Local Bell

Community Guidelines

Version 1.1 · Effective 2026-09-08

The rules that keep families and caregivers safe on the Local Bell platform.

[NOT LEGAL ADVICE] These Community Guidelines are a plain-English draft prepared for LKN Concierge LLC. They are not legal advice. These Guidelines supplement — they do not replace — the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and other agreements. Where a Guideline conflicts with the Terms of Use, the Terms of Use control.

Why we have Guidelines

Local Bell connects families in the Lake Norman area with independent babysitters and nannies. Trust is the entire product. These Guidelines make clear what conduct we expect from everyone on the platform, what conduct is not allowed, and what will happen if a Guideline is broken. They apply equally to families (Care Seekers) and to caregivers (Caregivers). We enforce them consistently and transparently.

Part 1 — Applies to everyone

1.1 Be honest

• Use your real name and a current photo of yourself. No aliases, no stock photos, no photos of anyone else.
• Post accurate information — age, location, experience, certifications, hourly rate, and children's ages, allergies, and needs.
• Reviews and ratings must reflect actual experiences. No fake reviews, no review-swapping, no incentivized reviews.

1.2 Be respectful

• Communicate respectfully. No harassment, threats, slurs, discriminatory remarks, sexual advances, or intimidation.
• No discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, familial status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by North Carolina or federal law.
• Disagreements happen. Handle them through in-app messaging and our customer support team, not through personal attacks.

1.3 Keep it on the platform

• Communicate through the Local Bell app or website for all bookings. In-app messaging protects both sides and gives us a record if there is a dispute.
• Pay through the Local Bell platform. Off-platform payments (cash, Venmo, Zelle, gift cards) for services first arranged through the platform violate the Terms of Use and defeat the platform's safety and dispute protections.
• Do not solicit families or caregivers to leave the platform. Non-circumvention obligations are in the Terms of Use.

1.4 Follow the law

• Comply with all North Carolina and federal laws that apply to your role.
• Do not use the platform for any activity that would violate law, including child-care licensing rules under N.C. G.S. § 110-86 for unlicensed group care.
• Report suspected child abuse or neglect to your county Department of Social Services as required by N.C. G.S. § 7B-301.

Part 2 — Applies to families (Care Seekers)

2.1 Provide a safe environment

• Disclose all hazards at the care location — pool, firearms, pets, medications, water features, unfinished construction.
• Secure firearms, medications, alcohol, and toxic substances before the booking starts.
• Provide working smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors, a first-aid kit, and emergency contact information.

2.2 Provide complete information

• Share allergies, medications, physicians, insurance, custody or pickup restrictions, and behavioral notes before the caregiver arrives.
• Update the caregiver on any changes to house rules or care instructions.
• Do not ask the caregiver to perform services outside the booking (deep house cleaning, tutoring beyond ordinary homework help, care for adults, or care for children not listed).

2.3 Pay and cancel fairly

• Pay for time actually worked, at the agreed rate, promptly through the platform.
• Give reasonable advance notice for cancellations. Late cancellations may be subject to a cancellation fee per the Terms of Use.
• Do not ask a caregiver to work "off the books" or without a booking on file.

2.4 Respect the caregiver

• The caregiver is an independent professional, not a domestic servant.
• Do not enter shared or private spaces where you know the caregiver is changing, sleeping (for overnight bookings), or on a break.
• Provide a safe transportation situation if the caregiver leaves late at night.

Part 3 — Applies to caregivers

3.1 Show up safe and prepared

• Arrive on time, presentable, and rested. Do not accept a booking if you are ill, impaired, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Maintain any certifications you list on your profile (CPR, first aid, early-childhood). Update your profile if a certification lapses.
• Never leave a child under 8 years old unsupervised, consistent with North Carolina fire-code guidance.

