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Yaalu Terms and Conditions
Last updated: 10 February 2026
Effective date: 10 February 2026
1. Introduction
Welcome to Yaalu. These Terms and Conditions ("terms") govern your access to and use of the Yaalu mobile application ("app") and websites at yaalu.app, yaalu.au, and yaalu.com.au (together, the "services").
Yaalu is a community directory connecting the Sri Lankan expatriate community in Australia with local Sri Lankan-owned businesses, services, community events, and marketplace listings.
By creating an account or using our services, you agree to be bound by these terms. If you do not agree, do not use our services.
These terms should be read together with our Privacy Policy, which explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information.
2. Eligibility
2.1 You must be at least 16 years of age to create an account and use our services.
2.2 By creating an account, you represent and warrant that you meet this age requirement and that the information you provide is accurate.
2.3 If you are between 16 and 18 years of age, you represent that you have the consent of a parent or legal guardian to use our services.
3. Account Registration and Security
3.1 To access most features, you must create an account using a valid email address and one of our supported sign-in methods (email and password, Google Sign-In, Apple Sign-In, or email link).
3.2 You are responsible for:
- Providing accurate and complete information during registration.
- Maintaining the security of your account credentials.
- All activity that occurs under your account.
- Notifying us promptly if you become aware of any unauthorised access to your account.
3.3 You must not:
- Create more than one account per person.
- Create an account on behalf of another person without their authorisation.
- Share your account credentials with any other person.
- Use another person's account without their permission.
3.4 We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms, at our discretion.
4. Use of Services
4.1 Permitted use
You may use our services to:
- Browse and search for Sri Lankan-owned businesses and services in Australia.
- Discover and share community events.
- Create, browse, and respond to marketplace listings.
- Communicate with other users through in-app messaging.
- Participate in the Yaalu rewards programme.
- Create and manage business listings (if you are a business owner).
4.2 Prohibited conduct
You must not use our services to:
- Violate any applicable Australian federal, state, or territory law or regulation.
- Post content that is defamatory, obscene, offensive, threatening, abusive, harassing, or discriminatory.
- Impersonate any person or entity, or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity.
- Post false, misleading, or deceptive information, including fraudulent business listings or marketplace listings.
- Send spam, unsolicited advertising, or promotional material through our messaging features.
- Collect, harvest, or store personal information of other users without their consent.
- Interfere with or disrupt the operation of our services, servers, or networks.
- Attempt to gain unauthorised access to our systems, other user accounts, or any data not intended for you.
- Use automated tools, bots, scrapers, or other automated means to access or interact with our services without our prior written consent.
- Upload viruses, malware, or other harmful code.
- Circumvent any security measures, access controls, or usage limits we implement.
- Use our services for any illegal purpose, including money laundering, fraud, or the sale of prohibited goods or services.
- Engage in price manipulation, shill bidding, or other deceptive marketplace practices.
5. User-Generated Content
5.1 Your content
You retain ownership of the content you create and submit through our services, including business listings, community events, marketplace listings, messages, and profile information ("your content").
5.2 Licence grant
By submitting content to our services, you grant Yaalu a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, transferable, sublicensable licence to use, display, reproduce, modify, and distribute your content solely for the purpose of operating, promoting, and improving our services. This licence continues for as long as your content remains on our services and for a reasonable period after removal to allow for technical processes such as backup deletion.
5.3 Content standards
All content you submit must:
- Be accurate and not misleading.
- Comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
- Not infringe the intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or any other rights of any third party.
- Not contain personal information of another person without their consent.
- Be relevant to the purpose of the service feature being used (e.g., marketplace listings must relate to genuine goods or services).
5.4 No tolerance for objectionable content
Yaalu has a zero-tolerance policy for objectionable content or abusive behaviour. Content that is offensive, abusive, discriminatory, threatening, sexually explicit, or otherwise objectionable is strictly prohibited and will be removed. Users who post objectionable content or engage in abusive behaviour may have their accounts suspended or permanently terminated without prior notice.
All users have the ability to:
- Report objectionable content and abusive users directly through the app using the report function available on listings, messages, and user profiles.
