Help Center

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Find answers to common questions about Makazi. Browse by category or create a support ticket below.

Getting Started

Kuanza

How do I create an account?

Ninafanyaje kutengeneza akaunti?

Click "Sign Up" on the homepage. You can register with your email, Google, or Facebook account. Complete your profile with your full name and phone number to get started.

What is the difference between tenant, landlord, and broker accounts?

Kuna tofauti gani kati ya akaunti za mpangaji, mwenye nyumba, na dalali?

Tenant accounts can browse listings, save favorites, and contact landlords for free. Landlord (owner) accounts can list properties, manage inquiries, earn from contact unlocks, and access analytics. Broker accounts are for licensed property agents — they get a gold badge, higher listing priority, and access to the Business tier with API tools. Choose your role during onboarding.

How do I list a property?

Ninafanyaje kutangaza nyumba?

Go to Dashboard → Listings → Create New. Fill in property details, upload at least 1 photo (we recommend 5+ for best results), set your price, and publish. A one-time listing fee of TZS 5,000 applies. Your listing goes live immediately after payment.

Is Makazi free for tenants?

Je, Makazi ni bure kwa wapangaji?

Yes. Browsing, searching, saving favorites, and messaging landlords is completely free for tenants. The only optional cost is the Contact Unlock fee if you want to get a landlord's direct WhatsApp number.

Contact Unlock & Landlord Pass

Kufungua Mawasiliano na Pasi ya Mwenye Nyumba

What is Contact Unlock?

Kufungua Mawasiliano ni nini?

Contact Unlock lets you access a landlord's direct WhatsApp number so you can communicate outside of Makazi. For broker listings, a small fee applies. For owner-landlords, contact sharing is handled directly through in-app messaging.

How much does it cost to unlock a contact?

Inagharimu kiasi gani kufungua mawasiliano?

There are two options: (1) Single Listing Unlock (TZS 5,000 for 7-day access to one listing's contact number. (2) Landlord Pass — TZS 10,000 for 7-day access to all of a landlord's active listings. The Landlord Pass is automatically suggested when a landlord has 2+ active listings. Pay via M-Pesa, Mixx by Yas, or Airtel Money.

What happens after I unlock a contact?

Nini kinatokea baada ya kufungua mawasiliano?

After payment, the landlord's WhatsApp number is revealed in your conversation. You can tap it to open WhatsApp directly with a pre-filled greeting. Access lasts 7 days from the unlock date.

How do landlords earn from unlocks?

Wamiliki wanapata mapato vipi kutokana na kufunguliwa?

Landlords earn 55% of every contact unlock fee. For example, on a TZS 5,000 single unlock, the landlord earns TZS 2,750. Makazi receives 30%, with 5% for taxes and 10% for payment processing. Track earnings in Dashboard → Earnings and request payouts to your mobile money account once you reach the minimum threshold. Note: verification is required to withdraw earnings.

Why was my WhatsApp number flagged?

Kwa nini nambari yangu ya WhatsApp imeoneshwa kuwa na tatizo?

Makazi validates that the WhatsApp number you provide is a valid Tanzanian mobile number. If your number is flagged as invalid (e.g., it's a landline or incorrectly formatted), you'll receive a notification to update it. Providing fake contact details may result in payouts being suspended or listings being paused.

Payments & Billing

Malipo na Ankara

What payment methods are accepted?

Njia gani za malipo zinakubaliwa?

We accept M-Pesa, Mixx by Yas, Airtel Money, Halo Pesa, Visa, and Mastercard — all processed securely through PesaPal. Mobile money is the fastest option for most Tanzanian users.

How do subscription tiers work?

Viwango vya usajili vinafanyaje kazi?

Free tier: 1 listing, 3 photos, 3 messages/month. Starter (TZS 34,900/mo): up to 5 listings, 10 photos, unlimited messages + enhanced search. Professional (TZS 92,900/mo): up to 30 listings, 15 photos, analytics + priority support. Business (TZS 231,900/mo): up to 100 listings, 30 photos, API access + bulk tools — designed for brokers. Save up to 25% with annual billing. All prices include 16% VAT.

