Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Renter ("Renter", "we", "us", or "our").

Renter is a rental property marketplace designed to help people find and list rooms, houses, flats, apartments, and other properties available for rent. The platform aims to connect prospective tenants with property owners and authorized property representatives in a transparent, secure, and responsible environment.

Our goal is to help users make informed rental decisions by supporting identity verification, property-document verification, transparent listings, and responsible handling of personal information.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, who may access it, how long we retain it, and how users can exercise their privacy rights.

We aim to handle personal information in accordance with applicable Indian data protection laws and relevant Google Play requirements.

2. Who Can Use Renter?

Renter is designed for the following users:

• Property owners: People who want to list rooms, houses, flats, apartments, or other rental properties.
• Prospective tenants: People looking for properties to rent.
• Authorized property representatives: Agents or other persons who have permission to represent a property owner, where the platform supports such accounts.
• Verification team: Authorized Renter team members responsible for reviewing submitted documents and maintaining verification records.

Different users may need to provide different information depending on their role and the verification required.

3. Information We Collect

We collect information that is reasonably necessary to provide the platform's features, verify users and properties, prevent fraud, and maintain security.

The information collected depends on the features you use and the information you provide.

3.1 Account and Profile Information

Depending on the features you use, we may collect:

• Full name.
• Email address.
• Phone number.
• Profile photograph.
• Account identifier.
• Account role, such as property owner or prospective tenant.
• Account preferences and information submitted during registration.

If Google Sign-In is available and you choose to use it, we may receive information made available by Google's authentication services, such as your name, email address, profile image, and account identifier. We do not receive your Google password through Google Sign-In.

3.2 Government-Issued Identity Proof

Renter may request government-issued identity proof from both property owners and prospective tenants when identity verification is required. The purpose is to assess the identity information supplied by the user, reduce impersonation, discourage fraudulent accounts, and support a more trustworthy rental environment.

Depending on the document and verification process, the information may include:

• The submitted identity document.
• Relevant identifying details contained in the document.
• The user's verification status.
• The date and outcome of the review.
• Relevant verification notes or reasons for requesting additional information.

We will request only the identity information reasonably necessary for the applicable verification purpose. We will not require a particular highly sensitive identity document, such as Aadhaar, unless there is a lawful and necessary basis for doing so and appropriate safeguards are in place.

3.3 Property Ownership Proof

Property owners may be asked to provide documents supporting their claim that they own a property or have the authority to offer it for rent. Depending on the circumstances, these documents may include property ownership records or other relevant supporting documents.

Our team may review the submitted information against the property details supplied by the user. Providing a document does not automatically mean that ownership or legal authority has been established. The verification status will reflect the checks actually completed.

3.4 Rental Agreements and Other Supporting Documents

When a particular verification or dispute requires additional evidence, Renter may request relevant supporting documents from the property owner, prospective tenant, or both. Examples may include:

• A rental agreement, where applicable.
• Supporting property documents.
• Documents needed to clarify the identity of a party.
• Documents relevant to confirming the details of a rental arrangement.
• Other evidence reasonably necessary for a specific verification, safety, fraud-prevention, or dispute-review process.

The exact documents required will depend on the circumstances. We will explain the purpose of a document request as clearly as reasonably possible. We will not collect every possible document from every user without a relevant reason.

3.5 Property Listing Information

When a property owner or authorized representative creates a listing, we may collect:

• Property type and title.
• Property address or locality.
• Description and photographs.
• Monthly rent and security deposit.
• Maintenance charges and other disclosed fees.
• Amenities, floor information, and property features.
• Availability and other listing details.

The listing information selected for public display may be visible to people using Renter. Private identity documents, ownership documents, and other confidential verification records are not intended to appear in public listings or profiles.

3.6 Location Information

Renter may process location information supplied by users, such as a city, state, locality, postal code, or property address. If a feature requires device GPS location, the app may request location permission. Device location will be processed for the relevant feature only when permitted and necessary. Where supported, users may enter a location manually instead of granting device location permission.

3.7 Messages and Property Visit Information

If messaging or property-visit scheduling is available, we may process messages, visit requests, appointment details, timestamps, and related information necessary to provide these features. Users should avoid sending identity documents or unnecessary sensitive information through public listings or ordinary chat messages. Where additional verification documents are required, users should use the designated submission method.

3.8 Technical and Notification Information

Depending on the features and services actually integrated into the released app, we may process technical information needed to operate, maintain, and secure the platform. This may include device or diagnostic information, security logs, and push-notification tokens used to deliver notifications. Any information collected through third-party services must be accurately reflected in the relevant privacy disclosures.

