Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 16 November 2026

Your privacy matters to us. This policy explains what personal data the Stayviaa app and website collect, why, who it's shared with, and the choices you have. It is written to meet India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and the Information Technology Act, 2000.

1. Who we are

Stayviaa is an online marketplace that connects travellers ("guests") with people who rent out homestays, villas, cabins and other places to stay ("hosts"). The Stayviaa app and website are operated by Stayviaa, operated by Bhaskar Yadav (STAYVIAA LLP, incorporation in progress) ("Stayviaa", "we", "us"), which is the Data Fiduciary for the personal data described here.

2. What we collect

Information you give us

  • Account details: your name, email address, phone number, password (stored only in encrypted, hashed form), city, profile photo and preferred language.
  • Identity verification: where verification is required (for example, to host), a government ID such as Aadhaar, passport, PAN or driving licence.
  • Listings (hosts): property details, photos, address and location, prices, availability and house rules.
  • Bookings: dates, number of guests, and any message you send with a request.
  • Messages and support: conversations between guests and hosts, support tickets, reviews and reports you submit.
  • Payout details (hosts): the bank account details needed to send your earnings.

Information created when you use Stayviaa

  • Payment records: amounts, dates, payment method type and the reference numbers our payment partner returns. We never see or store your full card number, CVV or UPI PIN.
  • Usage and device data: when you were last active, app version, device type and a notification token so we can send you booking updates.

3. How we use it

We use your personal data only for the purposes you'd expect when using a booking service:

  • To create and secure your account and let you sign in.
  • To show listings, process bookings, take payments, issue refunds and pay hosts.
  • To let guests and hosts message each other about a stay.
  • To send booking confirmations, reminders, refund and payout updates, and service announcements.
  • To verify identities, review listings, and prevent fraud, abuse and double bookings.
  • To handle support requests, disputes and safety reports.
  • To meet legal, tax and accounting obligations.
  • To understand how the service is used and improve it, using aggregated data where possible.

We process your data on the basis of your consent, given when you create an account and use the service, and for legitimate uses permitted by law, such as completing a booking you asked for or complying with a legal obligation. We do not sell your personal data.

4. Who we share it with

  • Other users, only as needed for a stay. Everyone can see your public profile: name, profile photo, city and badges like "Verified" or "Superhost". When you book, your host sees your name, booking details and messages. A listing's exact address is shown to a guest only after their booking is confirmed. Your email, phone number and ID documents are never shown to other users.
  • Service providers who work for us, under contracts that require them to protect your data: cloud hosting and database (Supabase, with servers in Mumbai, India), payments (Razorpay), SMS and email delivery for one-time passwords and notifications, and website hosting.
  • Authorities, when the law requires it or to protect the safety, rights or property of our users or the public.
  • A successor business, if Stayviaa is merged or acquired, under the same protections described here.

5. Where it's stored

Your data is stored on cloud servers in Mumbai, India. Some service providers, such as email delivery, may process limited data outside India; where they do, they are bound to protect it to the standard described in this policy and as permitted under Indian law.

6. How we protect it

  • All data travels over encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS).
  • Access rules in our database ensure people can only see their own bookings, payments and messages.
  • ID documents are kept in private storage that only you and authorised staff can open, through short-lived links.
  • Payments are handled by Razorpay, a PCI-DSS compliant payment gateway.
  • Staff access is limited by role, and administrative actions are recorded in an audit log that cannot be edited.

No system is perfectly secure. If a personal data breach affects you, we will inform you and the Data Protection Board of India as the law requires.

7. How long we keep it

We keep your personal data while your account is active. You can ask us to delete your account at any time by writing to us (see Contact below). When we delete it, we erase your name and contact details from your profile, close your sign-in and remove your listings. We keep records of past bookings and payments for as long as tax and accounting laws require (generally up to 8 years).

8. Your rights

Under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 you have the right to:

  • Access a summary of the personal data we hold about you and how it's used.
  • Correct or update inaccurate or incomplete data; most of it you can edit in the app.
  • Erase your data by asking us to delete your account, subject to the records we must keep by law.
  • Withdraw consent at any time. This won't affect anything done before, but we may not be able to provide the service without it.
  • Nominate someone to exercise your rights if you die or become unable to.
  • Raise a grievance with us, and if you're not satisfied, with the Data Protection Board of India.

To use any of these rights, contact us using the details below.

9. Children

You must be 18 or older to create a Stayviaa account. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. Minors may travel on a booking made by an adult, who is responsible for them.

10. Cookies

This website does not use advertising or tracking cookies. The app stores a sign-in token and your preferences (such as language and theme) on your device so you stay signed in.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the service changes. We'll post the new version here with a new date, and tell you in the app before significant changes take effect.

12. Contact & grievances

For questions about this policy or your data, write to us at support@stayviaa.com.

Grievance Officer: Bhaskar Yadav
Email: grievance@stayviaa.com
Address: Vijay Nagar, Indore, Madhya Pradesh 452010, India

We acknowledge grievances within 48 hours and aim to resolve them within 30 days.