Privacy Policy

Last updated: November 11, 2025

Rent Mouse ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our property management platform and services.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information You Provide

When you register for and use Rent Mouse, we collect the following types of information:

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, password, and authentication credentials
• Profile Information: Business name, organization details, role within organization
• Property Information: Property addresses, unit details, lease agreements, rental terms
• Tenant Information: Tenant names, contact information, employment details, rental history, emergency contacts
• Financial Information: Bank account information, payment methods, transaction history, rent payment records, platform fees, processing fees, founding member status
• Payment Card Information: Credit/debit card numbers, CVV, expiration dates (processed securely through our payment processor Stripe)
• Portfolio Information: Number of units managed, property count, pricing tier qualification, account creation date for founding member determination
• Identity Verification: Government-issued ID, driver's license, social security number (when required for credit checks or verification)
• Communication Data: Messages, support tickets, feedback, and correspondence with our team
• Documents: Lease agreements, maintenance requests, invoices, receipts, insurance documents

1.2 Information Automatically Collected

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
• Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, time spent on platform, click patterns
• Location Data: General geographic location based on IP address
• Cookies and Tracking: We use cookies and similar technologies to track activity and store preferences

1.3 Information from Third Parties

• Payment Processors: Transaction status and payment confirmation from Stripe and Plaid
• Credit Bureaus: Credit reports and scores (with your authorization)
• Background Check Services: Criminal background and eviction history (with your authorization)
• Google Services: Authentication data when you sign in with Google

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• Service Delivery: Provide, operate, and maintain the Rent Mouse platform and all its features
• Payment Processing: Process rent payments, security deposits, and other financial transactions; calculate platform and processing fees
• Fee Calculation: Determine pricing tiers based on portfolio size, establish founding member status, calculate volume-based platform fees, apply appropriate fee structures
• Account Management: Create and manage user accounts, authenticate users, and provide customer support
• Tenant Screening: Conduct background checks, credit checks, and rental history verification (with authorization)
• Communications: Send notifications, updates, payment reminders, and important service announcements
• Compliance: Comply with legal obligations, tax reporting (1099 forms), and regulatory requirements
• Security: Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security incidents
• Analytics: Analyze usage patterns to improve our services and develop new features
• Marketing: Send promotional materials and updates about our services (you can opt out anytime)

3. How We Disclose Your Information

3.1 Parties to Whom Information is Disclosed

Payment Service Providers:

• Stripe, Inc. - Payment processing, Connect accounts, credit card transactions
  Method of Disclosure: Secure API integration with encrypted data transmission
  Purpose: To process rent payments, security deposits, and other financial transactions; process platform and processing fees
  Data Shared: Name, email, bank account details, credit card information, transaction amounts, platform fees, processing fees
• Plaid Technologies, Inc. - Bank account verification and ACH transfers
  Method of Disclosure: Secure API integration with OAuth authentication
  Purpose: To verify bank accounts and facilitate direct debit payments; process ACH processing fees
  Data Shared: Bank account numbers, routing numbers, account holder names, transaction amounts

Infrastructure and Service Providers:

• Google LLC (Firebase) - Database, authentication, hosting, and cloud storage
  Method of Disclosure: Encrypted cloud storage and API communications
  Purpose: Store and manage application data securely
  Data Shared: All platform data stored in our Firebase database
• Vercel Inc. - Web hosting and application deployment
  Method of Disclosure: Secure server hosting
  Purpose: Host and deliver the Rent Mouse web application
• Microsoft Corporation (Clarity) - User behavior analytics (admin pages only)
  Method of Disclosure: Client-side JavaScript tracking with automatic PII masking
  Purpose: Analyze admin user behavior to improve platform usability and identify UX issues
  Data Shared: Session recordings, heatmaps, page views, device information, general geographic location (admin users only; does NOT track landlords or tenants)
  Privacy: Microsoft Clarity Privacy Disclosure

Tenant Screening Services:

• Credit Bureaus - Credit checks (with applicant authorization)
  Method of Disclosure: Secure API integration
  Purpose: Verify creditworthiness for rental applications
  Data Shared: SSN, name, address, date of birth
• Background Check Providers - Criminal and eviction history (with applicant authorization)
  Method of Disclosure: Secure API integration
  Purpose: Verify rental history and background information

3.2 Other Disclosures

• Between Landlords and Tenants: We facilitate data sharing between landlords and their tenants as necessary for the landlord-tenant relationship (lease agreements, payment records, maintenance requests)
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information to comply with court orders, subpoenas, or other legal processes
• Law Enforcement: When required by law or to protect rights, property, or safety
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets
• With Your Consent: Any other disclosure made with your explicit consent

