Privacy Policy

FindHostel ("we," "our," or "us") operates as an All India hostel discovery platform. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our service.

1. Information We Collect

Account Information

• Name, email, phone number
• Business details for hostel owners
• Payment information: UPI ID, payment mandate tokens (stored securely by Razorpay, not by us)
• Bank/UPI verification status for fraud prevention

Hostel Listings

• Hostel details, photos, amenities
• Location and contact information
• Pricing and availability

Usage Data

• Pages viewed, search queries
• Device and browser information
• IP address and location (approximate)
• Analytics and performance data

2. How We Use Your Information

• Provide and improve the Service
• Process payments and subscriptions (monthly/annual plans)
• Process UPI Autopay recurring payments: ₹1 verification + recurring subscription charges
• Verify hostel authenticity: Validate payment methods to prevent fraudulent listings
• Manage 30-day free trial periods for hostel owners
• Process referral bonuses (15-day extensions)
• Send service updates, payment receipts, and renewal notifications
• Personalize search results
• Optimize AI discovery (ChatGPT, Gemini integration)
• Analyze usage and optimize performance
• Prevent fraud and abuse
• Comply with legal obligations under Indian law (IT Act 2000, DPDP Act 2023, tax laws)

3. Information Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We may share data with:

• Service Providers: Supabase (database/hosting), Cloudflare (CDN/hosting), Razorpay (payment processing & UPI Autopay mandates)
• Hostel Owners: When you inquire about a hostel (name, email, phone shared with owner)
• Students: Public hostel listing information only (no personal data)
• Legal & Compliance: When required by law, court order, or to protect rights. May share with tax authorities, law enforcement, or regulatory bodies.
• Business Transfers: In event of merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may transfer to successor entity (you will be notified).

Razorpay Payment Processing

Payment processing (including UPI Autopay mandates) is handled by Razorpay Payment Gateway. When you complete ₹1 verification or subscribe:

• Your UPI ID, bank details, and payment credentials are collected and stored by Razorpay (we never see or store sensitive payment data)
• Razorpay creates a recurring payment mandate token which we store to process future charges
• Razorpay's data handling is governed by their Privacy Policy
• We receive only transaction confirmations (payment ID, amount, status) - not card/UPI credentials

4. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:

• Encryption: TLS/SSL encryption for data in transit, AES-256 encryption for sensitive data at rest
• Payment Security: PCI-DSS compliant payment processing via Razorpay. We never store card/UPI credentials.
• Access Controls: Role-based access, multi-factor authentication for admin accounts
• Database Security: Row-level security (RLS) policies, regular security audits
• Infrastructure: Hosted on secure, SOC 2 compliant infrastructure (Supabase, Cloudflare)
• Monitoring: 24/7 security monitoring, automated threat detection

However, no method is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security. If you suspect unauthorized access, immediately change your password and notify security@dormico.in.

5. Your Rights

Under Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and IT Act, 2000, you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of your data within 30 days
• Correction: Update incorrect information via dashboard or by contacting us
• Deletion: Request account deletion (some data retained for legal compliance)
• Portability: Export your data in machine-readable format (JSON/CSV)
• Opt-out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails (transactional emails like receipts cannot be opted out)
• Cancel Autopay: Cancel UPI Autopay mandate anytime from dashboard or UPI app
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for non-essential data processing (may limit service features)
• Lodge Complaints: File complaints with our Grievance Officer or Data Protection Board of India

To exercise these rights, email privacy@findhostel.dormico.in with your request. We respond within 30 days as required by law.

6. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies for authentication, preferences, and analytics. You can control cookies through browser settings.

7. Data Retention

We retain data as long as your account is active or as needed for legal compliance:

• Active Accounts: Data retained while account active or during subscription period (including 30-day trial)
• Cancelled Accounts: Billing history retained for 7 years per Indian Income Tax Act, 1961
• Deleted Accounts: Personal data deleted within 30 days of account deletion request. Payment records retained for tax compliance.
• UPI Autopay Mandates: Mandate tokens retained until you cancel mandate or delete account. Cancelled mandates deleted within 90 days.
• Anonymous Analytics: Aggregated, anonymized data may be retained indefinitely for service improvement

8. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for children under 18. We do not knowingly collect data from minors.

9. Data Storage & Compliance

Data is stored in India and complies with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. By using the Service, you consent to data processing in accordance with Indian law.

10. Updates to Policy

We may update this Policy. Significant changes will be notified via email and/or prominent platform notice 30 days before taking effect. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance. Last updated date shown at top of this page.

11. Contact Us

For privacy questions or to exercise your rights:

• Privacy Inquiries: privacy@findhostel.dormico.in
• Data Deletion/Export: privacy@findhostel.dormico.in
• Payment/Autopay Concerns: billing@dormico.in

Registered Office Address:
Near Hi-Tech Diagnostic Centre
Palarivattom, Ernakulam
Kerala 682025, India
Phone: +91 7902299476

Grievance Officer (per IT Act, 2000 & DPDP Act, 2023):
Email: grievance@dormico.in
Response Time: 48 hours acknowledgment, 30 days resolution