Privacy Policy

Last updated: December 16, 2024

Welcome to SHOMES. We are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal information when you use our digital property platform.

1. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of information:

1.1 Personal Information

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, password (encrypted)
• Profile Information: Profile picture, bio, preferences
• Property Listing Information: Property details, location, contact preferences (if you list properties)

1.2 Payment Information

• Transaction Data: Payment amount, transaction ID, order ID, receipt number
• Billing Information: Payment method type (UPI, Card, Net Banking, Wallet)
• Important: We do NOT store your credit/debit card numbers, CVV, or banking credentials. All payment processing is handled securely by Razorpay, our PCI-DSS compliant payment gateway partner.

1.3 Technical Data

• Device Information: IP address, browser type and version, operating system
• Usage Data: Pages viewed, time spent on pages, search queries, click patterns
• Location Data: City/state derived from IP address (not precise GPS location)

1.4 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

• Essential Cookies: Required for login, session management, and security
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with our platform
• Payment Cookies: Razorpay cookies for secure payment processing and fraud prevention

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Account Management: Create and manage your SHOMES account, authenticate your identity
• Payment Processing: Process subscriptions, contact view payments, and property listing payments through Razorpay
• Service Delivery: Provide access to premium features, property listings, and contact information
• Communication: Send transactional emails (payment confirmations, invoices, subscription expiry alerts), respond to support requests
• Platform Improvement: Analyze user behavior to enhance our website, fix bugs, and develop new features
• Fraud Prevention: Detect and prevent fraudulent transactions, unauthorized access, and policy violations
• Legal Compliance: Comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes

3. Sharing Your Information

We may share your information with the following third parties:

3.1 Payment Processor - Razorpay

3.2 Other Third-Party Services

• Email Service Provider: For sending transactional emails and notifications
• Cloud Storage: For hosting user-uploaded images and property photos
• Analytics Services: For understanding platform usage and improving user experience

3.3 Legal and Safety Reasons

• Legal Compliance: Law enforcement, regulatory authorities, or courts if required by law
• Fraud Prevention: Share information to investigate and prevent fraudulent activities
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the new entity

3.4 What We NEVER Do

• ❌ We NEVER sell your personal information to third parties
• ❌ We NEVER share your payment card details (we don't have access to them)
• ❌ We NEVER send spam or unsolicited marketing from third parties

4. Security of Your Information

We take data security seriously and implement industry-standard measures to protect your information:

• Encryption: All data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted using HTTPS/TLS
• Password Security: Passwords are hashed using bcrypt before storage (we never store plain text passwords)
• Payment Security: All payment processing is handled by PCI-DSS Level 1 certified Razorpay - we never store card details
• Access Controls: Strict access controls limit who can view your personal information
• Regular Audits: We regularly review and update our security practices
• Important: While we implement strong security measures, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. You are responsible for keeping your password confidential.

5. Your Privacy Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right to Access: Request a copy of all personal information we hold about you
• Right to Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Right to Data Portability: Request your data in a machine-readable format
• Right to Object: Object to processing of your personal information for certain purposes
• Right to Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails (transactional emails cannot be opted out)
• How to Exercise Rights: Email us at xchange24homes@gmail.com with your request

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience on SHOMES. Here's what you need to know:

6.1 Types of Cookies We Use

6.2 Managing Cookies

• Browser Settings: You can control cookies through your browser settings (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
• Disabling Cookies: Disabling essential cookies will prevent you from using core features like login and payments
• Third-Party Cookies: You can opt-out of Razorpay cookies, but this will prevent you from making payments

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services and comply with legal obligations:

• Account Data: Retained until you request account deletion
• Payment Records: Retained for 7 years for accounting, tax, and legal compliance
• Transaction Logs: Retained for 5 years for fraud prevention and dispute resolution
• Contact View History: Accessible for 90 days, retained in backups for 1 year
• Deleted Accounts: Personal data permanently deleted within 30 days of account deletion request

8. Children's Privacy

SHOMES is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately and we will delete such information.

9. International Users

SHOMES operates primarily in India. If you access our platform from outside India:

• Your information will be transferred to and processed in India
• Indian data protection laws will apply
• You consent to this transfer by using our services

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes:

• We will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
• For material changes, we will notify you via email or prominent notice on our website
• Your continued use of SHOMES after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy
• We recommend reviewing this policy periodically

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

By using SHOMES, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to this Privacy Policy.

Thank you for trusting SHOMES with your property search!