4. Security Practices

We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your information:

4.1 Technical Security

• Encryption in Transit: All data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted using TLS 1.3 (HTTPS)
• Encryption at Rest: Sensitive data stored in our databases is encrypted using AES-256 encryption
• Secure Authentication: Passwords are hashed using bcrypt; multi-factor authentication available
• PCI DSS Compliance: Payment card data is processed through Stripe, a PCI DSS Level 1 certified provider
• Tokenization: Credit card information is tokenized and never stored directly on our servers
• Secure APIs: All API communications use authenticated, encrypted connections
• Regular Security Audits: Automated vulnerability scanning and security testing

4.2 Organizational Security

• Access Controls: Role-based access control (RBAC) ensures users only access data they're authorized to see
• Employee Training: Staff trained on data protection and privacy best practices
• Data Minimization: We only collect and retain data necessary for service operation
• Incident Response: Documented procedures for responding to security incidents
• Audit Logs: Comprehensive logging of data access and modifications

4.3 Data Retention and Deletion

• Active Accounts: Data retained while account is active and for legitimate business purposes
• Deleted Accounts: Personal data deleted within 90 days of account closure (except where legal retention required)
• Legal Requirements: Some data retained for tax compliance (7 years) and legal obligations
• Backup Data: Backups retained for 30 days for disaster recovery

5. International Data Transfers

Rent Mouse operates primarily in the United States and Canada. Your data may be processed in data centers located in these jurisdictions. We implement appropriate safeguards including:

• Standard Contractual Clauses for international transfers
• Regional data residency options where available
• Compliance with applicable data protection laws in both countries

6. Your Privacy Rights

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

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data we hold
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Export: Request a machine-readable copy of your data (data portability)
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails (does not apply to transactional emails)
• Restrict Processing: Request limitation on how we process your data
• Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests

To exercise these rights, email us at privacy@rentmouse.com with your request. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Children's Privacy

Rent Mouse is not intended for use by individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child under 18, we will delete it immediately.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Maintain your session and keep you logged in
• Remember your preferences and settings
• Analyze usage patterns and improve our services
• Provide personalized content

8.1 Analytics and User Behavior Tracking

We use third-party analytics services to better understand how users interact with our platform and identify areas for improvement:

Microsoft Clarity (Admin Pages Only):

• Service Provider: Microsoft Corporation
• Purpose: Track user behavior on administrative pages to improve user experience and identify usability issues
• Scope: Only tracks internal admin users, NOT customer-facing pages (landlord/tenant portals)
• Data Collected:
  • Session recordings (mouse movements, clicks, scrolling)
  • Heatmaps showing click and scroll patterns
  • Page views, navigation paths, and time on page
  • Device information (browser, OS, screen resolution)
  • General geographic location (country/region)
• Privacy Protection:
  • Automatically masks sensitive data (email addresses, phone numbers, payment information)
  • Does NOT record keystrokes in password fields
  • Does NOT track credit card or banking information
  • Data processed in accordance with Microsoft's privacy policy
• Opt-Out: You can opt out of Clarity tracking by:
  • Using browser privacy extensions or ad blockers
  • Enabling "Do Not Track" in your browser settings
  • Contacting us to disable tracking for your account
• Learn More: Microsoft Privacy Statement
• Clarity Privacy: Microsoft Clarity Privacy Disclosure

Important: Microsoft Clarity is ONLY active on internal administrative pages used by our team. It does NOT track or record landlords, tenants, or public visitors to our marketing website.

You can control cookie settings through your browser, but disabling cookies may limit some functionality.

9. Third-Party Links

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by:

• Posting the updated policy with a new "Last updated" date
• Sending an email notification to registered users
• Displaying a prominent notice on our platform

Continued use of Rent Mouse after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Information

For privacy-related questions, concerns, or requests, please contact us:

• Email: privacy@rentmouse.com
• General Support: support@rentmouse.com
• Mailing Address: Rent Mouse, Inc., Privacy Team

12. GDPR Compliance (For EU/UK Users)

If you are located in the European Union or United Kingdom, you have additional rights under GDPR:

• Lawful basis for processing (consent, contract, legitimate interests)
• Right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority
• Right to withdraw consent at any time
• Data Protection Officer contact available upon request

13. CCPA Compliance (For California Residents)

California residents have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act:

• Right to know what personal information is collected, used, and disclosed
• Right to delete personal information (subject to exceptions)
• Right to opt-out of sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising CCPA rights