Kwata Team Inc. ("Company," "we," "us," or "our"), a Canadian corporation incorporated under the laws of the Province of Alberta, is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use the KwataReady platform ("Service"). Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By using the Service, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described in this Privacy Policy.
1. Information We Collect
1.1. Information You Provide Directly
- Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, username, and password when you create an account
- Profile Information: Role (Property Owner or Cleaner), business name, address, and biographical information
- Property Information: Property addresses, Short-Term Rental (STR) license numbers, property descriptions, cleaning instructions, and access codes
- Payment Information: Billing address and payment method details (processed by our third-party payment processor; we do not store full credit card numbers)
- Communication Data: Messages sent through the Platform, support requests, and feedback
- Photos and Media: Before and after photos of cleaning services uploaded through the Platform
- Verification Documents: Identification documents, business licenses, and insurance certificates submitted for account verification
1.2. Information Collected Automatically
- Device Information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers, and browser type
- Log Data: IP address, access times, pages viewed, links clicked, and actions taken on the Platform
- Location Data: General location based on IP address; precise location only with your explicit consent for service matching purposes
- Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use essential cookies for Platform functionality; see Section 7 for details
1.3. Information from Third Parties
- Payment Processors: Transaction status and fraud prevention data from our payment service providers
- Background Check Providers: Results of background checks for Cleaners (with consent)
- Public Sources: Business registration information from public databases
2. How We Use Your Information
We use your information only for the following purposes:
- To provide, maintain, and improve the Service
- To process transactions and send related information, including booking confirmations and payment receipts
- To facilitate connections between Property Owners and Cleaners
- To communicate with you about your account, bookings, and Platform updates
- To verify your identity and maintain account security
- To respond to your comments, questions, and support requests
- To send service-related notices (you cannot opt out of these)
- To send promotional communications (only with your explicit opt-in consent)
- To monitor and analyze trends, usage, and activities in connection with our Service
- To detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent transactions and other illegal activities
- To personalize and improve your experience on the Platform
- To comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service
3. Data Minimization
We are committed to collecting only the minimum amount of personal information necessary to provide our Service. We do not:
- Collect information we do not need for the stated purposes
- Sell your personal information to third parties under any circumstances
- Use your data for behavioral advertising without explicit opt-in consent
- Share your data with data brokers or aggregators
- Retain your data longer than necessary for the purposes described in this Policy
4. Information Sharing and Disclosure
We may share your information in the following circumstances:
- With Other Users: We share limited information between Property Owners and Cleaners as necessary to facilitate bookings (e.g., property address, cleaning instructions, contact information for scheduling purposes)
- With Service Providers: We engage trusted third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as payment processing, data analysis, email delivery, hosting services, and customer service. These providers are bound by confidentiality obligations and are restricted from using your personal information for any purpose other than to provide services to us
- For Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Kwata Team Inc., our users, or others
- With Consent: We may share your information with third parties when you have given us explicit consent to do so
- Business Transfers: In connection with any merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business by another company, user information may be among the transferred assets. You will be notified via email and/or a prominent notice on our Platform of any change in ownership or uses of your personal information
5. Data Storage and Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information:
- Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit using TLS 1.3 and at rest using AES-256 encryption
- Secure Servers: Your data is stored on secure servers located in Canada
- Access Controls: We implement strict role-based access controls to limit who can access your data
- Regular Audits: We conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing
- Incident Response: We maintain incident response procedures to address security breaches promptly
While we use reasonable efforts to protect your information, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.
6. Data Retention
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected and to comply with our legal obligations:
- Account Information: Retained while your account is active and for 2 years after account deletion to comply with legal requirements
- Transaction Records: Retained for 7 years as required by Canadian tax laws
- Communication Records: Retained for 2 years after the communication
- Photos: Retained for 90 days after the cleaning service is completed, unless required for dispute resolution
- Log Data: Retained for 12 months
When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal data within 30 days, except for information we are required to retain for legal purposes.
7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect and store information about your use of the Service:
- Essential Cookies: Required for the Platform to function properly (authentication, security, preferences). These cannot be disabled
- Functional Cookies: Used to remember your preferences and settings. You may disable these in your browser settings
- Analytics Cookies: Used only with your explicit opt-in consent. We use privacy-respecting analytics tools and do not share this data with third parties
We do not use third-party advertising trackers, and we do not allow third parties to place cookies on our Platform for advertising purposes.
8. Your Rights Under PIPEDA
Under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy laws, you have the following rights:
- Right to Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Right to Correction: You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information
- Right to Deletion: You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements
- Right to Withdraw Consent: You may withdraw consent for optional processing activities at any time
- Right to Data Portability: You may request your data in a commonly used, machine-readable format
- Right to Complain: You may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@kwatateam.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days.
9. Children's Privacy
The Service is not intended for use by children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete such information promptly. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 18, please contact us immediately at privacy@kwatateam.com.
10. International Data Transfers
Your personal information is stored and processed primarily in Canada. If we need to transfer your data to countries outside Canada, we will ensure that adequate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including the use of standard contractual clauses or other appropriate legal mechanisms.
11. Third-Party Links
The Service may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not owned or controlled by Kwata Team Inc. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or services. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by email (to the email address specified in your account) and/or by posting a prominent notice on our Platform at least 30 days before the effective date of the changes. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.
13. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us:
- Kwata Team Inc.
- Privacy Officer
- Email: privacy@kwatateam.com
- Phone: +1 (587) 333-2772
- Address: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
You may also contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada:
- Website: www.priv.gc.ca
- Phone: 1-800-282-1376
By using KwataReady, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.