Privacy Policy
How we collect, use and protect your personal information.
1. Who We Are
Homsema Real Estate is a real estate marketplace registered in Kenya, operating at homsema.com. Our Data Controller contact is info@homsema.com.
2. Data We Collect
| Category | Data collected | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Account data | Name, email address, phone number, password (hashed) | To create and manage your account |
| Profile data | Photo, bio, location, agency name, professional details | To display your public profile |
| Payment data | M-Pesa phone number, transaction reference, amount paid | To process subscriptions and generate invoices |
| Listing data | Property details, photos, documents, coordinates | To display listings on the Platform |
| Usage data | Login timestamps, pages visited, IP address | For security, fraud prevention and analytics |
| Communications | Messages, enquiries, support requests | To facilitate contact between Users |
We do not collect M-Pesa PINs or bank card details. All payment processing is handled by Safaricom M-Pesa.
3. How We Use Your Data
- To provide and improve the Platform and its features.
- To process payments and send invoices and receipts.
- To send service-related emails (email verification, password resets, invoice reminders).
- To display your listings and profile to other Users.
- To detect and prevent fraud or misuse of the Platform.
- To comply with our legal obligations under Kenyan law.
We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We do not serve advertisements based on your personal data.
4. Legal Basis for Processing
- Contract performance — processing necessary to provide the service you signed up for.
- Legitimate interests — fraud prevention, security, analytics.
- Legal obligation — compliance with Kenyan tax and financial regulations.
- Consent — where you have opted in to marketing communications.
5. Data Retention
We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as required by law. Specifically:
- Account data: retained for the life of your account + 2 years after closure.
- Payment records: retained for 7 years as required by Kenyan tax law.
- Support communications: 3 years after resolution.
You may request deletion of your data at any time (subject to legal retention requirements) by emailing info@homsema.com.
6. Your Rights
Under the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019, you have the following rights:
To exercise any of these rights, email info@homsema.com. We will respond within 30 days.
7. Data Sharing
We share your data only with:
- Safaricom M-Pesa — for payment processing (phone number and amount only).
- Email service providers — to deliver transactional emails.
- Other Users — your public profile and listings are visible to all Platform Users.
- Law enforcement — where required by a valid Kenyan court order or legal obligation.
We do not transfer your data outside Kenya except where necessary for the above (e.g. email delivery servers). Where transfers occur, we ensure adequate protections are in place.
8. Security
We protect your data using:
- HTTPS encryption for all data in transit.
- Bcrypt password hashing — we never store plain-text passwords.
- Database access controls and regular security reviews.
- Activity logging to detect suspicious access patterns.
Despite these measures, no system is 100% secure. If you suspect your account has been compromised, contact us immediately.
9. Cookies
We use session cookies (essential for login functionality) and do not currently use third-party tracking cookies. Session cookies expire when you close your browser. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but this will prevent you from logging in.
10. Children's Privacy
The Platform is not directed at persons under 18. We do not knowingly collect data from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, contact us immediately for deletion.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify registered Users by email before material changes take effect. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page indicates the most recent revision.