4. Why We Collect and Use Information

We use personal information for the following purposes:

1. To create and manage user accounts.
2. To help tenants find suitable rental properties.
3. To allow owners and authorized representatives to list properties.
4. To verify the identities of property owners and prospective tenants when required.
5. To review property ownership proof and other supporting documents.
6. To review rental agreements or other relevant documents when a specific verification requires them.
7. To maintain internal verification records.
8. To identify suspected fake accounts, misleading listings, impersonation, and rental fraud.
9. To help investigate disputes, complaints, and suspected misuse.
10. To provide property search, communication, and visit-related features where available.
11. To send relevant service and security notifications.
12. To protect accounts, maintain platform security, and meet applicable legal obligations.

We will not use verification documents for unrelated purposes merely because those documents are available to us. Where applicable law requires consent for a particular activity, we will obtain consent as required.

5. Verification of Property Owners and Prospective Tenants

Renter's verification process is intended to support trust between the people participating in a rental transaction.

5.1 Verification of Property Owners

Our authorized verification team may review identity proof, property ownership proof, and other relevant supporting documents to assess the information provided by a property owner. The team may request clarification or additional evidence if the submitted documents are incomplete, unclear, inconsistent, or insufficient for the relevant check.

5.2 Verification of Prospective Tenants

Our authorized team may also review a prospective tenant's identity proof and other relevant supporting documents when required for the applicable verification process. Where a rental agreement or another document needs to be reviewed for a legitimate verification or dispute-related purpose, the team may examine the relevant information.

The documents requested will depend on the purpose of the check. We will not claim to have verified information that has not actually been checked.

5.3 Verification Decisions

Following review, the team may approve verification, reject it, request additional information, or leave the status pending. A verification status represents the checks actually completed by Renter. It is not a guarantee that every statement made by a user is true, that every property detail is accurate, or that a future rental transaction will be free from risk.

Identity verification and property verification are separate. Verifying a person's identity does not automatically establish ownership of a property.

5.4 Voluntary Participation and Verification Requirements

Renter does not intend to force people to submit documents without explaining why they are needed. Users may decide whether to participate in a verification process. However, where verification is a necessary condition for a particular feature, listing status, or verification badge, declining to provide the required information may mean that the feature or status cannot be provided.

We will communicate applicable verification requirements as clearly as possible so users can make an informed decision. Users should read the relevant Terms and Conditions before using the platform.

6. Confidentiality of Verification Documents

Renter's policy is to:

• Keep verification documents private and confidential.
• Prevent these documents from appearing in public listings or public profiles.
• Restrict access to authorized verification team members who need the documents to perform their assigned duties.
• Use the documents only for the disclosed verification, record-keeping, security, fraud-prevention, or other legitimate purposes described in this policy.
• Avoid sharing private verification documents with unrelated users, advertisers, or brokers.
• Protect the documents against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or loss.
• Retain the documents only for as long as reasonably necessary, subject to applicable legal requirements.

We do not sell verification documents or use them for advertising. Where a service provider is necessary to securely host or store documents, that provider may process the information on our behalf under appropriate confidentiality and security safeguards. Limited disclosure may also be required by applicable law or valid legal process.

We will not promise that documents can never be disclosed under any circumstances. Any permitted disclosure must have an appropriate legal or operational basis and must be limited to what is necessary.

7. How We Share Information

We do not sell personal information to third-party advertisers. Information may be shared only as necessary for the purposes described in this policy.

7.1 Public Listing Information

Property descriptions, photographs, rental prices, locations, and profile details selected for display may be visible to platform users. Private verification documents are not intended to be made publicly available.

7.2 Authorized Verification Team

Authorized Renter team members may access relevant verification information when necessary to review documents, maintain records, investigate suspected fraud, or handle legitimate complaints and disputes. Access should be restricted according to staff responsibilities and the principle of least privilege.

7.3 Service Providers

Renter may use service providers for hosting, databases, authentication, private file storage, notifications, technical support, and security. Where these providers process personal information on our behalf, appropriate confidentiality, security, and access restrictions should apply. The actual providers used by the released app must be reflected accurately in the relevant privacy disclosures.

7.4 Legal and Safety Requirements

We may disclose limited information when required by applicable law or valid legal process. Disclosure may also be necessary to investigate serious fraud, respond to security incidents, protect users, or establish or defend legal claims. We do not otherwise share confidential verification documents with unrelated third parties.

8. Data Storage and Security

Renter intends to store verification information in its own PHP/MySQL backend and private server storage.

