Privacy, safety, and trust

Privacy Policy

The HomeBridge uses personal information to run a safer student accommodation platform: verifying users, supporting bookings, processing payments, protecting private documents, and helping students, homeowners, and agencies communicate securely.

Last reviewed: 30 September 2026

Plain English promise

  • We collect only what the platform needs to work safely.
  • Private documents are not served publicly.
  • Parent/guardian data is used only for safeguarding and booking support.

Information we collect

Account details: name, email, phone number, country, date of birth, role, password security data, and account status.
Verification documents: student proof, identity documents, host/property documents, agency registration documents, and parental consent where required.
Property details: descriptions, locations, availability, rent, deposit, amenities, rules, and media uploaded by homeowners or agencies.
Booking and payment records needed for Stripe payments, deposits, refunds, commission calculations, and payout support.
Support and communication records, including enquiries, booking messages, contact forms, and dispute-support information.
Technical data such as device/browser information, IP address, logs, cookie choices, and security events.

How we use your information

  • To create and manage student, homeowner, landlord, host, agency, and admin accounts.
  • To verify identities, review documents, approve listings, and reduce fraud or unsafe behaviour.
  • To show property listings, process enquiries, support viewings, and manage bookings.
  • To process payments, deposits, refunds, commission calculations, and payouts through approved payment providers.
  • To send verification emails, password resets, booking updates, support messages, and essential platform notices.
  • To investigate disputes, safety issues, complaints, cancellations, refunds, and suspected off-platform deals.
  • To improve the platform, fix technical problems, protect security, and comply with legal duties.

Who we share information with

We share information only where needed to operate the platform, support a booking, comply with law, or protect users.

Students, hosts, and agenciesRelevant booking and enquiry information may be shared between parties once there is a legitimate accommodation workflow.
Service providersPayment, email delivery, hosting, document review, support and security providers process information needed to provide their services. Their own privacy terms may also apply.
Optional measurement and advertisingWhen you consent, Google Analytics measures site use. A separate choice allows Meta to measure homeowner and agency signup or enquiry conversions and visits to our public supply pages, then build audiences for follow-up ads using browser identifiers. These providers also process information under their own privacy policies. Our events exclude document contents, bank details, student profile information and enquiry messages. See our Cookie Policy for providers and controls.
Legal and safety requestsWe may disclose information where required by law, court order, police request, safeguarding concern, or serious platform misuse.

Under-18 students and parent data

Students aged 16 and 17 may submit applications with the required parent or guardian consent. Paid placement is closed to under-18s until a dedicated safeguarding pathway is accepted. Parent or guardian details are stored privately and used only for the application, safeguarding, required communication, and safety or legal needs.

Parent/guardian details are not shown publicly, not used in marketing, and not shared with other users unless it is necessary for safeguarding, legal compliance, or an approved accommodation process.

Your rights and choices

  • You can ask to access, correct, or update your personal information.
  • You can request deletion where we no longer need to keep the information for legal, safety, payment, dispute, or accounting reasons.
  • You can opt out of marketing messages, while still receiving essential account and booking notices.
  • You can manage optional cookie choices through the cookie banner or your browser settings.

Security and retention

We use access controls, private document routes, secure hosting, role-based permissions, and payment providers to protect platform data. No online system is risk-free, but we work to keep data access limited to authorised people and required platform functions.

We keep records only as long as needed for platform operation, safety, legal compliance, payments, refunds, disputes, tax/accounting duties, and fraud prevention.

Cookies

Essential cookies keep the website and account features working. Optional Google Analytics and Meta advertising measurement use separate consent choices. Use Cookie settings to accept, reject or withdraw either choice at any time. The site works if you reject optional cookies. See the Cookie Policy for more detail.

Contact us

For privacy questions, data requests, safeguarding concerns, or document access questions, contact The HomeBridge support team.

info@thehomebridge.co.uk Contact page
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