Privacy Policy - FellowFlats

Last updated: 23 June 2026 Effective date: [LAUNCH DATE]

⚠️ Important - read before publishing. This is a starting-point template drafted from publicly available summaries of Canadian privacy law (PIPEDA, Quebec Law 25, CASL) as of June 2026. It is not legal advice. Before going live - and especially because FellowFlats handles sensitive data (gender, age, ID/verification) and applies gender-based room rules - have a Canadian privacy lawyer review this and the Terms. Replace every [BRACKETED] placeholder. The liability disclaimers you asked for live primarily in the Terms of Service, not here; a privacy policy must accurately describe how data is actually handled and cannot disclaim away statutory privacy obligations.

FellowFlats ("FellowFlats," "we," "us," or "our") operates the website at [fellowflats domain] (the "Platform"), a marketplace that connects landlords/property owners with tenants/students seeking shared accommodation. We are committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Quebec's Law 25, and Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL).

This Privacy Policy explains what we collect, why, how we use and share it, and your rights.

1. Who we are / Privacy Officer

FellowFlats is operated by [LEGAL ENTITY NAME], located in [CITY, PROVINCE], Canada.

As required under Quebec's Law 25, we have designated a Privacy Officer responsible for our handling of personal information. You can reach them at:

• Email: [privacy@fellowflats.com]
• Mail: [MAILING ADDRESS]

2. Information we collect

a) Information you provide directly

• Account data: name, email address, password, phone number, profile photo, account role (landlord or tenant).
• Tenant profile (sensitive): gender, age or date of birth, budget, move-in date, lifestyle preferences (e.g. smoking, pets), bio, school/university, occupation.
• Landlord & listing data: property address and location, descriptions, photos, room counts and capacity, pricing, amenities, house rules, availability dates.
• Verification data (sensitive, if you choose to verify): identity or student-status documents, processed to confirm authenticity.
• Communications: messages you send to other users through the Platform, and messages you send to us (support, contact form).

b) Information collected automatically

• Device and usage data (IP address, browser type, pages viewed, actions taken).
• Cookies and similar technologies (see Section 7).

c) Information from third parties

• If you sign in with Google, we receive basic profile information (name, email) from Google.

3. Sensitive personal information & express consent

Gender, age, and identity/verification documents are treated as sensitive personal information. In line with Law 25, we collect and use this information only with your express, informed consent, given separately from other terms, and only for the purposes described below (matching, eligibility for gender-based shared rooms, and fraud prevention). You may withdraw this consent at any time, subject to the consequence that some Platform features may no longer be available to you.

4. Why we use your information (purposes)

We use personal information to:

• Create and manage your account and profile;
• Display listings and "looking for" profiles, and power search, filtering, and matching (including gender-based room eligibility where applicable);
• Facilitate booking requests and communications between landlords and tenants;
• Verify identity or student status (where you opt in) and help prevent fraud, scams, and abuse;
• Send transactional messages (e.g. verification, booking updates) - see CASL note below;
• Send marketing or promotional messages only with your consent, which you can withdraw at any time;
• Maintain security, enforce our Terms, and comply with legal obligations.

We will not use your personal information for new purposes without obtaining your consent, except where permitted or required by law.

5. How we share information

• With other users: your public profile and listing details are visible to other users so the marketplace can function. Do not include information in your profile, listing, or messages that you do not wish to be seen. Exact contact details are shared only as you choose (e.g. through in-platform messaging).
• With service providers ("processors"): we use trusted third parties to operate the Platform - hosting and database (Supabase), hosting/CDN (Vercel), email delivery (Resend), maps/geocoding (Mapbox), and (where applicable) analytics, error tracking, and identity verification. These providers process data only on our instructions.
• For legal reasons: where required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of FellowFlats, our users, or the public.
• Business transfers: in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, with notice as required by law.

We do not sell your personal information.

6. Storage, transfers, and retention

• Personal information may be stored or processed on servers located in or outside Canada (including the United States) by our service providers. Where information is transferred outside your province or country, it may be subject to the laws of that jurisdiction. We take reasonable steps to ensure comparable protection, consistent with Law 25's requirements for transfers outside Quebec.
• We retain personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described, or as required by law, and then delete or anonymize it.

7. Cookies and tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies. Strictly necessary cookies (needed to run the Platform and keep you logged in) are always active. For non-essential cookies (analytics, marketing), we ask for your explicit, opt-in consent through a cookie banner, as required by PIPEDA and Law 25. You can change your choices at any time via the cookie settings link.

8. Marketing emails (CASL)

We send commercial electronic messages only where we have your consent or where consent is implied as permitted by CASL. Every marketing message includes an unsubscribe link. Transactional messages essential to a service you requested (e.g. booking confirmations, security alerts) may still be sent.

9. Your rights

Subject to applicable law, you may:

• Access the personal information we hold about you;
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
• Withdraw consent for uses that rely on consent;
• Delete your account and associated personal information (subject to legal retention requirements);
• Data portability (Law 25) - request a copy of certain computerized personal information in a structured, commonly used format;
• Lodge a complaint with us, and with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec.

To exercise any right, contact our Privacy Officer at [privacy@fellowflats.com]. We will respond within the timeframes required by law (generally 30 days under PIPEDA).

10. Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational safeguards (encryption in transit, access controls, hosting on reputable providers) to protect personal information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a confidentiality incident / breach of security safeguards that poses a risk of significant harm, we will notify affected individuals and the relevant authorities as required by PIPEDA and Law 25, and maintain a register of incidents.

11. Children

The Platform is intended for users 18 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we learn we have done so, we will delete it.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date and, where required, communicated to you directly.

13. Contact

Questions or requests? Contact our Privacy Officer: [LEGAL ENTITY NAME] - Privacy Officer [privacy@fellowflats.com] · [MAILING ADDRESS]