Frequently asked questions

  • Registration
  • Security, Health & Safety
  • Technical Questions
  • FAQs for StayLancers

Frequently asked questions

  • StayLance is essentially a skill based exchange. StayLancers offer their skills & talents in exchange for warm hospitality from HostLancers.When you sign up as a StayLancer you can connect with HostLancers and see if they connect you back.When you sign up as a HostLancer you can connect with StayLancers which have the skills & talents you need. And see if they connect you back.Please check out all the HostLancers in your next dream destination by clicking herePlease check out all StayLancers with the skills & talents you are looking for by clicking hereTo register as a HostLancer, please click hereTo register as a StayLancer, please click here
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  • We will always notify you a few days before the renewal date. You can easily cancel your membership.
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  • You can contact the StayLance team here: [email protected] We are always available to our members and value any feedback, comments and suggestions from you. We will answer within 24 hours.
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  • By law in most countries, you must be 18 years old or above to register with us. Minors should be accompanied by their parents if HostLancers are willing to accept StayLancers under the age of 18. 
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  • There is no maximum age. In fact, many HostLancers prefer StayLancers who have more experience, as well as the skills & talents acquired over time.  Mature professionals are always welcome!
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  • It is important to us that you take precautions and follow laws to protect yourself. This is why we encourage both parties to take out insurance in case of an accident. Accidents can happen, but they can be reduced by following the laws of the HostLancer’s country and taking necessary precautions. Please see our Health & Safety page for more details. Although StayLance offers lots of advice on keeping healthy and safe, we cannot take responsibility for your individual situations. However, if you are concerned about a HostLancer’s or a StayLancer’s behaviour, or feel threatened, unsafe or distressed by anyone you have met through the StayLance platform, please click on ‘Report’ and we will do everything we can to investigate before taking the necessary steps for your safety and that of all our members.
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  • We encourage both HostLancers and StayLancers to leave reviews for the following reasons: A review is a great way for both parties to get a better idea of what they are going into. It provides transparency and clarity to other members. It helps the cream of the crop to rise to the surface, as the best HostLances and StayLancers will receive 5* reviews. Members with consistently great reviews will receive recognition by receiving the label of ‘Super HostLancer’ or ‘Super StayLancer’. Leaving reviews also enables those with negative experiences to voice their concerns. The safety of all members of our community is our priority, and negative reviews can warn others of a HostLancer or StayLancer who may not share the same values as StayLance. If you have a bad experience, then our community will want to know, and if it is a good one, then we will certainly want to know! There may be times when you do not want to leave a negative review openly because you might be worried that it would reflect badly on you, or that you will receive a bad review in return, in which case we encourage you to email us in confidence about any negative experiences. We will investigate any concerns you communicate to us very seriously.
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  • There are times when reality doesn’t meet your expectations. For whatever reason things become challenging and/or uncomfortable. We encourage our members to take a step back and reflect on whether it is down to personality clashes, cultural differences, miscommunication or unreasonable expectations from either party. It is always best to keep calm if things don’t work out, don’t take things personally and try to be philosophical about it. Remember either party can decide to finish the arrangement at any point. We also highly recommend that you have a backup plan. If, however you think the situation is serious and puts either the HostLancer or the StayLancer at risk then we want to hear about it. StayLance always takes your concerns seriously and will investigate both sides of the story and, if necessary, take appropriate action. Please remember that StayLance is essentially a platform to allow members to connect with each other either, make StayOffers and negotiate StayDeals. Any arrangements and agreements made through the platform are your responsibility. 
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  • Once you are logged-in, all options for privacy can be found on your account. Please look for the tab which reads ‘keep my profile private’. If you click on it, only HostLancers and/or StayLancers who are logged in will be able to see your profile including your photos and location map. Your profile will not show up in any internet searches, whether it is Google, Firefox or another search engine.We will never reveal your email address, photos or other personal information to third parties. We certainly do not sell on your information to advertisers and scammers! Only the information you provide about yourself in your profile can be seen by other members looking to connect with you. For more information about our privacy policy, see our Data Protection page.
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  • We encourage all our members take necessary precautions in accordance with the laws of each country. With Covid19, we recommend that HostLancers only take StayLancers if there is a separate space for them to self-quarantine for two weeks while also being able to carry out their tasks. If you have elderly or immune compromised people living at your abode, then please do not invite StayLancers. We recommend all StayLancers take out travel insurance, and we also advise our HostLancers to take out necessary insurance to protect themselves and their property. Please read our Health & Safety page.
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  • It is free to sign up with StayLance. Once you have created an attractive profile, you can send out up to 3 'Connects' a day for free. This gives you time to explore our global online community and navigate our platform before deciding to commit to being a Premium Member. By then, it will be obvious to you that we are not a scam! 
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  • At StayLance, we strive to provide our members with the right tools to make informed decisions regarding who they interact with online and in real life. While we do check every profile that is created, we don't routinely perform background checks, though we do reserve the right to. HostLancer and StayLancer profiles must meet all of our requirements before we will put them online. We are not your agent. StayLance is simply a tool to facilitate contact with likeminded people. 
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  • If you are registered with us, you just need to Log In to your account by entering your email and password.  Then you can edit your profile easily by following the instructions on your screen. 
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  • Once you are logged in, follow the instructions as you build your profile. All instructions are clear as you click through. We recommend that you upload a good photo when contacting HostLancers or StayLancers. Make a good first impression as this will influence their decision on whether to accept and then invite you or not.
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  • During the sign up process you will be asked if you are traveling alone or with another person. If you select the travel partner option you will be asked to provide their email address. An email will be sent to the travel partner and your profiles will be connected if the travel partner is a member of StayLance. If they are not a member they will be asked to join.
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  • This can be easily done through your account profile. There are easy to follow instructions on the screen. 
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  • Sorry, this is not possible. Once feedback has been left it is non editable. This is why we ask you to leave feedback that is as constructive as possible and only write the truth, keeping personal feelings and differences out of the equation. If you feel that a HostLancer or StayLancer may be a danger to other members, please click ‘report concern’ on their profile and send us your feedback in a private email. We will investigate it and take any necessary action. We prefer to deal with these matters privately. Please don’t worry though, as we do not publish insulting feedback.
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  • If parts of the site seem to not be working, it is worth deactivating any browser extensions or add-ons that you might be running because these can sometimes interfere. Try with another browser or device to see if you can isolate the problem.
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  • Usually this issue is caused by your browser's settings. If so, we suggest trying a different browser to see if the icons are showing correctly. If the problem persists:Make sure your browser's extensions are not blocking webfonts (noscript, ublock or adblockplus, etc.)You should also check your operating system's settings to ensure that webfonts are not being blocked.
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  • Sorry but no. We keep information private for the protection of all our members, including you. If you ‘favourite’ another member’s profile they cannot see that you have done this either.
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  • When you first create your profile or update/edit your profile using photos, sometimes it takes time for the file to upload, and is dependent on your internet speed and the size of your photos. Please be patient. Your internet might also have dropped out, in which case you will need to refresh the bar and start that page again. 
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  • At StayLance, our programmers are working hard on improving the platform. As we continually develop, coding bugs or errors occasionally escape our testing. Please contact us with a screenshot or copy of the full error message and we will fix it before it causes further problems. We are always grateful when platform glitches are brought to our attention. Using higher speed search engines like Google Chrome of Firefox may also fix these issues. 
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  • Just enter your email address in the ‘forgot your password?’’ link in the login box, then click on ‘reset password’’. You will then immediately receive an email containing a link to reset your password. 
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  • You will need to contact us to do so. You can't change your own email, as your account is non-transferrable.
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  • Please check the following:That you are clicking on the 'Log In’ section at the top left-hand corner of the landing page.That you are typing the correct username and password.That you are not using an old username or password.If you are still having problems, please contact us with your original email address and/or username and we will reissue you a password manually.
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  • StayLance is primarily a cultural exchange platform that should be used for gaining new experiences, making new friends and learning new skills & talents. We are about collaboration, sharing and helping each other in a global community. We prefer not to monetise the StayLance experience.  That said, if a HostLancer requires extra help and more hours with their business, property or home, they may offer payment to ensure that they are meeting the minimum wage requirements of their country. If a HostLancer is offering payment, this will be clearly indicated in their StayOffer on their profile.
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  • Once you have found a HostLance profile you like the look of, all you need to do is click on the ‘Connect’ button. If they like your profile too they will accept the 'Connect'. If you are both members in our community you can start a conversation via our chat function and discuss the details of your exchange. 
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  • It depends on your skills and talents. If you are highly qualified and experienced in your professional field, then you might negotiate a StayDeal exchange that is fewer hours of work for greater benefits. However, generally for most StayLancers the recommended number of hours are four to five hours a day five days a week. Jobs should not be something that your HostLancer wouldn’t do. If your health or safety feels threatened then you can always refuse to complete the task, but the HostLancer may ask you to leave their property. You should never feel obligated to carry out work that make you feel uncomfortable or in danger. HostLancers should always provide health and safety equipment and training. You may occasionally get a hard or nasty job (e.g. shovelling horse dung or cleaning toilets) but this is normal. HostLancers will generally balance things out so that you have fun and interesting tasks more often than not, particularly if you are highly skilled & talented. 
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  • In exchange for four to five hours a day of sharing your unique skills & talents, as well as your professional experience, we recommend that HostLancers offer comfortable accommodation and all your meals. Of course, utilities and Wi-Fi should be included in this. However, once again, this is something you must negotiate before you close your StayDeal. If you are asked to work more hours, then your HostLancer should offer you a paid allowance equivalent to at least the minimum wage of their country of residence.  All agreements and conditions will vary, and what you should expect from each HostLancer will be different in each situation. This is why we have designed our platform so that HostLancers can create StayOffers and StayLancers can negotiate and agree on a final StayDeal. Each StayOffer will depend on your skills & talents as well as the requirements of each HostLancer. We advise that you to communicate as much as possible during your negotiations with your HostLancer before closing your StayDeal, so that you are both clear on each other's expectations.
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  • HostLancers can search for you primarily by your skills & talents so please be thorough in what you list on your profile. They can also search for StayLancers by your travel destination or current location. They are also notified of last minute or urgent listings. This is why it is vital that you keep your profile updated on where you currently are and where you are travelling to, as well as your dates of travel. You can easily update and edit your profile through your account. 
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  • It depends on the country you are visiting and your country of origin. For example, those who live in the EU will be able to work as a StayLancer in other EU countries and those travelling to Australia and New Zealand can do so with a Working Holiday Visa. StayLance will not be able to arrange visas for you as we are a platform which connects you with HostLancer listings and nothing more. Australia, New Zealand, UK, Ireland and Canada have Working Holiday Schemes for young people from certain countries, which you may wish to investigate further. Ultimately it is your responsibility to obtain the correct visa for any country you intend on visiting.
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  • No, StayLance cannot assist with visa applications or travel expenses, nor can any of our HostLancers, so please do not ask. The HostLancer will let you know here they will be able to collect you or may even offer you use of their car. It is up to the HostLancer to make the offer in their StayOffer. You are responsible for your own travel and insurance costs.
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  • It is always a good idea to make sure that you have travel insurance, especially if you will be participating in a lifestyle or activity where an accident is possible, such as using machinery, riding horses or taking part in a dangerous sport. Some HostLancers may also have insurance, but we advise that each induvial should be responsible for their own cover. 
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  • If you can afford to buy or rent your own vehicle, it is always easier and more convenient for both you and your HostLancer. However, many people who use StayLance are aiming to keep the costs or travel low and will not be willing to invest in this expense. Some HostLancers who live remotely might offer their StayLancer the option of using their vehicle, but please always check that you are insured to drive it. StayLance takes no responsibility for accidents. When negotiating your StayDeal with your prospective HostLancer, always ask if he/she can collect you from the airport, train station or bus stop, and if they can offer you the use of a vehicle such as a car, bike or other. This should be mentioned in their StayOffer anyway. 
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  • Not always. Some HostLancers will want to share their lifestyle more than others. While one HostLancer might prefer the StayLancer to live separately in an outside cabin and not socialize at all, other HostLancers might wish to include the StayLance in everything from meals to family activities and more. Some HostLancers might be big drinkers and smokers, enjoying a party every night, while other HostLancers might be clean living and will not want a StayLancer who smokes or drinks. Again, please indicate what sort of StayLancer you are on your profile and look for HostLancers that you feel you would fit in well with. Agree on this in your final StayDeal. 
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  • Okay, so maybe you have been dreaming of going to the Maldives for years, but do you think that the StayDeals and HostLancers on those pristine white beaches are a match for you? Are you well suited? First off, do you think that they might be interested in what you have to share? Will your skills & talents benefit them in some way? Secondly, it might look like paradise, but can the HostLancer provide you with the living standards that you are comfortable with? Some StayLancers might be happy sleeping on a beach in a hammock and heading into the jungle with a spade. You might be more used to a four-poster bed with mosquito nets, a ceiling fan, high speed wi-fi, an ensuite bathroom and a lavatory that flushes! Don’t go too far out of your comfort zone. Communicate your needs clearly while negotiating your StayDeal so you both know what to expect. 
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