Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 2026

1. Introduction

Dwelns ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your personal data. This policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, and your rights under the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) and applicable law. By using Dwelns you agree to this policy.

2. Data we collect

We collect the following categories of personal data:

a) Identity data

Full name, preferred name, date of account creation, and user role (guest or host). During identity verification (KYC) we collect your National Identification Number (NIN), a scan or photo of your government-issued ID, and a selfie photograph holding that ID.

b) Contact data

Email address, phone number, and — where you choose to provide it — an emergency contact name and phone number.

c) Profile data

Biography, job or work title, home city, languages spoken, and profile photo. These fields are optional and visible to other users on the platform.

d) Financial data

For guests: booking amounts, service fees, cleaning fees, payment references, and payment status. For hosts: bank account details (bank name, bank code, 10-digit NUBAN account number, and account holder name) used solely to process payouts; payout history including amounts, dates, and transfer references.

e) Property and listing data

For hosts: property address, city, state, country, coordinates, property type, description, photos, pricing, amenities, and availability. This data is publicly visible on the platform.

f) Booking data

Check-in and check-out dates, number of guests, special requests, pricing breakdown, booking status, and cancellation details.

g) Communications data

Messages exchanged between guests and hosts on the Dwelns platform, including message content, timestamps, and any attachments sent through the messaging system.

h) Reviews and ratings

Review text, overall and category ratings (cleanliness, accuracy, communication, location, check-in, value), and host replies submitted after a stay.

i) Behavioural and usage data

Properties you have saved to wishlists, recently viewed properties, booking history, and profile completion status. Authentication tokens (JWTs) are stored in your browser's local storage to keep you logged in.

j) Notification preferences

Your choices about receiving email, SMS, and push notifications for bookings, messages, reviews, payouts, and marketing.

k) Co-host data

If you invite or are invited as a co-host, we collect and share relevant details — including name, email, commission percentage, and permissions — between the host and co-host.

3. Why we collect your data

To create and manage your account
To process bookings and payments securely
To verify your identity and prevent fraud (KYC)
To facilitate communication between guests and hosts
To process host payouts to bank accounts
To display property listings to prospective guests
To send you notifications about your bookings, messages, and account
To improve our platform and personalise your experience
To comply with legal and regulatory obligations

4. Identity verification (KYC)

We are required to verify the identity of hosts before they can receive payouts. This involves collecting your NIN, a government-issued ID scan, and a selfie. This data is processed securely, accessed only by authorised Dwelns staff for verification purposes, and is not shared with third parties except where required by law. KYC documents are stored with encryption and retained for the duration your account is active and for any legally required period thereafter.

5. Payments and financial data

All payment transactions — including card charges and bank transfers — are processed by Paystack. Dwelns does not store your card details; these are handled entirely by Paystack and governed by their privacy policy.

For host payouts, you provide your bank account details (bank name and account number) directly in the Dwelns platform. We store this information on our own servers encrypted at rest, and we share it with Paystack solely to create a payout recipient and transfer funds to you. Both Dwelns and Paystack hold this data. We do not use your bank account details for any purpose other than processing your payouts.

6. Sharing your data

We share personal data only where necessary:

Between guests and hosts — name and contact details are shared after a booking is confirmed to enable check-in.
Co-hosts — hosts may share relevant booking and guest details with their assigned co-hosts.
Paystack — payment and payout processing.
Legal authorities — where required by Nigerian law or a valid court order.

We do not sell your personal data.

7. Data retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active. If you close your account, we retain data for up to 7 years to comply with financial record-keeping requirements under Nigerian law, after which it is securely deleted. KYC documents may be retained for longer where required by regulation.

8. Your rights (NDPR)

Under the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, you have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you
Correct inaccurate data
Request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention obligations)
Object to or restrict certain processing
Withdraw consent for marketing communications at any time
Receive a copy of your data in a portable format

To exercise any of these rights, email us at hello@dwelns.com.

9. Cookies and local storage

We use browser local storage to keep you logged in via authentication tokens. We may also use cookies for session management and to understand how users navigate the platform. You can clear local storage or cookies through your browser settings, which will log you out.

10. Security

We use encryption at rest and in transit, strict access controls, and regular security reviews to protect your data. KYC documents and bank account details receive additional layers of protection. In the event of a data breach that affects your rights, we will notify you as required by law.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when our practices change or when the law requires it. We will notify you by email or a prominent notice on the platform at least 14 days before material changes take effect.

12. Contact

For any questions, data requests, or concerns about this policy, contact our Data Protection team at hello@dwelns.com.