Can I cancel or change my subscription?

Naweza kufuta au kubadilisha usajili wangu?

Yes. Upgrades take effect immediately with prorated billing. Downgrades apply at the next billing cycle. Cancel anytime from Dashboard → Billing — your subscription remains active until the current period ends.

Are prices inclusive of VAT?

Bei zinajumuisha VAT?

Yes. All prices include 16% VAT as required by the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA). The full tax breakdown (subtotal, VAT, total) is shown during checkout. See our Tax Policy for details.

Verification & Trust

Uthibitishaji na Uaminifu

Why should I verify my account?

Kwa nini nithibitishe akaunti yangu?

Verified accounts get a trust badge visible on your profile and listings, higher search visibility, and access to premium features. For landlords, verification is required to withdraw earnings from contact unlocks. Tenants are significantly more likely to contact verified landlords.

What documents do I need for verification?

Nyaraka gani ninahitaji kwa uthibitishaji?

Upload a clear photo of your NIDA (national ID), passport, or driver's license, plus a selfie for identity match. Broker accounts also need a valid broker license or business registration document.

How long does verification take?

Uthibitishaji unachukua muda gani?

Standard verification takes 24-48 hours. Professional and Business accounts get priority review — typically within 4 hours during business days.

What happens if I don't verify?

Nini kitatokea kama sithibitishi?

Unverified landlords can still list properties and receive messages, but their earnings from contact unlocks are held until verification is complete. Tenants will see an "Unverified" indicator on your listings. Verification helps build trust and increases your inquiry rate.

Listings & Photos

Orodha na Picha

How many photos can I upload?

Picha ngapi naweza kupakia?

Free: 3 photos. Starter: 10. Professional: 15. Business: 30 per listing. We recommend at least 5 high-quality photos for best results — listings with more photos get significantly more inquiries.

What makes a good listing?

Orodha nzuri inaonekanaje?

Use clear, well-lit photos taken during daytime. Write detailed descriptions in both English and Swahili for maximum reach. Include accurate pricing, all amenities, and your exact location. Add a WhatsApp number so tenants can reach you directly after unlocking. Listings with 5+ photos and bilingual descriptions get 3x more inquiries.

How do listing boosts work?

Kuchochea orodha kunafanyaje kazi?

Boosts push your listing to the top of search results for a set duration. Standard (72h, TZS 17.5K), Premium (7 days, TZS 40.5K), Super (30 days, TZS 116K). All prices include 16% VAT. Each subscription tier includes free boost credits. Purchase additional boosts from your listing management page.

What is AI Photo Quality scoring?

Upimaji wa Ubora wa Picha kwa AI ni nini?

Makazi uses AI to analyze your listing photos and provide a quality score from 1-10. The AI detects room types, suggests improvements, and flags issues like poor lighting or blurry images. High-quality photos rank better in search. Look for the quality badge on your listing photos.

Messaging & Safety

Ujumbe na Usalama

How do I contact a landlord?

Ninafanyaje kuwasiliana na mwenye nyumba?

Click "Message" on any listing to start a conversation. All communication starts on-platform for safety. Once a Contact Unlock is completed, you can reach the landlord directly via WhatsApp.

Are messages private?

Ujumbe ni wa faragha?

Yes, all messages are private between you and the other party. We use encryption in transit and real-time delivery with read receipts. Never share financial details or personal documents in chat.

Why can't I share my phone number in chat?

Kwa nini siwezi kushiriki nambari yangu ya simu kwenye mazungumzo?

For your security, Makazi's compliance system automatically detects and blocks phone numbers, emails, and social media handles in messages. This protects both tenants and landlords from fraud and ensures a verifiable rental process. Use the Contact Unlock feature to officially share contact details.

What is the response rate badge?

Beji ya kiwango cha majibu ni nini?