Database records and uploaded documents must be protected by appropriate security controls. In particular:

• Verification documents must not be stored in a publicly accessible uploads directory.
• Document access must require proper authentication and authorization.
• Only specifically authorized personnel who need the documents for verification should be able to view or download them.
• Sensitive information must be transmitted and stored using appropriate security protections.
• Database credentials and private storage access must not be exposed in the Android application.
• Access to sensitive records should be logged where appropriate.
• Documents must be securely deleted when they are no longer required, subject to applicable legal obligations.

We use appropriate technical and organizational measures intended to reduce the risk of unauthorized access, disclosure, loss, or misuse.

No digital system can guarantee absolute security. We will not claim that information is completely immune from security incidents or that a particular encryption system is in use unless that claim is supported by the actual implementation.

9. Data Retention

Renter retains personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy.

Government-issued identity proof, property ownership proof, rental agreements, and other supporting documents may be retained as private internal verification records for the period needed to complete verification, maintain relevant records, prevent fraud, address disputes, protect platform security, or meet applicable legal obligations.

Renter will establish and follow appropriate retention periods for different categories of information. When information is no longer required, we will securely delete or de-identify it unless retention is required or otherwise permitted under applicable law.

Limited records may need to be retained for legitimate legal, security, fraud-prevention, or dispute-related purposes. Where backups retain information for a limited period, that information must remain protected and be removed under the applicable backup-retention process.

We will not promise immediate deletion of every copy if technical backup processes or lawful retention requirements prevent that outcome.

10. User Privacy Rights and Requests

Subject to applicable law, users may have rights to request access to, correction of, or deletion of their personal information and may exercise other applicable privacy rights.

Users may also raise concerns about how their information is collected, used, stored, or protected. To protect personal information from unauthorized disclosure, we may need to verify the identity of the person submitting a request.

Privacy requests and complaints can be sent to [email protected]. We will handle these requests in accordance with applicable legal requirements and the platform's established grievance process.

11. Account Deletion

Users may request account deletion through the relevant in-app option, where available, or through the following webpage:

https://blindtechcommunity.com/renter_api/delete-account.html

The account-deletion process should provide a clear and accessible way to submit a deletion request.

When a valid request is processed, Renter will delete or de-identify associated personal information unless specific information must be retained for a lawful reason, such as compliance with legal obligations, fraud prevention, security, or the establishment or defence of legal claims.

Any information retained for a legitimate reason will remain subject to appropriate safeguards and will not be retained longer than necessary for the applicable purpose.

The deletion process must address both account information and associated personal data in accordance with applicable requirements. Merely disabling an account is not the same as deleting the associated data.

12. Third-Party Services and External Websites

Renter may use third-party services to support authentication, hosting, notifications, maps, or technical diagnostics. Those services may process information under their own privacy policies and terms.

We will accurately disclose the relevant services used by the released application and will not claim that a service is integrated unless it is actually used.

External websites linked from Renter may have their own privacy practices. Users should review the applicable policies when visiting those websites.

13. Children's Privacy

Renter is intended for people who are legally able to participate in rental-related arrangements. We do not intend to collect children's personal information in violation of applicable law.

If you believe a child has provided personal information inappropriately, contact us so that we can review the matter and take appropriate action under applicable law.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when the platform's features, information-handling practices, or legal obligations change.

When changes are made, we will update the effective date and provide notice of material changes through the app or website where appropriate.

Where applicable law requires consent for a new data-processing activity, we will obtain that consent as required.

15. Contact and Grievance Information

For privacy questions, personal-data requests, account deletion, or complaints about this policy, contact:

• Platform: Renter
• Privacy and Support Email: [email protected]
• Account Deletion Page: https://blindtechcommunity.com/renter_api/delete-account.html

The platform operator must publish its full legal name, applicable contact address, and required grievance contact details before final publication where required by applicable law.

16. Transparency and User Choice

Renter aims to provide a transparent environment for people looking for rental properties and people offering them.

We will explain relevant verification requirements, handle supporting documents confidentially, and avoid making claims about security or verification that cannot be substantiated.

Users should review this Privacy Policy and the applicable Terms and Conditions before deciding to use the platform.

Users are not required to use Renter simply because they have visited or registered on the platform. However, particular services, listings, or verification statuses may require compliance with clearly disclosed eligibility and verification requirements.

17. Important Notice

This Privacy Policy describes Renter's intended information-handling practices. It must match the actual released app, PHP/MySQL backend, private document storage, access permissions, third-party services, retention arrangements, and account-deletion process.

Before publication, Renter must ensure that the promised privacy safeguards have actually been implemented and that the app's Google Play Data safety disclosures accurately describe its data collection and sharing.

This Privacy Policy does not replace the need to comply with applicable data protection laws, Google Play requirements, or other legal obligations.