Effective Date: February 6, 2025

This Privacy Policy describes how StudentAccommodationZA.com (hereinafter “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and shares personal information of users (“you”) of our website, StudentAccommodationZA.com (the “Site”). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information.

1. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of information:

  • Information You Provide Directly:
    • Account Information: When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, password, and possibly phone number.
    • Profile Information: You may choose to provide additional information in your profile, such as your university, field of study, year of study, interests, and a profile picture.
    • Accommodation Search Information: When you search for accommodation, we collect your search criteria, such as location, price range, and preferred amenities.
    • Contact Information: If you contact us with inquiries or support requests, we collect your name, email address, and any other information you provide in your communication.
    • Accommodation Listing Information (for Landlords/Property Managers): If you list a property on our site, we collect your name, contact details, property address, property details, photos, pricing, and other relevant information about the accommodation.
  • Information We Collect Automatically:
    • Log Data: We automatically collect certain information when you access or use our Site, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, and the dates/times of your visits.
    • Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies, web beacons, and other similar technologies to collect information about your browsing activity on our Site. This information may include your preferences, search history, and other usage data.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

  • Providing and Improving Our Services:
    • To operate and maintain our Site.
    • To personalize your experience on our Site.
    • To provide you with relevant accommodation listings.
    • To improve our Site and develop new features.
  • Communication:
    • To respond to your inquiries and support requests.
    • To send you important notices and updates about our Site.
    • To send you promotional emails and newsletters (you can opt-out at any time).
  • Account Management:
    • To manage your account and profile.
    • To process your accommodation listings (for landlords/property managers).
  • Analytics:
    • To analyze how users interact with our Site.
    • To track the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns.
  • Security:
    • To protect our Site and users from fraud and abuse.
    • To enforce our Terms of Service.

3. How We Share Your Information

We may share your information with the following categories of recipients:

  • Accommodation Providers: We share your contact information and search criteria with accommodation providers when you express interest in a listing.
  • Service Providers: We share your information with third-party service providers who assist us with website hosting, data analytics, email marketing, and other services. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information.
  • Legal Authorities: We may disclose your information to legal authorities if required by law or legal process, or if we believe that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, property, or safety, or the rights, property, or safety of others.
  • Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring company.
  • Aggregated and Anonymized Data: We may share aggregated and anonymized data with third parties for marketing, research, or other purposes. This data does not identify you personally.

4. Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

  • Access: You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you.
  • Correction: You have the right to correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information we hold about you.
  • Deletion: You have the right to request that we delete your personal information (subject to certain exceptions).
  • Objection: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information for certain purposes, such as direct marketing.
  • Restriction of Processing: You have the right to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
  • Data Portability: You have the right to receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to transmit it to another controller.

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the contact information provided below. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe (typically, within the timeframes specified by POPIA).

5. Data Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. These measures include:

  • Using encryption to protect your personal information during transmission.
  • Storing your personal information on secure servers.
  • Implementing access controls to restrict access to your personal information.
  • Regularly monitoring our systems for security vulnerabilities.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the absolute security of your personal information.

6. Data Retention

We will retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. When we no longer need your personal information, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

7. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your browsing activity on our Site. You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect your ability to use certain features of our Site.

8. Third-Party Links

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party websites or services. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of these third parties before providing them with your personal information.

9. Children’s Privacy

Our Site is not intended for children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under the age of 18, we will take steps to delete that information.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post any changes on our Site and update the “Effective Date” at the top of this policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Your continued use of our Site after the posting of changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

[Your Company Name/Legal Entity Name]
[Your Physical Address (if applicable)]
[Your Email Address]

12. POPIA Compliance (South Africa)

We are committed to complying with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) in South Africa. We process personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner. We take appropriate measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator if you believe that we have violated your rights under POPIA. The Information Regulator’s contact details are available on their website.

Important Considerations and Next Steps:

  • Consult a Lawyer: A South African lawyer specializing in data protection is essential. They can tailor this template to your specific business operations and ensure compliance with POPIA.
  • POPIA Training: Ensure your staff who handle personal information are trained on POPIA principles and your company’s privacy policies.
  • Information Officer: You are required to appoint and register an Information Officer with the Information Regulator.
  • Cookie Consent: Implement a clear and user-friendly cookie consent banner on your website to obtain consent for the use of cookies. Provide users with the ability to manage their cookie preferences.
  • Data Processing Agreements: If you use third-party service providers who process personal information on your behalf, ensure you have data processing agreements in place that comply with POPIA.
  • Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs): Conduct PIAs for any new projects or initiatives that involve the processing of personal information.
  • Keep it Updated: Review and update your Privacy Policy regularly to ensure it remains accurate and reflects your current data processing practices.
  • Easy to Understand: Use clear and plain language in your Privacy Policy so that it is easy for users to understand.

By taking these steps, you can help ensure that your website complies with South African law and protects the privacy of your users. Good luck!