3.2 Follow the family's instructions

• Only give food, drinks, medications, or activities the family has authorized.
• Do not transport a child unless the family has separately authorized driving and you hold a valid driver's license and required insurance.
• Do not permit anyone else — friend, partner, family member — at the care location unless the family has approved.

3.3 Handle emergencies well

• Call 911 first for any medical, fire, or safety emergency. Then contact the family. Then notify Local Bell through the app.
• Do not administer medications beyond what the family has authorized in writing.
• If you observe signs of abuse or neglect at the care location, report to your county Department of Social Services under N.C. G.S. § 7B-301.

3.4 Protect privacy

• Do not photograph or record children without the family's written consent.
• Do not post about a family, a child, or a booking on social media in a way that identifies them.
• Keep house-alarm codes, keypad codes, and door codes confidential and delete them from your device after the booking ends.

Part 4 — Never allowed on the platform

The following conduct will result in immediate removal from the platform. Some of it may also be reported to law enforcement or to a state agency.

• Harm, endangerment, abuse, neglect, or exploitation of any child.
• Sexual contact, sexual solicitation, or sexually explicit communication with or in the presence of any child.
• Physical discipline, corporal punishment, or hitting a child in any form.
• Being on the National Sex Offender Registry or any state sex-offender registry. Providing "baby sitting services" while a registered sex offender is a crime under N.C. G.S. § 14-321.1.
• Use of alcohol, cannabis, or any impairing substance while providing care.
• Bringing firearms to a booking, unless the family has explicitly requested and consented in writing.
• Hate speech, threats, stalking, doxing, or coordinated harassment.
• Fraud, identity misrepresentation, background-check evasion, or use of a stranger's photo or credentials.
• Off-platform circumvention of platform fees after being connected through the platform.
• Sharing another user's personal information without consent.
• Solicitation for services outside the platform's scope — including adult care, medical care, licensed daycare operations, or any illegal activity.
• Attempted or actual retaliation against a user who reports a violation or files a review.

Part 5 — How we enforce

5.1 What can happen

• Warning and required acknowledgment.
• Temporary suspension pending investigation.
• Removal of a specific listing, review, or message.
• Permanent removal from the platform.
• Referral to law enforcement, the county Department of Social Services, or another appropriate authority.
• Legal action, including for non-circumvention or breach of the Terms of Use.

5.2 How we decide

• We consider the severity of the conduct, the risk to children, prior history on the platform, and the credibility of the report.
• For safety-critical violations (Part 4), we act first and investigate second.
• For lower-severity violations, we usually contact you first for your side of the story.

5.3 How to appeal

If your account is suspended or removed, you may appeal within 30 days in the app under Account, then Cases, or by emailing hello@local-bell.com with the subject line "Appeal — [your account name]." We will review the record, consider any new information, and respond in writing within 15 business days.

Part 6 — Reporting a problem

Every safety incident must be reported. The expectation is that all safety reports are submitted. Late is not a reason to stay silent. File in the app as soon as reasonably possible. A safety report filed after 24 or 72 hours will still be accepted and reviewed.

If you see or experience a Guideline violation:

• In-app: use the Report button on any profile, message, review, or booking, or file under Account, then Cases.
• Email (fallback if you cannot sign in): hello@local-bell.com with the subject line "Safety report — [brief description]."
• Emergencies: call 911 first. Then notify us.
• Suspected abuse or neglect of a child: call the county Department of Social Services in the county where the child lives, as required by N.C. G.S. § 7B-301.

Part 7 — Updates

We update these Guidelines from time to time. Material changes will be announced by email or in-app notice at least 15 days before they take effect. Continued use of the platform after the effective date means you accept the updated Guidelines.

Contact

• Email: hello@local-bell.com
• Website: https://local-bell.com
• Mail: LKN Concierge LLC, [PO BOX PLACEHOLDER — e.g., PO Box XXX, Mooresville, NC 28117]
• Registered office (for legal service): [Registered agent street address — required by N.C. G.S. 55D-30; use a commercial registered agent's NC street address]