- Block other users to prevent further contact or interaction.
Reports are reviewed promptly. We act on substantiated reports by removing content and, where appropriate, suspending or terminating the offending user's account.
5.5 Content moderation
We reserve the right, but are not obligated, to:
- Review, monitor, or moderate user-generated content.
- Remove or disable access to any content that we determine, in our sole discretion, violates these terms, is inappropriate, or is otherwise objectionable.
- Flag, reject, or remove business listings, events, or marketplace listings that do not meet our content standards.
We do not pre-approve all user content and are not responsible for content posted by users.
5.6 Content removal
You may remove your own content at any time through the app. When content is removed, it will be deactivated and permanently deleted within 30 days, subject to any legal obligations we may have to retain records.
6. Business Listings
6.1 Listing accuracy
If you create a business listing, you represent and warrant that:
- You are the owner of the business, or are authorised by the owner to create the listing.
- All information in the listing (including business name, address, contact details, opening hours, and description) is accurate and current.
- Any photos included are of the actual business and you have the right to use them.
6.2 Verification and approval
Business listings may be subject to review and approval by Yaalu. We may verify business information and assign verification statuses. A verification status does not constitute an endorsement, guarantee, or recommendation by Yaalu.
6.3 Third-party reviews
Business listings may display review information sourced from Google Places. These reviews are provided by third parties and are not created, verified, or endorsed by Yaalu. We do not guarantee the accuracy or reliability of third-party reviews.
6.4 Updating and maintaining listings
Business owners are responsible for keeping their listing information up to date. Yaalu is not liable for any loss or damage arising from inaccurate or outdated business listing information.
7. Community Events
7.1 Event listings
If you create a community event listing, you represent and warrant that:
- You are the organiser of the event, or are authorised by the organiser to create the listing.
- All event details (including dates, times, venue, pricing, and description) are accurate and current.
- You have the necessary permissions, licences, or approvals to hold the event as described.
7.2 Event responsibility
Yaalu is a listing platform only. We do not organise, host, sponsor, or endorse any community events listed on our services. The event organiser is solely responsible for the event, including compliance with applicable laws, venue safety, ticketing, and attendee welfare.
7.3 Ticket and pricing information
Where event listings include ticket pricing or links to external ticketing platforms, Yaalu is not a party to any ticket purchase transaction. All ticketing disputes are between the event organiser and the attendee.
8. Marketplace
8.1 Marketplace overview
The Yaalu marketplace allows users to create listings for products, services, housing, and jobs. Yaalu provides the platform for these listings but is not a party to any transaction between buyers and sellers.
8.2 Seller responsibilities
If you create a marketplace listing, you represent and warrant that:
- You have the legal right to sell, lease, or offer the item or service described.
- Your listing description is accurate, complete, and not misleading.
- Any pricing information is genuine and reflects the actual price or price range.
- The item or service does not violate any applicable law or regulation.
- Photos included accurately depict the item or service being offered.
8.3 Buyer responsibilities
If you respond to or transact based on a marketplace listing, you acknowledge that:
- Yaalu does not verify the accuracy of marketplace listings.
- You are responsible for conducting your own due diligence before committing to any transaction.
- All transactions are between you and the seller directly.
- You should exercise caution when meeting other users in person or exchanging goods or money.
8.4 Prohibited marketplace items
You must not list items or services that:
- Are illegal to sell, possess, or distribute under Australian law.
- Are counterfeit, stolen, or fraudulent.
- Are weapons, drugs, or controlled substances.
- Are adult or sexually explicit material.
- Involve illegal discrimination.
- Violate the intellectual property rights of others.
8.5 No payment processing
Yaalu does not process payments, hold funds in escrow, or facilitate financial transactions between users. All payment arrangements are made directly between buyers and sellers outside our platform. Yaalu accepts no liability for payment disputes, non-delivery, or the quality of goods or services exchanged.
8.6 Messaging and offers
Users may communicate through our in-app messaging feature to discuss marketplace listings and negotiate offers. All messages and offers are between the relevant users. Yaalu does not guarantee or enforce any offers, agreements, or commitments made through messaging.