Each landlord has a response rate badge (green: 80%+, yellow: 50-79%, red: below 50%) showing how often they reply to tenants who have unlocked their contact. Landlords who consistently don't respond may have their payouts suspended or listings paused. This protects tenants from paying to unlock contacts that never respond.

Can I translate messages?

Naweza kutafsiri ujumbe?

Yes — received messages have a translate button that instantly translates between Swahili and English using AI. This helps bridge communication between Swahili-speaking landlords and English-speaking tenants, and vice versa.

For Brokers

Kwa Dalali

How do I register as a broker?

Ninafanyaje kujisajili kama dalali?

Select "Broker" as your role during signup or in your settings. Submit your broker license for verification. Once approved, you get a gold broker badge and access to broker-specific features.

What extra features do brokers get?

Dalali wanapata vipengele vipi vya ziada?

Verified brokers get a dedicated profile page, gold broker badge, higher listing priority, access to the Business tier with API integration for bulk listing uploads, analytics dashboard, and up to 100 active listings.

How do earnings and payouts work?

Mapato na malipo yanafanyaje kazi?

When tenants unlock your contact, you earn 55% of the fee. For example, TZS 2,750 from a single unlock (TZS 5,000) or TZS 5,500 from a pass unlock (TZS 10,000). Makazi receives 30%, with 5% for taxes and 10% for payment processing. Track all earnings in Dashboard → Earnings, which shows per-listing stats, total earned, and available balance. Request payouts to M-Pesa, Mixx by Yas, or Airtel Money. Requirements: verified identity (NIDA/passport) and minimum balance of TZS 5,000. Unverified landlords have earnings held until they complete verification.

AI Features

Vipengele vya AI

What AI features does Makazi offer?

Makazi inatoa vipengele vipi vya AI?

Makazi uses AI to enhance your experience: instant Swahili/English translation of messages, AI photo quality scoring for listings, AI-powered search that understands natural language queries, and this AI Help Chat assistant. All AI features are labeled as "AI Assisted" for transparency.

How does AI translation work?

Tafsiri ya AI inafanyaje kazi?

When you receive a message in Swahili or English, tap the translate button below the message to see an instant AI translation. This helps landlords and tenants communicate across languages. Translations are powered by Google Gemini and are available on all message types.

How does AI Help Chat work?

AI Help Chat inafanyaje kazi?

The AI Help Chat (the floating chat icon on this page) can answer questions about Makazi in both English and Swahili. Ask about listings, payments, verification, or any feature. For complex issues, create a support ticket above for human assistance.

Install Makazi App

Sakinisha Programu ya Makazi

How do I install Makazi on my Android phone?

Ninafanyaje kusakinisha Makazi kwenye simu yangu ya Android?

Open makazi.io in Chrome. Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) at the top-right, then tap "Add to Home screen" or "Install app". Tap "Install" to confirm. The Makazi icon will appear on your home screen — it works like a native app with offline support and push notifications.

How do I install Makazi on my iPhone or iPad?

Ninafanyaje kusakinisha Makazi kwenye iPhone au iPad?

Open makazi.io in Safari (this only works in Safari, not Chrome). Tap the Share button (the square with an arrow at the bottom of the screen). Scroll down and tap "Add to Home Screen". Name it "Makazi" and tap "Add". The app icon will appear on your home screen with full-screen mode.

How do I install Makazi on my Mac or Windows computer?

Ninafanyaje kusakinisha Makazi kwenye kompyuta yangu?

Open makazi.io in Chrome or Edge. Click the install icon (⊕) in the address bar, or click the three-dot menu → "Install Makazi". The app will open in its own window and appear in your Applications folder (Mac) or Start Menu (Windows). You can pin it to your Dock or Taskbar.

What are the benefits of installing the Makazi app?

Faida za kusakinisha programu ya Makazi ni zipi?

The installed app loads faster, works offline for previously viewed pages, opens in full screen without browser bars, and sends push notifications for new messages and listing updates. You get quick access from your home screen and the app icon shows the gold Makazi logo. It uses very little storage — under 5MB.
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