Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes how TamilArasi Technologies ("RentEase", "we", "our", or "us") collects, uses, shares, protects, and otherwise processes your personal data through our website https://renteaseapp.com and our mobile application (collectively, the "Platform"). This policy is compliant with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 and the Information Technology Act, 2000.

We do not offer any product or service under this Platform outside India and your personal data will primarily be stored and processed in India. By using the Platform, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use or access the Platform.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal data:

a) Account & Profile Information

• Phone number (mandatory, used for OTP-based authentication)
• Name, email address, city, address, and pincode (optional)
• Profile photo (optional)
• Language preference (English, Tamil, Hindi, or Kannada)
• User role (Owner, Co-Owner, Manager, or Tenant)

b) KYC / Identity Verification Data

• Aadhaar number (stored in masked form — only last 4 digits retained)
• PAN number and verification status
• Date of birth, gender, and address (as received from Aadhaar eKYC)
• Consent records (timestamp and status of consent given)

c) Payment & Financial Data

• Rent payment amounts, dates, and transaction references (UPI reference, UTR numbers)
• Payment method (UPI, NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, Cash)
• Bank account details and UPI IDs (stored securely for landlord payout configuration)
• Payment gateway order IDs and settlement status
• We do not store full credit/debit card numbers

d) Property & Lease Data

• Property name, address, city, pincode, and type
• Rent amount, deposit amount, lease duration, and due dates
• Agreement content, signatures, and signed PDF documents

e) Device & Technical Data

• Device type, operating system, and app version
• Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) tokens for push notifications
• Anonymous usage analytics

f) Communication Data

• WhatsApp and SMS message delivery status
• In-app notification records

3. How We Use Your Data

• To authenticate your identity via OTP (WhatsApp or SMS)
• To provide property management, rent tracking, and lease management features
• To facilitate online rent collection and payment processing via Cashfree
• To perform tenant verification (Aadhaar eKYC and PAN) with your explicit consent
• To generate state-compliant rental agreements and facilitate OTP-based e-signatures
• To send automated WhatsApp and SMS notifications — rent reminders, payment receipts, KYC invitations, agreement requests, and expiry alerts
• To deliver push notifications about payment and property updates
• To generate payment receipts and financial reports
• To detect and prevent fraud, errors, and unauthorised access
• To improve the Platform through anonymous, aggregated analytics
• To comply with legal and regulatory obligations

4. Data Sharing

We share your data only with the following third-party service providers, strictly for the purposes described:

• Cashfree Payments: For UPI/card payment processing and settlement to landlord bank accounts.
• Cashfree Identity: For Aadhaar eKYC and PAN verification during tenant verification.
• MSG91: For WhatsApp message and SMS delivery (OTPs, rent reminders, receipts, notifications).
• Google Firebase: For cloud infrastructure, push notifications, and data storage.

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal data to third parties for marketing purposes. We may disclose personal data to government agencies or law enforcement if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of our users or the public.

5. Data Storage & Security

• Your data is stored on Google Cloud / Firebase infrastructure with enterprise-grade security.
• All data is encrypted in transit (TLS) and at rest.
• Aadhaar numbers are stored in masked form — full Aadhaar numbers are never retained on our servers.
• OTP codes are time-limited (5–10 minutes validity) and rate-limited (maximum 5 per hour per phone number).
• Webhook communications are verified using HMAC-SHA256 signature validation.
• Access to production data is restricted to authorised personnel only.

However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. Users are responsible for keeping their login credentials confidential.

6. Data Retention & Deletion

• Personal data is retained for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services.
• Financial and payment records are retained for 7 years as required by Indian tax laws.
• KYC verification records are retained for 5 years.
• You may delete your account through the Platform settings. Upon deletion, personal data is permanently erased within 90 days, except where retention is required by law.
• Account deletion may be delayed if there are pending transactions, disputes, or grievances.
• We may retain anonymised data for analytical and research purposes.

7. Your Rights (DPDP Act 2023)

Under the DPDP Act, 2023, you have the right to:

• Access your personal data and know how it is being processed.
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data through the Platform settings.
• Erase your personal data (right to be forgotten) by deleting your account.
• Withdraw consent for data processing at any time.
• Nominate a person to exercise your rights in case of death or incapacity.
• Lodge a grievance with our Grievance Officer or the Data Protection Board of India.

8. Consent

By using the Platform or providing your information, you consent to the collection, use, storage, and processing of your data as described in this Privacy Policy. You consent to receive transactional communications via SMS, WhatsApp, push notifications, and email for the purposes specified in this policy. You may withdraw consent at any time by writing to our Grievance Officer with the subject line "Withdrawal of consent for processing personal data". Withdrawal of consent will not be retrospective and may limit your ability to use certain features of the Platform.

9. Cookies & Tracking

The Platform may use cookies and similar technologies for session management and anonymous analytics. You may disable cookies through your browser settings, but this may affect the functionality of the Platform.

10. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Significant changes will be notified via the Platform or through WhatsApp/SMS. Please review this policy periodically. Continued use of the Platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Grievance Officer