The full lifecycle

From tap to done.
Six steps, fully observable.

Most marketplaces gloss over the middle of the booking. We don't. Here's exactly what happens between when a resident books and when the Neighbour gets paid, and why each piece exists.

01
Demand

A resident declares intent

Opens the Swifli app. Picks a category, say, deep cleaning. Sets the time window, the apartment size, any preferences (eco-friendly products, pet on premises). Reviews the price estimate. Taps book.

Why it works this way

Under five minutes from open to booking confirmation. The resident never has to leave the app, no SMS handoffs, no half-finished forms.

02
Match

Verified Neighbours nearby respond

Within seconds, Neighbours in the resident's service radius whose category, availability, and rating match the request see the job offer. They accept, decline, or counter with a tweak (e.g., shift the start time by 30 minutes).

Why it works this way

Matching weighs distance, rating, how quickly a Neighbour finishes jobs, category fit, and the resident's history with that Neighbour. No bidding wars; first-accept wins by default, and the resident can also pick from a shortlist for high-value bookings.

03
Hold

The payment is held safely

On match confirmation, the booking amount moves out of the resident's account and is held safely by Swifli, not paid to the Neighbour yet. Both sides see the same payment status panel.

Why it works this way

This is the foundation of trust. The Neighbour knows the money is real. The resident knows the money isn't gone yet. Disputes get settled against money we're still holding, not through chargebacks weeks later.

04
Work

The work happens

Your Neighbour arrives, completes the work, and marks it done in the app. Both sides exchange messages and photos inside Swifli, never via personal phone numbers, never on SMS.

Why it works this way

Keeping messages in the app protects both sides. If something goes wrong, we have a full record. No more "they texted me from a different number."

05
Settle

You confirm, the Neighbour gets paid

The resident reviews and confirms the work is done (or flags an issue). On confirmation, the held payment is released to the Neighbour, minus the platform fee. Money typically lands in 1–3 business days; same-week payouts unlock at 5+ jobs / 4.5★+.

Why it works this way

If the resident flags an issue, the money stays held. Our trust team reviews within 48 hours and decides based on platform records (timestamps, messages, photos). No he-said-she-said.

06
Reputation

Both sides rate, scores compound

Ratings go both ways: the resident rates the Neighbour, the Neighbour rates the resident. Ratings feed back into matching, so trusted residents see preferred Neighbours first, and top-rated Neighbours get the best of incoming demand.

Why it works this way

Reputation is what keeps people here over the long run. A Neighbour's score isn't lost when they switch categories; a resident's verified score makes them more attractive to top Neighbours for the next booking.

Trust & safety

Six rules that don't bend.

These aren't nice-to-have principles; they're rules the platform enforces by default, on every booking, with no toggles.

ID & background checked

Every Neighbour goes through ID verification, a background check, and reference checks before accepting their first request. Specialised trades include verified credentials.

Protected payments

Funds are held securely until the job is done, and released to the Neighbour once both parties confirm completion — protecting both parties in a fair, secure transaction.

Insured local work

All Neighbours carry liability insurance, giving you complete peace of mind for every job or lesson.

In-app chat only

No phone numbers exchanged, no emails shared. Communication stays in the app so it can be referenced if anything goes wrong.

24-hour dispute window

You have a full day after the work is marked complete to raise an issue. Your payment stays on hold while a dispute is open.

Reviews from real Neighbours

Reviews come from verified, completed bookings, never anonymous. A Neighbour's reputation is built on real work, not gamed.

Try it on a real task.

The system makes sense when you use it. Pick the door that fits.