9. Messaging
9.1 Acceptable use
The in-app messaging feature is provided for legitimate communication between users in connection with our services. You must not use messaging to:
- Send spam, unsolicited advertising, or bulk messages.
- Harass, threaten, or abuse other users.
- Send offensive, discriminatory, or illegal content.
- Share another person's personal information without their consent.
- Solicit personal information from other users for purposes unrelated to our services.
- Engage in scams, phishing, or other fraudulent activity.
9.2 Message retention
Messages are retained for the life of the conversation. You may block users to prevent further communication. Blocked conversations are not automatically deleted.
9.3 No monitoring obligation
We do not routinely monitor the content of private messages. However, we reserve the right to review messages if we receive reports of misuse or if required by law.
10. Rewards Programme
10.1 Overview
Yaalu operates a rewards programme that allows users to earn and redeem points through various activities within the app. The rewards programme includes points, golden tickets, draws, deals, and flash drops.
10.2 Points system
- Points are an internal virtual currency with no monetary value.
- Points cannot be exchanged for cash, transferred to other users, or redeemed outside of the Yaalu rewards programme.
- We reserve the right to adjust point values, earning rates, and redemption options at any time.
- Points may expire or be forfeited if your account is terminated for breach of these terms.
10.3 Draws
- Yaalu may offer prize draws from time to time. Participation is subject to any specific rules published for each draw.
- Winners are selected at random from eligible participants.
- We reserve the right to cancel, modify, or suspend any draw at our discretion.
- Participation limits may apply per user per draw.
- Draws are games of chance and are conducted in accordance with applicable Australian laws regarding promotional lotteries and competitions. Where required by law, permit numbers will be displayed.
10.4 Deals and flash drops
- Deals allow users to redeem points for offers from participating businesses.
- Flash drops are limited-time reward opportunities that may require scanning a QR code at a specific location.
- All deals and flash drops are subject to availability, validity periods, and any applicable redemption limits.
- Yaalu does not guarantee the availability, quality, or suitability of goods or services offered through deals. The participating business is solely responsible for fulfilling deal obligations.
10.5 Programme changes
We may modify, suspend, or discontinue the rewards programme or any of its components at any time, with or without notice. We will make reasonable efforts to notify users of material changes. Any accumulated points or golden tickets may be subject to forfeiture if the programme is discontinued.
11. Intellectual Property
11.1 Yaalu's intellectual property
All intellectual property rights in our services, including the app, websites, software, design, branding, logos, and original content, are owned by or licensed to Yaalu. You must not copy, modify, distribute, sell, or create derivative works based on our intellectual property without our prior written consent.
11.2 Trademarks
"Yaalu" and associated logos are trademarks of Yaalu. You must not use our trademarks without our prior written consent.
11.3 Feedback
If you provide us with suggestions, ideas, or feedback about our services, you grant us the right to use that feedback without restriction or compensation to you.
12. Third-Party Services and Content
12.1 Third-party services
Our services integrate with or link to third-party services, including:
- Google (authentication, maps, places data, push notifications).
- Apple (authentication).
- External websites linked from business listings, events, or marketplace listings.
These third-party services are governed by their own terms and privacy policies. Yaalu is not responsible for the availability, accuracy, or practices of any third-party service.
12.2 Third-party content
Our services may display content sourced from third parties, including Google Places reviews and ratings, Google Maps data, and content submitted by other users. Yaalu does not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy of third-party content.
12.3 External links
Business listings, events, and other content may contain links to external websites (including social media, ticketing platforms, and business websites). Yaalu is not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or availability of external websites.
13. Disclaimers
13.1 Services provided "as is"
Our services are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Yaalu disclaims all warranties, whether express, implied, or statutory, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.
13.2 No endorsement
The listing of a business, event, or marketplace item on Yaalu does not constitute an endorsement, recommendation, or guarantee by Yaalu. We do not verify the quality, safety, legality, or accuracy of any listing, and we are not responsible for the conduct of any user or business listed on our platform.
13.3 No guarantee of availability
We do not guarantee that our services will be available at all times, uninterrupted, secure, or error-free. We may modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of our services at any time without notice.
13.4 Location accuracy
Location-based features rely on GPS data, device settings, and third-party mapping services. We do not guarantee the accuracy of location data, distance calculations, or map information.
14. Limitation of Liability
14.1 Australian Consumer Law
Nothing in these terms excludes, restricts, or modifies any rights or remedies you may have under the Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)) or any other applicable law that cannot be excluded by agreement.
14.2 Limitation
To the maximum extent permitted by law, Yaalu, its directors, employees, and agents will not be liable for any:
- Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages.
- Loss of profits, revenue, data, goodwill, or anticipated savings.
- Damages arising from your use of or inability to use our services.
- Damages arising from any transaction or interaction between users of our services.
- Damages arising from any user-generated content, including business listings, events, marketplace listings, or messages.
- Damages arising from any third-party services, content, or websites accessed through our services.
14.3 Total liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, Yaalu's total aggregate liability to you for all claims arising out of or in connection with these terms or your use of our services is limited to AUD $100.
15. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Yaalu, its directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in connection with:
- Your use of our services.
- Your breach of these terms.
- Your content, including any business listings, events, marketplace listings, or messages you submit.
- Your violation of any applicable law or the rights of any third party.
- Any transaction or interaction between you and another user of our services.
16. Termination
16.1 By you
You may stop using our services and request deletion of your account at any time by contacting us at support@yaalu.app. Upon account deletion, your data will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
16.2 By us
We may suspend or terminate your access to our services, in whole or in part, at any time and for any reason, including if we reasonably believe that:
- You have violated these terms.
- Your conduct poses a risk to other users or to the integrity of our services.
- Your account has been inactive for an extended period.
- Continued provision of the services is no longer commercially viable.
Where possible, we will provide you with reasonable notice before termination, unless immediate action is required to protect our users or services.
16.3 Effect of termination
Upon termination:
- Your right to access and use our services will cease immediately.
- We may remove or disable access to your content.
- Provisions of these terms that by their nature should survive termination will continue to apply, including sections on intellectual property, disclaimers, limitation of liability, indemnification, and governing law.
17. Dispute Resolution
17.1 Informal resolution
If you have a dispute with Yaalu, you agree to first attempt to resolve it informally by contacting us at support@yaalu.app. We will make reasonable efforts to resolve your concern within 30 days.
17.2 Mediation
If the dispute cannot be resolved informally, either party may refer the dispute to mediation administered by the Australian Disputes Centre (ADC) in accordance with the ADC Mediation Guidelines.
17.3 Disputes between users
Yaalu is not responsible for resolving disputes between users, including disputes arising from marketplace transactions, messaging, or business interactions. Users are encouraged to resolve disputes directly with each other. If you believe another user has violated these terms, you may report them through the app.
18. Governing Law
These terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Victoria, Australia. You submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Victoria and any courts that may hear appeals from those courts.
19. Changes to These Terms
We may update these terms from time to time. When we make material changes, we will:
- Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this document.
- Notify you through the app (via in-app notification or push notification) if the changes are significant.
- Post the updated terms on our websites.
Your continued use of our services after the updated terms are posted constitutes your acceptance of the changes. If you do not agree with the updated terms, you must stop using our services.
20. General
20.1 Entire agreement
These terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any other policies referenced herein, constitute the entire agreement between you and Yaalu regarding your use of our services.
20.2 Severability
If any provision of these terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision will be severed and the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.
20.3 Waiver
Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these terms does not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.
20.4 Assignment
You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these terms without our prior written consent. We may assign our rights and obligations without restriction.
20.5 Notices
We may send you notices via email, in-app notification, or push notification. Notices sent by email are deemed received 24 hours after sending. You may send notices to us at the contact details in Section 21.
21. Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about these terms, please contact us at:
Yaalu Email: support@yaalu.app
These terms apply to all users of Yaalu's services in Australia. For questions about these terms, please contact support@yaalu.app.