Privacy Policy

Nyumba (“Nyumba”, “we”, “us”) is a rent-coordination service for landlords, agencies and tenants, operated by Totem Studio. This policy explains what we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. It applies to both the Nyumba mobile app and this website, including the web portal.

Nyumba never holds or moves your money. Rent is always paid directly between tenant and landlord. Nyumba only records that a payment was reported and confirmed — we do not process, store, or have access to your funds or full banking details.

Information we collect

We collect only what we need to run your rentals:

• Account details — your name, email and (for phone sign-in) your phone number.
• Rental records you create — properties, units, tenants, rent amounts and due dates.
• Payment records — that a payment was reported and confirmed, its amount, month and an optional reference (e.g. an M-Pesa or bank reference). We do not collect card numbers or full bank credentials.
• Device information for reliability — app version and crash/error diagnostics so we can fix problems.

How we use your information

• To provide the service — track tenants and units, send rent reminders, and let you confirm payments and issue receipts.
• To notify you — for example when a tenant joins or reports a payment.
• To keep the app working — diagnosing crashes and errors, and preventing abuse.
• To support you when you contact us.

Payments

Nyumba is fund-free. Money moves directly between tenant and landlord through their own bank or mobile-money provider. Nyumba records only that a payment was reported and confirmed — we never take custody of funds and cannot move money on your behalf.

How your data is stored and secured

Your data is stored using Google Firebase (Authentication, Cloud Firestore and Cloud Functions). Access is scoped to your own account: each user can read and write only their own records, enforced by server-side security rules. Data is encrypted in transit and at rest by the provider.

Sharing

We do not sell your data. Information is shared only as needed to run the service: a tenant you invite sees the details relevant to their own tenancy, and we use trusted infrastructure providers (such as Google Firebase) to host and process data on our behalf. We may disclose information if required by law.

Your rights

• Access and update your information from within the app or portal at any time.
• Request deletion of your account and associated data.
• Ask us any question about how your data is handled.

Data retention

We keep your records for as long as your account is active so your rental history remains available. If you delete your account, we remove your personal data, except where we must retain limited information to meet legal obligations.

Children

Nyumba is intended for adults managing or renting property and is not directed to children under 16.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date above and, where appropriate, notify you in the app.

Contact

Questions about this policy or your data? Write to us at developers.totemstudio@gmail.com.