. By uploading content, you grant Abode a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use, display, and process that content for the purpose of providing the Platform services (including AI analysis). This licence terminates when you delete your account, except where retention is required by law.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, including the Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)):
Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts, or modifies any consumer guarantee, right, or remedy conferred by the Australian Consumer Law or any other applicable law that cannot be excluded, restricted, or modified by agreement.
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Abode Software Pty Ltd, its directors, officers, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from or related to: (a) your use of the Platform; (b) your breach of these Terms; (c) your violation of any applicable law or regulation; (d) any content you submit, post, or transmit through the Platform; or (e) any dispute between you and another user of the Platform.
You may close your account at any time by contacting us at support@abodeaustralia.ai. Upon account closure:
We may suspend or terminate your account immediately if we reasonably believe you have breached these Terms, engaged in fraudulent activity, or posed a risk to other users or the integrity of the Platform.
If you have a dispute with Abode arising from these Terms or your use of the Platform, you agree to first attempt to resolve it by contacting us at support@abodeaustralia.ai. We will endeavour to resolve complaints within 14 business days.
If the dispute cannot be resolved informally, either party may refer it to mediation administered by the Australian Disputes Centre (ADC) in Sydney, New South Wales, before commencing any court proceedings.
Disputes between rental providers and renters regarding tenancy matters (including bond disputes, lease breaches, and maintenance obligations) should be directed to the relevant state or territory tribunal (e.g., NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal, VCAT, QCAT). Abode is not a party to tenancy disputes and does not act as an arbitrator or mediator in such matters.
These Terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia. You agree to submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New South Wales and any courts entitled to hear appeals from those courts. Nothing in these Terms limits your rights to bring proceedings in any other court of competent jurisdiction as permitted by law.
Your use of the Platform is also governed by our Privacy Policy. We collect, use, and disclose personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.
By using AI features, you acknowledge that property photos, descriptions, and other content you submit may be processed by third-party AI providers (including OpenAI) for the purpose of generating analyses, estimates, and recommendations. We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
By creating an account, you consent to receiving transactional emails from Abode, including but not limited to: account verification, password resets, application status updates, new messages, inspection requests, renter invitations, and rent payment notifications. These emails are necessary for the operation of the Platform and are not marketing communications. You may opt out of non-essential communications at any time through your account settings.
We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes to our services, legal requirements, or business practices. When we make material changes, we will:
Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree with any changes, you should stop using the Platform and close your account.
If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us: