RoomSearch

Privacy policy

Last updated: 11 October 2026

RoomSearch is an independent, non-profit project that helps students and newcomers find a room in Ireland. This page explains, in plain language, what data we use, why, and how you stay in control.

In short: we show room listings posted in WhatsApp accommodation groups, including the ad text and the contact phone number in the ad. We do not show who posted it or which group it came from. Listings disappear on their own within 21 days. Want yours removed? Email [email protected] and we will take it down.

1. Who is responsible

RoomSearch (roomsearch.ie), an independent non-profit project, is the controller of the data described here. Contact for any privacy matter: [email protected].

2. Data about advertisers (from WhatsApp groups)

We read new messages from a few WhatsApp accommodation groups in read-only mode. When a message offers a room or house, we keep:

We never show the poster's name or the source group. Map pins are shifted 100–300 metres so they do not point to an exact door. Messages that are not offers (chat, people looking for rooms) are discarded.

Legal basis: legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR): helping people who need housing find ads that were published precisely to be seen by people looking for a room. You can object at any time (see section 6).

3. Data about visitors

4. Who we share data with

We do not sell or hand over data to anyone. We rely on a few services to run the site:

5. How long we keep data

DataRetention
Original message textDeleted within 7 days
Listing on the siteRemoved 21 days after it last appeared in the groups
Phone number and ad textDeleted as soon as the listing leaves the site
Other listing details (type, price, area)Deleted within 60 days
Removal and block requestsKept for as long as the site exists, only as an irreversible code, so the ad does not come back

6. Your rights and how to remove your ad

You can ask to access, correct or delete your data, and object to your ads appearing here. To remove an ad, email [email protected] with the listing link (the "Share" button in the listing) or the ad text. We will remove it and, if you ask, block your future ads. We reply within 30 days, usually much sooner.

If you feel we have not resolved it, you can complain to the Irish supervisory authority: the Data Protection Commission.

7. Changes

If this policy changes, the date at the top is updated. Significant changes will also be announced on the site.