Privacy Policy

HavenCampus ("we", "us", "HavenCampus") operates a platform connecting students with student housing, part-time jobs and gigs, and a peer-to-peer marketplace, primarily in Kenya. This policy explains what personal information we collect through the website and dashboard, why we collect it, and the choices you have.

We collect the following, depending on how you use HavenCampus:

Account information: your full name, email address, phone number, password (stored in encrypted form), and account role (student, landlord, agent, scout, vendor, university partner, or caretaker).

Identity verification: for roles that require it (landlords, agents, scouts, and vendors), a photo of a national ID or passport and the ID/passport number, used only to verify you are who you say you are before you can list a property, post a job, or sell on the marketplace.

Profile information: an optional profile photo and short bio.

Listings and content you post: property details and photos, job postings, marketplace listings and photos, reviews you write, and messages you send to other users through the platform (for example, a property enquiry or a marketplace message).

Payment records: HavenCampus does not process or hold rent payments itself - rent is paid directly between a student and a property owner or agent (for example, via M-Pesa). We store the payment confirmation you submit (a proof-of-payment image, the transaction code, and any reference note) so the payment can be verified in your dashboard. Vendors pay a subscription fee to sell on the marketplace; that payment is also confirmed the same way.

Usage information: which pages you visit, so we can understand how the site is used and improve it. We do not use third-party advertising trackers.

Sign-in information: if you sign in with Google, we receive your name and email address from Google to create or match your account.

We use the information above to:

provide the core service (showing you listings, letting you apply for jobs, message other users, and manage bookings); verify the identity of landlords, agents, scouts, and vendors before they can list or sell; confirm rent and subscription payments; respond to messages you send through our contact form; keep the platform safe (for example, reviewing flagged content or investigating misuse); and improve the site based on how it's actually used.

With other users, where the platform requires it: for example, a landlord sees a student's contact details once a booking is confirmed, and a buyer sees a seller's contact/WhatsApp details on a marketplace listing. Your national ID document and ID number are never shown to other users - they're only visible to HavenCampus for verification.

With service providers who help us run the platform: currently, Cloudinary (for storing and serving the photos you upload). We don't sell your personal information to anyone.

When required by law: if we're legally required to disclose information, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of HavenCampus, our users, or the public.

We keep your account information for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we remove or anonymize your personal information, except where we need to keep certain records (for example, payment confirmations) for legal, accounting, or dispute-resolution purposes.

Under Kenya's Data Protection Act, 2019, you have the right to know what personal data we hold about you, to request a copy of it, to ask us to correct inaccurate information, and to request that we delete it (subject to the retention needs described above). To exercise any of these rights, reach us through the contact page. You can also lodge a complaint with Kenya's Office of the Data Protection Commissioner.

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including encrypting passwords and restricting who at HavenCampus can access verification documents. No system is completely secure, so we can't guarantee absolute security, but we work to keep your information safe and will let you know if we become aware of a breach that affects you.

HavenCampus is intended for university and college students, and for the landlords, agents, scouts, vendors, and university partners who work with them. It is not directed at children under 18, and we don't knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18.

We use essential cookies/local storage to keep you signed in and remember your session. We don't use third-party advertising cookies.

Optional analytics are off unless you choose "Accept Cookies" on our notice. If you accept, we record activity against a random identifier stored in your browser: the pages you view and for how long, how far you scroll, hostels and searches you look at, buttons you tap (such as WhatsApp, call, enquire, book, photo gallery, 360° tour, likes, and News & Events interest or sharing), the link or campaign that brought you here, your browser language, screen size and device type, and an approximate city and country worked out from your network address. We don't store your exact location, and the network address itself is never shown in our dashboards. If you are signed in, this activity is linked to your account so our team can understand how students use the platform. Only authorised HavenCampus staff can see it, and we don't sell it. If you choose "Reject Optional Cookies", or don't answer the notice, none of this is recorded. You can change your mind at any time by clearing this site's data in your browser, which brings the notice back, or by contacting us.

We may update this policy as the platform changes. We'll update the "Last updated" date above when we do, and for significant changes we'll aim to let you know directly.

Questions about this policy or your information? Reach us through the contact page.