Privacy Policy

At Varden Homes ("we," "us," or "our"), we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our property management platform and related services.

1. Information We Collect

Personal Information

We collect personal information that you provide directly to us, including:

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, password, and profile photo
• Identity Verification: Government-issued ID, Social Security Number (for landlord payouts and tenant screening), date of birth
• Financial Information: Bank account details, payment card information, income verification documents
• Property Information: Property addresses, unit details, rental amounts, lease terms
• Communications: Messages, support requests, and feedback you send to us or through our platform

Information Collected Automatically

When you use our Service, we automatically collect:

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
• Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, time spent on the platform, click patterns
• Location Data: General location based on IP address
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: See our Cookie Policy for details

Information from Third Parties

We may receive information from third-party services including:

• Credit Bureaus: Credit reports and scores for tenant screening (with applicant consent)
• Background Check Providers: Criminal history and eviction records
• Financial Institutions: Bank account verification through Plaid
• Property Data Providers: Public records and property information

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve our Services
• Process rent payments and other financial transactions
• Verify identities and prevent fraud
• Conduct tenant screening at landlord request
• Facilitate communication between landlords and tenants
• Send service-related notifications and updates
• Respond to customer support requests
• Analyze usage patterns to improve user experience
• Comply with legal obligations
• Enforce our Terms of Service

3. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For users in the European Economic Area, we process personal data based on:

• Contract Performance: Processing necessary to provide our Services
• Legitimate Interests: Improving our Services, preventing fraud, marketing
• Legal Obligations: Compliance with applicable laws
• Consent: Where required, such as for marketing communications

4. Information Sharing

We may share your information with:

Service Providers

• Stripe: Payment processing and identity verification
• Plaid: Bank account verification
• TransUnion/Experian: Credit and background checks
• AWS: Cloud hosting and storage
• SendGrid: Email communications

Other Users

Landlords and tenants on the same property can see relevant information about each other as necessary for the landlord-tenant relationship. This includes contact information, payment history, and maintenance requests.

Business Transfers

If Varden Homes is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required by law, legal process, or government request, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Varden Homes, our users, or others.

5. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide Services. We may retain certain information for longer periods as required by law or for legitimate business purposes, including:

• Financial records: 7 years (tax and accounting requirements)
• Lease documents: Duration of lease plus 7 years
• Tenant screening reports: 2 years or as required by FCRA
• Support communications: 3 years

6. Your Rights and Choices

All Users

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data
• Correction: Update inaccurate information in your account
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and personal data
• Data Portability: Export your data in a machine-readable format
• Marketing Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails

California Residents (CCPA)

California residents have additional rights including:

• Right to know what personal information is collected, used, and shared
• Right to delete personal information (with some exceptions)
• Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights

EEA Residents (GDPR)

EEA residents have additional rights including:

• Right to object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to withdraw consent
• Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

7. Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit (TLS 1.3) and at rest (AES-256)
• Regular security assessments and penetration testing
• Access controls and authentication requirements
• Employee security training and background checks
• Incident response procedures

For more details, see our Security page.

8. International Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:

• Standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission
• Adequacy decisions where applicable
• Data processing agreements with service providers

9. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you become aware that a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, contact us at:

For EEA residents, you may also contact our EU representative at: eu-rep@vardenhomes.com