Section 01
What an inspection is
A trained inspector visiting the seller and running the checklist for that category.
An inspection is a visit. You ask for one before you buy something on the marketplace, we send a trained inspector to where the seller keeps the item, and the inspector works through the checklist for that category. It is optional, and it is always the buyer who orders it. No listing is inspected unless a buyer asks.
Each category has a fixed checklist and the inspector does not improvise. They go line by line, photograph what the line refers to, and record the result, including the lines that pass. They check the item against the listing you are buying from, not against a general idea of what a good phone or a good apartment should be.
The visit happens where the item is, so it needs a time that suits the seller. Inspections run in the cities where we have inspectors, which is not yet every city we serve. The fee is on the screen before you order, and nothing is charged until you do.
Section 02
What is checked, by category
Phones, vehicles, furniture, property: the checklist per category.
For a phone, the inspector confirms the model, storage and color against the listing, and that the IMEI on the device is the one advertised. They photograph the screen and body: cracks, dents, deep scratches, signs of water. They read the battery health figure from the phone's own settings. They check that it powers on, charges, and that the cameras, speakers and buttons work. They confirm it is not carrier locked and not tied to someone else's account.
For a vehicle, the inspector photographs the odometer reading and checks the plate and the chassis number against the documents the seller produces. They walk the body for rust, dents, mismatched paint and panel gaps, check tire tread and that all four tires match, and look underneath for visible leaks. They start the engine and record which warning lights stay on. Inside, they test the lights, the horn, the windows and the air conditioning.
For furniture, the inspector measures the piece against the listing and confirms the material and the finish are what was described. They test it for stability: wobble, loose joints, a drawer that will not close. They photograph stains, tears, burns, scratches and any repair. They note smells, which photographs never show. They confirm everything is there, including cushions, shelves, keys and the fittings you need to put it back together.
For an apartment, the inspector confirms the address and the layout against the listing and photographs every room. They run the faucets and flush the toilets to see water pressure and drainage. They look for damp, mold, cracks and stains on walls and ceilings. They test outlets, lights and the heating. They check that the windows and doors close, that the locks work, and that what the listing says is included is actually there.
Section 03
The report
Photos, findings, the inspector signature, and how long the report stays valid.
The report is signed by the inspector who made the visit. It carries the date and time, the checklist for that category with a result on every line, the findings in plain words, and the photographs behind them. Nothing is compressed into a single grade with the detail thrown away. Where a line failed, the report says which line, what was wrong, and shows you the photograph.
The report reaches you in the app as soon as it is signed and it stays there. If you open a case about the purchase later, the report attaches to that case automatically, along with your receipts and your messages with the seller. You do not have to keep a copy, forward anything, or explain what the inspector meant.
A report describes one item at one date and time. It does not expire on a date we set, but it ages. The longer the gap between the visit and the day you take the item, the less it tells you about what you are collecting. A phone can be dropped and an apartment can flood in the week after an inspector signs. For a sale that drags on, order a fresh visit.
Section 04
Pass, fail, and refunds
What a fail means for the buyer, the seller and the held payment.
A pass means the item matched its listing on the day the inspector saw it. That is information for you, not an instruction. What happens next is between you and the seller: a sale between two individuals is a contract between them, not with Afër, and we take no commission on it.
A fail means at least one line of the checklist did not match. Your held payment is refunded automatically. You do not have to ask, open a case, or get anyone to agree with you first. The money returns to the wallet balance it was paid from, with an itemized receipt. The seller keeps the item.
- The signed report stays in your app whatever you decide next.
- Passed inspections count toward the seller's trust score, which no account holder can edit.
- Refunds land in the wallet balance the payment came from, usually within minutes.
- You have 14 days from the purchase to open a case if you think the result is wrong.
- A second agent reviews the case once more if you bring new information.
Section 05
Limits of an inspection
What an inspection cannot certify, and where the buyer still bears the risk.
An inspection is a condition check at one moment. It is not a warranty. We do not promise the item will keep working, and a pass is no guarantee against a fault that appears next week. The inspector reports what a trained person with a checklist and a camera could see, hear and test in the time a visit takes.
It is not a legal title search. We photograph the documents the seller produces. We do not verify ownership, liens, outstanding finance, unpaid fines, or whether the seller is entitled to sell at all. It is not a mechanical teardown either. Nothing is dismantled: engines are not opened, walls are not drilled, upholstery is not cut. A fault hidden inside a casing, a frame or a wall can pass an inspection.
It is not an appraisal. The report says whether the item matched its listing. It never says whether the price is fair or what the item is worth. A passed inspection is not a recommendation to buy at the asking price. Judging the price is still your job, and the risk in the sale is still yours.
- That the seller owns the item or is allowed to sell it.
- That no hidden or intermittent fault exists.
- That the item is in the same condition on the day you collect it.
- That the price is fair or the item is worth it.
- That anything the seller says outside the checklist is true.
Section 06
Fees and cancellation
The inspection fee, who pays it and when it is refundable.
The buyer orders the inspection and the buyer pays for it. The fee varies by category, since a phone takes less time than an apartment, and the exact amount is on the screen before you order rather than after. It comes out of your wallet balance and leaves an itemized receipt with the fee shown separately. Inspectors never handle cash, so there is nothing to settle at the door.
The fee pays for the visit and the signed report, not for a particular result. An inspector who crosses the city, works through the checklist and finds a cracked frame has done the job you asked for. Once the visit has happened and the report is signed, the fee has bought what it pays for. A refund on a failed item is separate: that is your payment for the item coming back.
If the visit did not happen, or did not happen the way this page describes, open a case from Help within 14 days of the order. Both sides are heard, the amount stays held while the case is open, and the outcome is a refund, a fresh visit, or a written reason for declining. Payment questions get an answer the same business day. Three cases can be open on your account at a time.
Section 07
Inspector conduct
Independence, conflicts of interest, and how to report an inspector.
Inspectors work for Afër, not for the buyer and not for the seller. They do not broker the sale, negotiate the price, or take a share of it. They never handle cash, and they do not accept gifts, tips or side payments from either side. They record what they find on every line, including the ones that pass and the ones that are inconvenient for whoever is standing next to them.
An inspector with an interest in the item, or who knows the buyer or the seller, hands the job back instead of taking it. That covers family, friends, and anything the inspector is selling. Every report carries the name of the person who signed it, so an inspection is never anonymous and a pattern is never hard to trace.
If an inspector behaves badly, tell us. Help in the app attaches the listing and the report for you, support@afer.app reaches the same team, and the form at afer.app/support/request/ gives you a reference code. Anything involving safety gets an answer within the hour, day or night. Everything else gets one business day. Confirmed fraud sets an account's trust score to zero and closes the account, an inspector's included.
