Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Homia Kenya ("Homia", "we", "us", or "our"), operated by Teelpay Technologies Ltd, collects, uses, shares, and protects personal information when you use homia.co.ke and related services (together, the "Platform"). By using the Platform, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this Policy. This Policy should be read alongside our Terms & Conditions, available at homia.co.ke/terms.

1. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

We collect different information depending on how you use the Platform:

Account information (Regular Users) - full name, email address, phone number, password (stored in encrypted/hashed form, never in plain text), and profile photo, if you upload one. If you sign in with Google, we receive your name, email address, and profile photo from Google.

Account information (Contributors) - first name, last name, email address, phone number, password, profile photo, location, weekly availability, your reason for applying, and your National ID number. We collect the National ID number solely to verify your identity before approving a Contributor account, and it is never displayed publicly on the Platform.

Listing information - if you list a property, we collect the property details you provide, including landlord or caretaker contact numbers, address, and location, which are shown to other users as part of the listing (subject to contact-unlock rules described in our Terms).

Payment information - when you pay via M-Pesa (Safaricom's Daraja API) for a contact unlock, subscription, listing fee, or listing quota plan, we receive and store your phone number, the M-Pesa receipt number, the amount paid, and related transaction status. We do not receive or store your M-Pesa PIN, and we do not process card payments directly.

Contributor payout information - to pay out Contributor earnings, we collect and share the phone number and name associated with your account with our finance team for processing.

Content you submit - reviews, ratings, and any messages or comments you post on the Platform.

Usage and technical information - log data such as your IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and actions taken on the Platform (for example, listing approvals, logins, and payment events), which we use for security and troubleshooting.

Cookies and session data - we use session cookies to keep you logged in and to protect forms against unauthorised submission (CSRF protection). We do not use third-party advertising or tracking cookies.

2. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

We use the information we collect to:

- Create and manage your account, whether as a Regular User, Contributor, or Administrator;

- Publish and display property listings you submit, after review and approval;

- Process payments through M-Pesa, including contact unlocks, subscriptions, listing fees, and listing quota plans;

- Verify Contributor identity and eligibility before approving an application;

- Calculate, track, and pay out Contributor earnings;

- Communicate with you about your account, listings, payments, or support requests;

- Detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, abuse, and violations of our Terms;

- Maintain the security, integrity, and proper functioning of the Platform;

- Comply with applicable legal, tax, and regulatory obligations.

3. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION

We do not sell your personal information. We share personal information only in the following circumstances:

- With Safaricom, to process M-Pesa payments through the Daraja API. Safaricom receives the phone number and amount involved in each transaction;

- With Google, if you choose to sign in using your Google account;

- With our internal finance team, to process Contributor payout requests;

- With property listing content, your landlord or caretaker contact details are shown to other users on the Platform as part of a listing, subject to the contact-unlock rules described in our Terms;

- With service providers who help us operate the Platform (for example, hosting providers), under obligations to protect your information;

- Where required to comply with a law, regulation, court order, or lawful request by a public authority;

- Where necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Homia, our users, or the public.

4. DATA RETENTION

We retain your personal information for as long as your account remains active, and for a reasonable period afterwards where necessary to comply with legal, tax, or accounting obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce our agreements. Contributor National ID information is retained as part of our identity-verification records for as long as required for that purpose.

5. YOUR RIGHTS

Under the Data Protection Act, 2019 of Kenya, you have the right to:

- Access the personal information we hold about you;

- Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;

- Request deletion of your personal information, subject to any legal or contractual obligations that require us to retain it;

- Object to or request restriction of certain processing of your information;

- Request a copy of your information in a portable format, where applicable;

- Withdraw consent, where processing is based on consent, without affecting processing carried out before withdrawal.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details in Section 9 below. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) of Kenya if you believe your information has been mishandled.

6. DATA SECURITY

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information, including encrypting passwords, using secure connections (HTTPS), and limiting access to personal information to those who need it to operate the Platform. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security of your information.

7. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY

The Platform is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child without appropriate consent, we will take steps to delete it.

8. CHANGES TO THIS POLICY

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our practices, the Platform, or legal requirements. The updated Policy will be posted on this page with a new "last updated" date. Continuing to use the Platform after changes are posted means you accept the revised Policy.

9. CONTACT US

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us at home@homia.co.ke or +254 729 327 034.