Privacy Policy

Last updated: 6 July 2026

1. Who we are

Newlo Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales.

If you have any questions about this policy or your data, contact us at contact@newlo.app.

For UK data protection purposes, Newlo Ltd is the data controller of the personal information we process about you.

2. Information we collect

We collect the following types of information:

2.1 Information you give us

• Account information: name, email address, password, date of birth.
• Profile information: photos, biographical text, neighbourhood, job, nationality, languages spoken, drinking habits, prompts/answers, interests, and similar profile details you choose to share.
• Special category information (see Section 2.4): where you choose to provide it, information about your religion or beliefs and your sexual orientation.
• Verification photos: if you choose to verify your account, we collect selfie photographs taken during the verification process (see Section 2.5).
• Listings: if you post a flatmate listing, the details you provide (room type, area, photos, description, price).
• Hangouts and clubs: events you create, request to join, or participate in, including title, description, time, and location.
• Messages: the content of messages you send to other users through the Service.
• Communications with us: any emails or messages you send to us directly.

2.2 Information collected automatically

• Device information: device type, operating system, app version, language settings.
• Usage information: how you interact with the Service (screens visited, features used, time spent).
• Push notification tokens: if you enable notifications, we collect a device push token that allows us to send notifications to your device. You can disable notifications at any time in your device settings or within the app.

2.3 Location information

Newlo uses location to connect you with people and activities near you. We collect location in the following ways:

• Neighbourhood you select: when you set your neighbourhood in your profile, we convert it to approximate area coordinates (the centre point of that neighbourhood, not your exact location) so we can show you people and hangouts within your chosen distance range. We never store your precise device location for this feature — only the approximate centre of the neighbourhood you choose.
• Approximate location from IP address: we may infer your general location (such as your city or region) from your IP address to help provide a relevant and secure experience.

2.4 Special category data

Some of the profile information you may choose to share — specifically your religion or beliefs and your sexual orientation — is treated as "special category data" under UK GDPR and is given additional protection.

Providing this information is entirely optional. Where you choose to share it, we process it on the basis of your explicit consent, which you give by choosing to add it to your profile. You can remove this information from your profile at any time, and you can withdraw your consent at any time by deleting it or by contacting us at contact@newlo.app.

We use this information only to help you connect with relevant people and communities, and to display it on your profile as you have chosen. We do not use it for any other purpose.

2.5 Verification photos

If you choose to verify your account, we ask you to take a series of selfie photographs following on-screen prompts (for example, particular poses or gestures). We use these photos solely to confirm that you are a real person and that your account photos genuinely represent you.

• Verification photos are stored securely in a private, access-restricted location and are not shown on your public profile or shared with other users.
• We use these photos only for identity verification and to prevent fraud, impersonation, and abuse.
• Verification is optional, though verified accounts may receive a verification badge.

Depending on how it is processed, verification imagery may in some circumstances constitute biometric data. Where that is the case, we process it on the basis of your explicit consent, given when you choose to begin verification, and for the sole purpose of confirming your identity. You can withdraw consent and request deletion of your verification photos at any time by contacting us at contact@newlo.app.

3. How we use your information

We use your information to:

• Provide, operate, and improve the Service.
• Match you with other users based on shared interests, location, and preferences.
• Enable messaging, hangouts, clubs, and other social features.
• Verify your identity and prevent fraud, abuse, impersonation, or other harmful behaviour.
• Send you push notifications and service-related communications (e.g. new matches, messages, password resets, account notifications, important changes to the Service).
• Send you marketing communications (only with your consent — you can unsubscribe at any time).
• Comply with legal obligations.
• Investigate and respond to reports of policy violations.

Legal basis for processing (UK GDPR)

We process your personal data under one or more of the following legal bases:

• Contract: to provide you with the Service you have signed up for.
• Legitimate interests: to operate, improve, and secure the Service, and to communicate with you about it.
• Consent: for optional features such as marketing communications, special category profile information (religion, sexual orientation), and verification photos.
• Legal obligation: where we are required to process data by law.

Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time (see Section 6).

4. How we share your information

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only in the following circumstances:

4.1 With other users

Your profile information, photos, and posts are visible to other Newlo users in line with the Service's design (e.g. your profile is visible to people you may match with, listings are visible to people browsing the marketplace, hangouts are visible to people who can browse them). Your verification photos are never shared with other users. Information you have marked as special category (religion, sexual orientation) is shared with other users only where you have chosen to display it on your profile.

4.2 With service providers

We use trusted third-party services to operate Newlo. They only process your data on our behalf and under contract:

• Supabase — database, authentication, and file storage hosting.
• Expo — push notification delivery (processes your push notification token to deliver notifications to your device).
• Resend — transactional email delivery (e.g. password resets and account emails).
• Apple — app distribution via the App Store.
• Other infrastructure providers as reasonably needed to operate the Service.

4.3 Legal and safety

We may disclose your information where required by law, regulation, or legal process, or where we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to:

• Protect the rights, property, or safety of Newlo, our users, or the public.
• Detect, prevent, or address fraud, abuse, or security issues.
• Comply with a court order, subpoena, or legal request.

4.4 Business transfers

If Newlo is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred. We will notify you and provide choices before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

5. Data retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service.

If you delete your account, we will delete your personal information within a reasonable time, except where:

• We need to retain it to comply with a legal obligation.
• We need to retain it to resolve disputes or enforce our agreements.
• Information has been shared with other users (e.g. messages) — this may remain visible to those users.
• Data has been anonymised — anonymised data may be retained indefinitely.

Verification photos are retained only for as long as needed to maintain your verified status and to prevent fraud and abuse, and are deleted when no longer required for those purposes or when you delete your account, whichever is sooner.

6. Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of access: request a copy of the data we hold about you.
• Right to rectification: ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to erasure: ask us to delete your data ("right to be forgotten").
• Right to restrict processing: ask us to limit how we use your data.
• Right to data portability: receive your data in a structured, commonly used format.
• Right to object: object to certain types of processing, such as direct marketing.
• Right to withdraw consent: where we rely on your consent (including for special category information and verification photos), you can withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at contact@newlo.app. We will respond within one month.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

7. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data, including encryption in transit, secure password storage, access controls, and restricted-access storage for sensitive material such as verification photos.

No system is 100% secure, however. We cannot guarantee absolute security. If you suspect your account has been compromised, contact us immediately at contact@newlo.app.

8. International transfers

Your data may be processed in countries outside the UK by our service providers. Where this happens, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place (such as UK GDPR-compliant data transfer agreements, including the International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum where applicable).

9. Children

Newlo is intended for users aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18. If you believe someone under 18 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at contact@newlo.app and we will delete it.

10. Cookies and tracking

We use minimal cookies and similar technologies, primarily for authentication and to keep you signed in. We do not use third-party advertising cookies.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you through the app or by email before they take effect. The "Last updated" date at the top of this policy shows when it was most recently revised.

12. Contact us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding your personal data, please contact us:

Newlo Ltd
Email: contact@newlo.app
Website: newlo.app