Introduction
HomeLands ("we", "our", "us") respects your privacy. This policy explains what information we collect when you use the HomeLands mobile application and website, how we use it, who we share it with, how long we keep it, and the choices and rights you have. HomeLands is operated from the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Information we collect
Information you provide
- Account details: your name, email address, phone number, and role (client, owner, or legal reviewer).
- Profile information such as a display name or photo, if you add one.
- Listing content if you are an owner: property photos, descriptions, price, and the address and map location you select.
- Ownership and identity documents you upload for verification, for example a Certificate of Occupancy, deed of assignment, survey plan, or company registration (CAC) documents, together with the Listing Representation Agreement you sign in the app, including the signature you draw.
- Communications: booking requests, messages, reviews, and any emails you send to support.
Information collected automatically
- Activity: which listings you view, which you save, and the bookings and viewings you create.
- Device and technical data: a push notification token, device model, operating system, app version, IP address, and an approximate region derived from it.
- On the website, essential local storage needed for the site to function. We do not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.
Payment information
Payments are processed by our payment provider, Paystack. Card and bank details are entered with Paystack and are not stored on our servers. We receive the transaction reference, amount, and status so we can confirm a payment and settle the owner.
How we use your information
- To run the marketplace: show relevant listings, connect clients and owners, and enable viewing calls.
- To verify that a listed property genuinely belongs to the person listing it, through our legal review process.
- To process payments and to settle owners (the owner receives 95% of the agreed amount and HomeLands retains a 5% commission).
- To send notifications you opted into. You can change these at any time in Settings, Notifications.
- To detect, prevent, and investigate fraud and abuse.
- To meet legal, tax, and regulatory obligations.
- To maintain security and to improve the product over time.
Who we share data with
We share data only with the service providers we rely on to operate HomeLands, and only as needed for them to perform their function:
- Google Cloud Platform: storage of images, documents, and signed contracts, and hosting of our backend (primary region Europe West).
- MongoDB Atlas: our primary application database.
- Firebase: authentication and delivery of push notifications. If you choose to sign in with Google, Google processes that sign in.
- Google Maps Platform: address search, map selection, and Street View previews for listing locations.
- Agora: the technology that powers viewing calls. We do not record calls.
- Paystack: payment processing and owner payouts.
- Email delivery through our workspace email provider.
- Our authorised legal reviewers, who see a listing and its ownership documents solely to verify it before it goes live.
- Law enforcement, regulators, or courts where we are legally required to do so.
We do not sell your personal data and we do not use it for third-party advertising.
International transfers
Some of the providers above store or process data on servers outside Nigeria, including in the European Union and the United Kingdom. Where data is transferred internationally we rely on the safeguards offered by those providers and on applicable data protection law.
How long we keep data
We keep your personal data while your account is active. When you delete your account we remove your profile and content as described on our Account and Data Deletion page. Records of completed transactions and signed agreements, and the minimum information we need to meet tax, financial, anti-fraud, and other legal obligations, are retained for the period required by applicable Nigerian law and then deleted or anonymised. Backups are purged on a rolling cycle.
How we protect data
Data is encrypted in transit using HTTPS. Documents and images are held in private storage and served only through short-lived signed links. Access to personal data is restricted to the people and services that need it. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to protect your information and to address issues promptly.
Your rights and choices
- Access: request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Correction: ask us to fix data that is inaccurate.
- Deletion: ask us to delete your account and data. See the Account and Data Deletion page for how to do this in the app or by email.
- Objection and withdrawal: withdraw consent or object to certain processing, including opting out of notifications.
- Complaint: lodge a complaint with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission if you believe your rights have been breached.
Children
HomeLands is intended for adults. The service is not directed to anyone under 18 and you must be at least 18 to create an account.
Changes to this policy
We will update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will change the "last updated" date above and, for material changes, notify you in the app.
Contact us
For any privacy question or request, contact us at privacy@homelandsng.com.