Privacy policy
Student Home Sorted helps University of Exeter students find a house and housemates. This page explains what we collect, why, who can see it, and how to have it deleted.
Who we are
Student Home Sorted is run by Elijah Ansah, a student at the University of Exeter, who is the data controller for the information described here. Contact: hello@studenthomesorted.co.uk.
What we collect, and why
| What | Why | Who can see it |
|---|---|---|
| Your uni email, when you sign in | To check you're an Exeter student, to email you sign-in codes, and to send a weekly round-up of new houses and your group's news (only when there's something new; turn it off under You, or with the link in any email) | Only us |
| Your profile: name, year, course, campus, what you're looking for, budget, preferred area, a short bio, your Instagram handle, a photo and lifestyle tags. Your first name and Instagram are needed to join or start a group; the rest is optional | So other students can find you as a housemate, and so everyone in a group knows who they'll be living with | Other signed-in Exeter students. You can hide it or delete it any time |
| Groups: your first name, Instagram handle and photo, the group name, houses you save and vote on, and notes you write | So your group can shortlist together | Only people in your group. If you make the group public, other signed-in students see its name, description, budget, open spaces, and members' photos and initials |
| Reviews you write: rating, text, year you lived there | To help other students | Everyone. Your name isn't shown |
| Houses you add | To show them to other students | Everyone |
| Reports you send | So we can fix or remove a problem | Only us and you. The person reported isn't told who reported them |
| Alerts you set up | To email you when new houses match your search | Only us and you |
| Usage statistics: page visits, searches, saves, groups created and clicks through to letting agents | To see what's working, and to tell letting agents how many students their listings reach (as totals only) | Only us. See below |
Our statistics don't identify you
Each record holds the action (for example "clicked through to Gillams Properties"), the house involved, and a random code that lasts only until you close your browser tab. We also note roughly where the visit came from (for example "Instagram" or "Google"), the type of device (phone or computer) and whether this browser has visited before. We don't store your name or email with them, we don't use cookies for them, and we can't follow you from one visit to the next. Agents only ever see totals, such as "140 clicks in October".
We may also count page views with GoatCounter, a privacy-friendly counter that uses no cookies and doesn't track you across sites or store your IP address.
Match scores
When you look at People or your group, the app works out a match score between you and other students from things on your profiles (budget, house size, campus, move-in date, favourite area and lifestyle tags). It's worked out on your own device each time and isn't stored. It's only a rough guide: nobody is ranked out, hidden or refused anything because of it, and you can ignore it.
Your group's budget filter uses the lowest budget anyone in the group has set. Other members see that number, but not whose budget it is.
Stored on your own device
Your settings, filters and saved houses are kept in your browser so the app remembers them. If you sign in, your browser also keeps your sign-in session so you stay signed in. Both are needed for the app to work, and neither is used for advertising or tracking. Clearing your browser data removes them.
Our legal basis
- Providing the service you asked for: signing you in, running your groups, profiles, reviews and alerts.
- Consent: what you choose to publish on your profile. Delete it whenever you like.
- Legitimate interests: anonymous usage statistics, keeping the service safe, and dealing with reports.
Companies that help us run it
| Company | What they do | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Supabase | Database and sign-in | London, UK |
| Netlify | Hosts the website (sees visitors' IP addresses in its logs) | USA |
| Resend | Sends sign-in and alert emails | USA |
| Google Fonts | Supplies the typeface (sees your IP address when the font loads) | USA |
| OpenStreetMap | Supplies the street map images (sees your IP address when the map loads) | UK and EU |
Where information leaves the UK, we rely on the safeguards UK law requires, such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or the UK–US data bridge.
When you click through to a letting agent, you're on their website, and their privacy policy applies.
How long we keep it
- Profiles stop showing to other students after 45 days without an update. You can delete yours from the app at any time.
- Your account stays until you delete it. You can do that yourself in the app (You > Account > Delete my account): it removes your profile, alerts, reviews, houses you added, your place in any group and your login straight away. Or email us and we'll do it.
- Usage statistics: 24 months, then deleted.
- Reports: 12 months after they're resolved.
Your rights
You can ask us for a copy of your data, or ask us to correct it, delete it, restrict how we use it, or stop using it. You can also object to how we use it. Email hello@studenthomesorted.co.uk and we'll reply within one month.
If you're unhappy with how we've handled your information, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.
Changes
If we change this policy in a way that matters, we'll say so in the app. The date at the top shows when it last changed.