Terms & conditions

The binding agreement between you and Ardena Group Ltd when you use ardena.co.ke, the ardena Renter app, or the ardena Host app. Read it once — it is short, plain-English, and protective of both sides.

Last updated: 28 May 2026

01 / The short version

Read this first.

A plain-English summary so you know what you are agreeing to. The numbered sections below are the binding terms — they prevail over this summary if there is any conflict.

  • Ardena is a marketplace. We connect verified renters with verified hosts. The rental contract for each trip is between the renter and the host. Ardena is not a party to that contract.
  • You must be 18+, a Kenyan resident or lawfully permitted to operate in Kenya, and pass our identity verification through Dojah before you can book or list.
  • Pricing, payments and payouts run through the platform. We charge a service fee shown in the app. Off-platform payment is not protected by our dispute process.
  • The host's insurance is the only insurance on the vehicle. The optional Ardena Damage Waiver is a cost-cap product, not insurance. Details are on the insurance page.
  • We can suspend or close accounts that fail verification, abuse the platform, or breach these Terms. Where we have a reasonable concern, we may act without prior notice.
  • Kenyan law governs. Disputes go to mediation first, then to the courts of Kenya, which have exclusive jurisdiction.
  • Who we are. "Ardena", "we", "us", or "our" means Ardena Group Ltd, a company incorporated in the Republic of Kenya with its principal place of business in Nakuru, Kenya. Reach us at support@ardena.co.ke.
  • What we operate. The ardena Renter app, the ardena Host app, and the website at ardena.co.ke. Together: the "Platform".
  • Our role. Ardena is a technology platform that introduces renters to hosts. We do not own, control, or insure any vehicle listed. The booking creates a direct contract between the host and the renter; we are not a party to it.
  • Acceptance. By creating an account, browsing the apps, or using any feature, you accept these Terms in full. If you do not accept them, do not use the Platform.
  • If you act for a business, you confirm that you have authority to bind that business to these Terms.

02 / Who we are

Ardena and the Platform.

Definitions and Ardena's role in the rental relationship. Important: we connect, we don't rent.

03 / Account & verification

Eligibility, accounts, and KYC.

Identity, age, and account-security obligations. We verify everyone through our partner Dojah before any booking or listing is permitted.

  • Eligibility. You must be at least 18, have legal capacity to contract, be a Kenyan resident or otherwise lawfully entitled to operate in Kenya, and not be subject to any court order or sanction preventing you from using the Platform.
  • Renters additionally must hold a valid Kenyan driving licence (or recognised international driving permit) and must have held it for at least one year. We may set higher age or experience thresholds for specific vehicle classes.
  • One account per person. Multiple accounts may be merged or suspended without notice. Your account is personal and non-transferable.
  • Accurate information. You must keep your account details (name, email, phone, payout details for hosts) accurate and up to date. Submitting false, altered, or fraudulent information is a breach of these Terms and may be a criminal offence.
  • KYC via Dojah. Before booking or listing, you complete identity verification through our processor Dojah Africa Ltd. The verification flow, what is transmitted, and how it is stored are described in section 03 of the privacy policy. Ardena receives only the verification result and does not retain the underlying ID image, selfie, or biometric template.
  • Hosts additionally must upload proof of vehicle ownership (logbook), current motor insurance, and a current inspection certificate. Listings without complete, valid documentation will not be approved.
  • Credential security. You are responsible for keeping your password and device secure. All activity from your account is treated as yours until you tell us otherwise at support@ardena.co.ke. Ardena is not liable for losses caused by your failure to protect your credentials.
  • Sanctions on misrepresentation. Submitting forged or altered documents results in immediate, permanent account termination, forfeiture of any pending payouts, and may be referred to the police.
  • Drive personally and lawfully. Only you (or an additional driver expressly approved on the booking) may drive the vehicle. Comply with the Traffic Act (Cap. 403, Laws of Kenya) and all road rules.
  • Inspect at handover. Inspect the vehicle and log any pre-existing damage in the app before driving away. Damage logged after handover is presumed to be your responsibility.
  • Return on time, on condition. Return the vehicle at the agreed time and place, in the same condition as collected, with the same fuel level (or per the agreement). Late returns incur the late-return fee shown at booking.
  • Mileage and use limits. Stay within any mileage cap on the booking. Do not use the vehicle outside Kenya without prior written approval from the host and Ardena.
  • No smoking, vaping, or narcotics. Cleaning fees and damages apply if breached. No animals without prior written host consent.
  • No commercial use. Do not use the vehicle for ride-hail, taxi, courier, delivery, hire to a third party, or any other commercial purpose, unless the booking expressly permits it.
  • Report incidents immediately. Report any accident, theft, damage, fine, or mechanical failure through the app's incident report within 2 hours, and contact emergency services where required.
  • Financial responsibility. You bear full responsibility for fines, tolls, damage outside any applicable cover, and any cost not covered by the host's insurer or the Damage Waiver. See the insurance page for what each product covers.

04 / Renters

What renters agree to.

Your obligations from the moment you book through the moment the vehicle is returned. Breach of these gives the host and Ardena rights to recover from you.

05 / Hosts

What hosts agree to.

Listing on ardena is a commitment to renters, to safety, and to Ardena. These obligations run for the whole period your vehicle is listed.

  • Right to list. You may only list vehicles you legally own or have a written, transferable right to rent out. Listing financed vehicles without consent of the financier, or vehicles encumbered by a court order, is prohibited.
  • Valid insurance. Maintain valid motor insurance throughout the listing period that covers third-party risks at minimum (per the Insurance (Motor Vehicles Third Party Risks) Act, Cap. 405). It is your responsibility to confirm with your insurer that the policy permits rental use; many private-use policies exclude it.
  • Roadworthy and inspected. Keep the vehicle roadworthy and maintain a current NTSA-recognised inspection certificate where applicable.
  • Honest listing. Photos must be current, clear, and unaltered. Descriptions must accurately state condition, mileage, and any limitations. Misrepresentation is a breach of these Terms.
  • Availability and handover. Make the vehicle available at the agreed time and place, or give the renter reasonable advance notice and a reasonable alternative if circumstances change.
  • Don't cancel without good cause. Repeated or last-minute cancellations may attract penalties deducted from future payouts, and may lead to listing suspension.
  • Clean and empty. Hand over the vehicle clean and free of your personal belongings.
  • Respond and report. Respond to booking requests and renter messages promptly through the app, and report any incident, damage, or theft immediately.
  • No employment relationship. Listing on ardena does not make you an employee, agent, or partner of Ardena. We do not guarantee bookings, occupancy, or revenue.
  • Tax. You are responsible for your own tax obligations, including any income from the Platform. Provide a valid KRA PIN for payouts and tax withholding where applicable.
  • Valid NTSA-recognised inspection certificate dated within the last 12 months (where required for the vehicle class).
  • Valid comprehensive or third-party motor insurance policy, confirmed by the host as covering rental use.
  • No outstanding finance, court order, or police flag restricting transfer or use of the vehicle.
  • Functional seatbelts for every seated position, functional tyres including a serviceable spare, working headlights and indicators, and a first-aid kit.
  • Current, unedited photos that accurately represent the vehicle's condition (exterior, interior, any cosmetic damage).
  • Up-to-date logbook and proof of ownership matching the host's verified identity.
  • Right of removal. Ardena may remove any listing that does not meet these standards, has repeated damage complaints, has been linked to safety incidents, or where the host fails to renew documentation on request.

06 / Vehicle standards

Minimum listing requirements.

Every vehicle on ardena must meet these requirements before approval and for as long as it stays listed.

07 / Bookings & payments

How bookings, payments, and payouts work.

Bookings are made and paid for in the app. Off-platform arrangements are not protected by our dispute process.

  • When a booking is confirmed. A booking is confirmed only when the host accepts and the renter receives the in-app confirmation. A request or a listing alone is not a confirmed reservation.
  • Pricing. Hosts set the daily or hourly rate. Ardena adds a platform service fee shown in the booking summary. All prices are in Kenyan Shillings (KES). Additional charges may apply for mileage overages, late returns, damage, cleaning, fines, or tolls.
  • Payment methods. M-Pesa and licensed card processors only. Cash and other off-platform payments are not recognised by Ardena and are not covered by our dispute resolution process.
  • Host payouts. Ardena disburses host earnings, net of the platform service fee and any deductions, to the host's registered M-Pesa or bank account within the period stated in the Host app. Ardena may withhold or set off payouts against amounts owed.
  • Service-fee changes. Ardena may update its service-fee rate. Material changes will be communicated to hosts at least 14 days in advance.
  • We are not a financial institution. Payment processing is performed by licensed third-party providers. Ardena is not liable for delays caused by your mobile network operator, bank, or the payment provider.
  • Disputed charges. Both sides must raise any payment dispute in the app within 48 hours of the trip ending. Ardena's decision following a documented review is final, subject only to any right of legal appeal.
  • Deposit (if any)

    A refundable deposit may be required for certain vehicles, shown at booking and held by Ardena. Refunded within 5–7 business days after trip completion provided no damage, outstanding fines, fuel deficit, or policy violation is established.

  • Renter cancellation

    More than 48 hours before pickup: full refund of the rental amount (platform booking fee is non-refundable). Within 48 hours: 50% forfeit. Within 6 hours or no-show: full forfeit.

  • Host cancellation

    Renter receives a full refund. Without valid reason, the host is liable to a penalty deducted from future payouts; repeated cancellations may lead to listing suspension.

  • Force majeure

    Natural disaster, government-declared curfew, civil unrest, or other extraordinary event beyond the parties' reasonable control: Ardena may issue full or partial refunds at its discretion.

  • Refund timing

    Refunds go back to the original payment method and may take 3–10 business days depending on the payment provider.

08 / Deposits & cancellations

Deposits, cancellations, and refunds.

The specific timings and amounts that apply when plans change. Force majeure carve-out below.

09 / Damage & insurance

Damage, accidents, and how cover works.

Two products sit on top of each other: the host's motor insurance (the only true insurance) and the optional Damage Waiver. Full detail and exclusions live on the insurance page.

  • Renter's incident duties. Make the scene safe, call emergency services where required, do not admit liability or settle with any third party without Ardena's written consent, obtain a police abstract for any incident involving a third party / injury / theft, and submit an in-app incident report within 2 hours.
  • Host's incident duties. Cooperate with Ardena and the insurer, provide repair quotes, and not negotiate directly with the renter outside the Platform once a claim is open.
  • Insurance. The host's motor insurance is the only insurance covering the vehicle. Ardena is not the insurer.
  • Damage waiver. The Ardena Damage Waiver is an optional, contractual cost-cap product, not insurance. Where the renter buys it and the incident is not within an excluded category, Ardena will contribute towards repair up to the per-incident cap shown at booking. Anything above the cap, or any incident inside an exclusion, is the renter's full responsibility.
  • Excluded conduct voids the waiver. Driving under the influence, unauthorised drivers, commercial misuse, cross-border use without consent, racing, illegal activity, gross negligence, and late reporting void the waiver for that incident and may also void the host's insurance — see the insurance page, section 05.
  • No personal belongings cover. Items left in the vehicle are never covered by the waiver or the host's insurer.
  • Listing a stolen, financed-without-consent, or otherwise encumbered vehicle.
  • Submitting forged, altered, or misrepresenting KYC, insurance, or vehicle documents.
  • Using a vehicle for any illegal activity — including drug trafficking, human trafficking, smuggling, or transporting hazardous materials.
  • Operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or any substance that impairs driving.
  • Sub-letting or re-renting a booked vehicle to anyone not verified on the Platform.
  • Soliciting or accepting off-platform payments to bypass Ardena.
  • Harassment, threats, or abuse — on or off the Platform — directed at any user, staff member, or third party.
  • Manipulating ratings or reviews through fake accounts, coercion, or any artificial means.
  • Cross-border travel without prior written approval from the host and Ardena.
  • Any attempt to compromise the security, data, or infrastructure of the Platform.
  • Misuse of the Platform's brand, copyrighted material, or trade marks; see section 13.

10 / Prohibited activities

What gets you removed.

Any of the following results in immediate suspension or permanent termination, forfeiture of any pending payouts, and referral to authorities where the law has been broken.

11 / Reviews & suspension

Ratings, reviews, and account suspension.

How feedback works on the Platform and when we will restrict or close an account. Appeals process below.

  • Honest reviews. Both sides may rate and review after a completed trip. Reviews must be factual and based on first-hand experience. Defamatory, discriminatory, or abusive content will be removed.
  • User-generated content. Ardena does not guarantee the accuracy of reviews and is not liable for their content. We may moderate or remove content that breaches community standards.
  • Suspension and termination. Ardena may suspend, restrict, or close an account at its sole discretion, with or without prior notice, where there is a verification failure, a Terms breach, a safety risk, fraud, or repeated negative incidents.
  • Appeal. You may appeal a suspension by emailing support@ardena.co.ke within 14 days of the notice. We aim to respond within 10 business days. Our appeal decision is final, subject only to any right of legal appeal.
  • On termination. You lose access to the Platform. Outstanding balances owed to Ardena remain payable. Pending host payouts are released after deductions for damage, fines, fees, or penalties are settled.
  • Ours. The ardena name, logo, apps, website, software, copy, designs, and documentation are the intellectual property of Ardena Group Ltd, protected under Kenyan and international IP law. You may not copy, reproduce, modify, distribute, scrape, or build derivative works without our prior written consent.
  • Your content. By posting content on the Platform (photos, listings, reviews, profile images), you grant Ardena a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, sub-licensable licence to host, display, reproduce, and adapt that content for the purposes of operating, promoting, and improving the Platform. You confirm you own or have rights to the content you submit.
  • Feedback. Any suggestions or feedback you give us may be used by Ardena freely and without obligation to you.
  • No reverse engineering. You may not decompile, disassemble, or reverse engineer the apps or any Ardena software except to the extent permitted by mandatory law.

