Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

The Verified Host ("we," "us," or "our") operates the website https://www.theverifiedhost.com. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our property verification platform. By using our services, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Account Information

When you create an account, we collect your email address for authentication via magic link sign-in. We do not collect passwords.

2.2 Verification Documents

To issue a "Verified Host" badge, we collect and process:

• Government-issued identification (passport, national ID, or driver's license) — processed via Stripe Identity
• Proof of property ownership or authorization (deeds, utility bills, rental agreements)
• Video proof of the property — uploaded and processed via Mux
• Supporting documents and images — stored on AWS S3

Important: Identity verification is performed by Stripe Identity. We do not store raw copies of your identity documents on our own servers; we only retain the confirmation of your verified status.

2.3 Payment Information

Payment processing is handled entirely by Stripe. We do not store your credit card numbers, bank account details, or other financial information on our servers. Stripe collects and processes this data in accordance with their own privacy policy.

2.4 Usage Data

We automatically collect certain information when you visit our website, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, and the dates and times of your visits.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Verify your identity and property: Process your verification application and issue your Verified Host badge
• Manage your account: Authenticate you via email magic links, maintain your subscription status, and manage your property listings
• Create your public profile: Display your verified name, location, and verification status on your public property page
• Process payments: Manage your subscription ($9 per 6 months) through Stripe
• Communicate with you: Send transactional emails including verification updates, contact host reference codes, and account notifications via Resend
• Maintain platform integrity: Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and violations of our Terms of Service
• Improve our services: Analyze usage patterns to enhance the platform experience

4. Third-Party Services

We integrate with the following third-party services that may process your data according to their own privacy policies:

5. Cookies and Tracking

We use essential cookies required for the functioning of our platform:

• Authentication cookies: To keep you signed in and maintain your session
• Security cookies: To protect against cross-site request forgery and other threats

We do not use advertising cookies or third-party tracking pixels. We do not sell your data to advertisers.

6. Data Retention and Deletion

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide our services.

• Active accounts: Your data is retained for the duration of your subscription
• Cancelled subscriptions: Upon cancellation, your Verified Host badge and public profile are immediately removed
• Data deletion requests: You may request complete deletion of your data at any time by contacting us at hello@theverifiedhost.com. We will process deletion requests within 30 days
• Verification logs: We may retain anonymized verification logs for fraud prevention and legal compliance purposes

7. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Correction: Request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete data
• Deletion: Request that we delete your personal data (note: this will result in the removal of your badge and profile)
• Portability: Request a machine-readable copy of your data
• Objection: Object to our processing of your data in certain circumstances

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at hello@theverifiedhost.com.

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data, including encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS), secure authentication via magic links (no passwords stored), and access controls on our infrastructure. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that a child under 18 has provided us with personal data, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.

10. International Data Transfers

Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own, including the United States, where our third-party service providers operate. These transfers are necessary to provide our services and are protected by appropriate safeguards including the service providers' own privacy commitments and data protection agreements.

11. What We Do Not Collect

We want to be transparent about data we explicitly do not collect:

• Guest or traveler personal data (beyond the contact host email feature)
• Bank login credentials
• Private messages between hosts and guests
• Raw copies of identity documents (handled by Stripe Identity)
• Credit card numbers (handled by Stripe)

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. Your continued use of our services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.