Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to OnsStay ("we," "our," or "us"). OnsStay operates a holiday home rental platform connecting property owners ("Hosts") with travelers ("Guests") seeking short-term accommodations in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.

This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website onsstay.com, use our mobile applications, or engage with our services in any manner.

By accessing or using our services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

We collect information you voluntarily provide when using our services:

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, date of birth, and profile photo
• Identity Verification: Government-issued ID, passport, or Emirates ID for verification purposes
• Payment Information: Credit/debit card details, bank account information, billing address
• Property Information (Hosts): Property details, photos, amenities, pricing, and availability
• Communications: Messages between hosts and guests, support inquiries, and feedback
• Reviews and Ratings: Reviews you leave for properties or guests

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you access our services, we automatically collect:

• Device Information: Device type, operating system, browser type, unique device identifiers
• Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, search queries, booking history
• Location Data: IP address, GPS data (with consent), timezone
• Cookies and Tracking: See our Cookie Policy for details

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information from:

• Social media platforms when you connect your account
• Payment processors for transaction verification
• Identity verification services
• Background check providers (for hosts)
• Marketing partners and analytics providers

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

3.1 Service Provision

• Process bookings and payments
• Facilitate communication between hosts and guests
• Provide customer support
• Send booking confirmations and updates
• Enable reviews and ratings

3.2 Safety and Security

• Verify user identities
• Detect and prevent fraud
• Enforce our Terms of Service
• Protect the safety of our community
• Comply with legal obligations

3.3 Improvement and Personalization

• Analyze usage patterns to improve our services
• Personalize your experience and recommendations
• Develop new features and services
• Conduct research and analytics

3.4 Marketing and Communications

• Send promotional offers and newsletters (with consent)
• Provide relevant advertisements
• Communicate about policy updates

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

4.1 With Other Users

When you make a booking, certain information is shared with hosts (and vice versa) to facilitate the reservation, including name, profile photo, and booking details.

4.2 With Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in:

• Payment processing (Stripe, Network International)
• Identity verification
• Customer support
• Analytics and marketing
• Cloud hosting and data storage

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information when required by law, including:

• Compliance with UAE regulations and DTCM requirements
• Response to legal processes or government requests
• Protection of our rights, privacy, safety, or property
• Investigation of potential violations

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of the transaction. We will notify you of any such change.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

Our security measures include:

• SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission
• Encrypted storage of sensitive data
• Regular security assessments and audits
• Access controls and authentication measures
• Employee training on data protection
• Incident response procedures

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but are committed to implementing industry-standard protections.

6. Data Retention

We 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 by law.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

7.1 Access and Portability

You can request a copy of your personal data in a structured, commonly used format.

7.2 Correction

You can update or correct inaccurate information through your account settings or by contacting us.

7.3 Deletion

You can request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements.

7.4 Restriction and Objection

You can request restriction of processing or object to certain uses of your data.

7.5 Withdraw Consent

Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

7.6 Marketing Opt-Out

You can opt out of marketing communications by clicking "unsubscribe" in our emails or adjusting your notification preferences in your account.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected].

8. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have different data protection laws.

When we transfer data internationally, we implement appropriate safeguards including:

• Standard contractual clauses approved by relevant authorities
• Data processing agreements with service providers
• Compliance with applicable data protection frameworks

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on our website
• Sending an email notification to registered users
• Displaying a prominent notice on our platform

We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our services after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days. For urgent matters, please contact our support team at [email protected].