12 / Intellectual property

Whose content is whose.

What we own, what you license to us when you post, and what you may not do with our software or brand.

13 / Liability & indemnity

Limitation of liability and indemnity.

The legal limits on what Ardena will pay for, and the obligations you give us in return.

  • What we don't promise. We do not guarantee continuous, uninterrupted, or error-free operation of the Platform; the accuracy of user-generated content or listings; or any particular level of bookings, earnings, or occupancy.
  • Cap on direct liability. To the maximum extent permitted by Kenyan law, Ardena's aggregate liability to you for all claims arising out of or in connection with these Terms or your use of the Platform is capped at the fees paid by you (or received by you, in the case of a host) for the affected booking in the 3 months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim.
  • Exclusion of indirect loss. Ardena, its affiliates, directors, employees, agents, and processors are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, including loss of profits, loss of revenue, loss of data, loss of goodwill, loss of opportunity, or personal injury, except to the extent that such liability cannot be excluded under applicable Kenyan law.
  • Counterparty conduct. Ardena is not responsible for the acts or omissions of any host, renter, third-party processor, payment provider, insurer, regulator, or other third party. Your contract for each trip is with the counterparty, not with us.
  • Force majeure. Ardena is not liable for any failure or delay caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including natural disaster, fire, flood, pandemic, war, civil unrest, government action, internet outage, cyber-attack of state-level sophistication, or failure at a third-party provider.
  • Indemnity. You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Ardena and its affiliates from any claim, liability, loss, fine, damage, cost, or expense (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of: (a) your use of the Platform; (b) your breach of these Terms; (c) your violation of any law; or (d) your infringement of any third-party right.
  • Governing law. These Terms are governed by, and construed under, the laws of the Republic of Kenya.
  • Good-faith negotiation first. Either side must, before commencing proceedings, give the other 30 days' written notice of a dispute and negotiate in good faith to resolve it.
  • Mediation. If unresolved after 30 days, the dispute is referred to mediation under the rules of the Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration (NCIA), conducted in Nairobi, in English.
  • Court. Disputes not resolved by mediation are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Kenya. Nothing in this clause prevents either side from seeking urgent injunctive relief from a Kenyan court.
  • Severability. If any provision of these Terms is held unenforceable, the remainder continues in full effect, and the unenforceable provision is replaced with the closest enforceable equivalent.
  • No waiver. A failure to enforce any right or remedy is not a waiver of that right or remedy for the future.
  • Assignment. You may not assign your rights or obligations under these Terms. Ardena may assign these Terms to an affiliate or to any successor in connection with a corporate restructure or sale of assets.
  • Entire agreement. These Terms (together with the privacy policy, the insurance / damage waiver terms, and any booking summary) form the entire agreement between you and Ardena regarding the Platform.

14 / Governing law & disputes

Kenyan law, Kenyan courts.

Where these Terms live, how disputes are resolved, and the boilerplate that keeps the contract robust if any part is challenged.

15 / Changes & contact

Updates to these Terms.

How we will tell you when the Terms change, and how to reach us with a question or complaint.

  • We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be notified to active users by email or in-app message at least 7 days before they take effect. Minor and administrative changes may take effect on posting.
  • What "continued use" means. Using the Platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not accept the update, stop using the Platform and close your account before that date.
  • Complaints process. Raise complaints first through the in-app support flow, then by email to support@ardena.co.ke. We acknowledge within 2 business days and aim to resolve within 14 business days.
  • Escalation. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may escalate to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (for data-related complaints) at odpc.go.ke, or to the relevant Kenyan consumer-protection body.

Contact

Reach us about anything in these Terms.

Anything legal, contractual, or operational — talk to us. For data-protection specifically, our DPO is on the privacy page.