Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to RU Renting LLC ("RU Renting," "we," "us," or "our"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website rurenting.com and use our services (collectively, the "Service").

This Privacy Policy applies to all users of the Service, including students seeking housing, students seeking roommates, landlords and property managers listing properties, and visitors browsing the Service.

By using the Service, you consent to the data practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the practices described herein, please do not use the Service.

2. Information We Collect

Information You Provide - Students

• Account Information: Name, email address, and profile picture from Google sign-in
• Profile Information: Phone number, graduation year, major, gender, and bio
• Housing Preferences: Budget range, preferred campus areas, lease length preferences
• Roommate Preferences: Lifestyle preferences (cleanliness, noise level, sleep schedule, study habits, smoking, drinking, pets)
• Sublease Listings: Property details, photos, pricing, availability dates, and contact information
• Communications: Messages sent to other users and our support team

Information You Provide - Landlords

• Account Information: Name, email address, and profile picture from Google sign-in
• Business Information: Company name (if applicable), business address, phone number
• Verification Information: Government-issued ID, proof of property ownership or management authorization
• Property Listings: Property addresses, descriptions, photos, pricing, amenities, availability, and lease terms
• Financial Information: Payment information for premium listing services (processed by third-party payment processors)
• Communications: Messages with prospective tenants and our support team

Information Collected Automatically

• Device Information: Device type, operating system, browser type, unique device identifiers
• Log Information: IP address, access times, pages viewed, referring URLs
• Location Information: General location based on IP address (we do not collect precise GPS location)
• Usage Information: Features used, searches performed, listings viewed, interactions with other users
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: Data collected through cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Provide Services: To operate and enhance our platform, connecting students with housing and roommates
• Account Management: To create and manage your account, verify your identity, and provide customer support
• Facilitate Connections: To enable communication between students, roommates, and landlords
• Landlord Verification: To verify landlord identity and property ownership/authorization
• Communications: To send service notifications, updates, and marketing communications (if opted in)
• Personalization: To show you relevant listings, roommate matches, and content based on your preferences
• Analytics: To analyze usage patterns, improve the Service, and develop new features
• Safety and Security: To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and violations of our Terms of Service
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes

4. Information Sharing

We do not sell your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

• With Landlords/Property Owners: When you inquire about a listing, schedule a showing, or express interest in a property, we share your contact information and relevant profile information with the landlord
• With Other Students: When using roommate matching features, your profile information and preferences are visible to other users seeking roommates. You control what information is displayed in your public profile
• With Students (for Landlords): Your property listings and business contact information are publicly visible to students browsing the Service
• Service Providers: Third-party vendors who assist our operations (hosting, analytics, payment processing, email delivery). These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, subpoena, court order, or other legal process, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or sale of all or a portion of our assets
• With Your Consent: When you have given us explicit consent to share your information

5. Public Information

Certain information you provide may be publicly visible on the Service:

• Roommate Profiles: If you opt into roommate matching, your profile (including name, photo, major, graduation year, bio, and lifestyle preferences) is visible to other users seeking roommates
• Sublease Listings: If you post a sublease, your listing details and contact information are publicly visible
• Landlord Listings: Property listings, including photos, descriptions, pricing, and landlord contact information, are publicly visible

Please be thoughtful about what information you choose to make public. You can adjust your privacy settings or remove listings at any time through your account settings.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information, including:

• SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit
• Secure OAuth 2.0 authentication through Google
• Encrypted storage for sensitive data
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Access controls limiting employee access to personal information
• Monitoring for suspicious activity and unauthorized access attempts

No method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. Specific retention periods include:

• Active Accounts: Information retained while your account remains active
• Inactive Accounts: We may delete accounts that have been inactive for more than 24 months
• Deleted Accounts: When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days
• Listings: Expired or removed listings are deleted within 90 days
• Legal Holds: We may retain information longer if required for legal proceedings or compliance

Some information may be retained in backup systems for a limited period after deletion.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your browsing activities:

• Essential Cookies: Required for the Service to function properly (authentication, security, load balancing)
• Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings (language, region, display preferences)
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with the Service (pages visited, features used, errors encountered)
• Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements (only if you have opted in)

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Service.

9. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request access to your personal data and receive a copy in a portable format
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to certain exceptions)
• Restriction: Request restriction of processing of your personal data
• Objection: Object to processing of your personal data for certain purposes
• Opt-Out: Opt out of marketing communications at any time by clicking "unsubscribe" in emails or updating your account settings
• Withdraw Consent: Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@rurenting.com. We will respond within 30 days (or as required by applicable law). We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

10. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to Know: The right to know what personal information we collect, use, disclose, and sell
• Right to Delete: The right to request deletion of your personal information
• Right to Opt-Out: The right to opt out of the sale of your personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to Non-Discrimination: The right to not be discriminated against for exercising your privacy rights

To make a request, contact us at privacy@rurenting.com or call us. You may designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf.

Categories of Personal Information

In the past 12 months, we have collected the following categories of personal information:

• Identifiers (name, email, phone number, IP address)
• Personal information under California Civil Code Section 1798.80 (name, address, phone number)
• Characteristics of protected classifications (gender, if provided)
• Commercial information (transaction history, if applicable)
• Internet or network activity (browsing history, search history, interactions with our Service)
• Geolocation data (general location based on IP address)
• Professional or employment-related information (for landlords)
• Education information (graduation year, major)
• Inferences drawn from the above (preferences, characteristics)

11. New Jersey Privacy Rights

If you are a New Jersey resident, you may have additional rights under New Jersey law. We comply with all applicable New Jersey privacy laws and regulations. To exercise any rights or for questions about how we handle New Jersey residents' data, contact us at privacy@rurenting.com.

12. Third-Party Services

The Service may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with third-party services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you use. Third-party services we use include:

• Google: For authentication (Google Sign-In)
• Cloudinary: For image hosting and processing
• MongoDB: For database services
• Analytics providers: For usage analytics

13. Children's Privacy

The Service is not intended for users under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@rurenting.com. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 18, we will delete that information as quickly as possible.

14. International Users

The Service is operated in the United States and intended for users in the United States. If you are accessing the Service from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located. By using the Service, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States.

15. Do Not Track Signals

Some web browsers transmit "Do Not Track" signals to websites. Because uniform standards for "Do Not Track" signals have not been adopted, RU Renting does not currently process or respond to "Do Not Track" signals.

16. Disclosure Without Consent

We may collect, use, or disclose your personal information without your knowledge or consent in limited circumstances, including:

• When the collection, use, or disclosure is permitted or required by law
• In an emergency that threatens an individual's life, health, or personal security
• When the personal information is available from a public source
• When we require legal advice from an attorney
• To protect RU Renting, our users, or the public from fraud or illegal activity
• To comply with a court order, subpoena, or other legal process
• To enforce our Terms of Service or protect our rights and property

17. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. For significant changes, we may also send you an email notification. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the Service after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

18. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, our data practices, or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us:

We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days.

Updating or Deleting Your Information

If you wish to stop receiving communications from us, update your personal information, or request deletion of your data, you may do so by: (1) adjusting your account settings, (2) clicking "unsubscribe" in any marketing email, or (3) contacting us at privacy@rurenting.com. Please note that deletion of your personal information does not ensure complete and comprehensive removal from all backup systems, and some information may be retained as required by law.