Terms of service

By downloading, installing, or using RHUL Mobile ("the app"), you agree to these terms. If you do not agree, do not use the app.

1. About RHUL Mobile

RHUL Mobile is an independent, student-built application. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or officially connected to Royal Holloway, University of London or the Students' Union in any way. "RHUL" is used descriptively to indicate that the app is designed for Royal Holloway students.

The app aggregates publicly available university information and provides community features. All university-related content is sourced from public websites and may not be complete or up to date.

2. Eligibility

To use RHUL Mobile, you must:

• Be at least 16 years of age
• Have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement
• Not be a person barred from using the app under the laws of your jurisdiction
• Not have been previously banned from using the app

3. Account registration

You may use the app anonymously or create an account using Apple Sign In or Google Sign In. If you create an account:

• You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials
• You are responsible for all activities that occur under your account
• You must not share your account with others
• You must notify us immediately of any unauthorised access

We may collect device information to prevent banned users from creating new accounts. See our privacy policy for details.

4. Acceptable use

You agree to use the app only for lawful purposes. You may not:

• Use the app to harass, abuse, stalk, or threaten others
• Post content that is illegal, harmful, threatening, abusive, defamatory, obscene, or discriminatory
• Impersonate any person or entity
• Post false, misleading, or fraudulent information
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to the app's systems or other users' accounts
• Interfere with or disrupt the app's operation
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to extract the source code
• Use automated systems to access the app (bots, scrapers, etc.)
• Collect or harvest data about other users
• Use the app for commercial purposes without our permission
• Circumvent any security measures or device bans

5. User-generated content (noticeboard)

The noticeboard allows you to post content visible to other users. By posting content, you:

• Retain ownership of your content, but grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to display, distribute, and store your content within the app
• Represent and warrant that you own or have the right to post the content
• Accept responsibility for your content and any consequences of posting it
• Acknowledge that contact information you share (email, phone, social media) is visible to other users

Content guidelines

Noticeboard posts must:

• Be relevant to the Royal Holloway student community
• Be accurate and not misleading
• Not contain spam, advertisements for external businesses, or promotional content
• Not violate any laws or university policies
• Not infringe on intellectual property rights

Content moderation

We reserve the right to review, edit, or remove any content at our sole discretion. Content may be removed if it violates these terms or our community guidelines. We may also suspend or ban users who repeatedly violate these terms.

Posts automatically expire after 30 days. You may renew, edit, or delete your posts at any time.

6. Information accuracy

While we strive to provide accurate information, we make no guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or timeliness of any information in the app. This includes but is not limited to:

• Event dates, times, and locations
• Bus schedules and arrival times
• Food outlet hours and availability
• Laundry machine status
• News article content
• Campus map information

Always verify important information through official Royal Holloway channels. Do not rely solely on this app for time-sensitive or critical information.

7. Intellectual property

The app's design, code, and original content are the intellectual property of the developers and are protected by copyright law. You may not copy, modify, distribute, or create derivative works without our permission.

Royal Holloway, University of London's name, logos, and trademarks remain the property of the university. Our use of "RHUL" is purely descriptive and does not imply endorsement.

8. Privacy

Your use of the app is also governed by our privacy policy, which describes how we collect, use, and protect your data. By using the app, you consent to our data practices as described in that policy.

9. Account suspension and termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to the app at any time, with or without notice, for any reason, including:

• Violation of these terms
• Posting inappropriate or harmful content
• Behaviour that negatively affects other users or the app's operation
• At our sole discretion for security or operational reasons

Device bans may prevent you from creating new accounts. If you believe a ban was applied in error, email us at rhulmobile@shack.solutions.

10. Limitation of liability

The app is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, we shall not be liable for:

• Missed classes, events, buses, or appointments due to inaccurate information
• Any damages resulting from your use of or inability to use the app
• Unauthorised access to your account or personal information
• Content posted by other users
• Interactions with other users, including transactions conducted through the noticeboard
• Any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the developers, contributors, and affiliates from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from your use of the app, your content, or your violation of these terms.

12. Third-party services

The app may contain links to or integrate with third-party services (external websites, university systems, etc.). We are not responsible for the content, policies, or practices of these third parties. Your use of third-party services is at your own risk and subject to their terms.

13. Transactions between users

The noticeboard may facilitate communication for buying, selling, or exchanging items. We are not a party to any transaction between users and have no control over:

• The quality, safety, or legality of items listed
• The accuracy of listings
• The ability of parties to complete transactions

Use caution when meeting other users or exchanging money. Meet in public places and trust your instincts.

14. In-app purchases

The app may offer in-app purchases (such as bumping a noticeboard post for increased visibility). By making an in-app purchase:

• You agree to pay the price displayed at the time of purchase
• Payment is processed through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store
• All purchases are final and non-refundable, except as required by applicable law or the respective app store's refund policy
• Prices may change at any time without notice

To request a refund, contact Apple or Google directly through their respective support channels. We do not have access to your payment information and cannot process refunds directly.

Purchased features (such as post bumps) are subject to these terms and our content guidelines. We reserve the right to remove content that violates our terms, regardless of whether a purchase was made.

15. Changes to terms

We may modify these terms at any time. Significant changes will be notified through the app. Your continued use after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the new terms.

We encourage you to review these terms periodically. The "Last updated" date at the top indicates when these terms were last revised.

16. Governing law

These terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

17. Severability

If any provision of these terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

18. Entire agreement

These terms, together with our privacy policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and RHUL Mobile regarding your use of the app and supersede any prior agreements.

19. Contact

For questions about these terms, email us at rhulmobile@shack.solutions.