Houmse Privacy Policy

Houmse (“Houmse”, “we”, “us”, “our”) operates houmse.com and related services (collectively, the “Service”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information when you use the Service.

Houmse is a marketplace and lead-generation platform that connects customers with independent service providers (e.g., inspectors, technicians). Houmse does not perform the underlying services. Contracts, pricing, and payments are handled directly between customers and providers.

1) Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information collected through the Service from:

• Customers (people requesting services); and
• Providers (any Person that offers the services of a professional tradesperson and registers as such on the Platform)

2) Personal information we collect

We collect personal information in the following ways:

A) Information you provide

Depending on how you use the Service, personal information you provide may include:

• Contact information (such as name, email address, phone number)
• General location information (such as postal code or service area)
• Service request information (such as the type of service requested and details you choose to provide)
• Scheduling and communication information related to a request or referral
• Provider profile information (such as services offered, experience, coverage area, and other information you choose to provide)

B) Content you submit (including uploads)

Where enabled, you may submit content through the Service (such as text, photos, or videos). This content may contain personal information depending on what you choose to share.

C) Information collected automatically

When you access or use the Service, we (and our service providers) may automatically collect information such as:

• Device and browser information (e.g., device type, operating system, browser type)
• Usage information (e.g., pages viewed, interactions, referral/source information)
• Log and diagnostic information (e.g., IP address, timestamps, error logs, security logs)
• Approximate location inferred from IP address

D) Location permissions (optional)

If you enable location access in your browser/device, we may collect location information to improve matching and Service functionality. You can disable location permissions at any time through your settings.

3) Consent

By using the Service and providing personal information, you consent to our collection, use, and disclosure of personal information as described in this Privacy Policy, subject to applicable law. In some cases (for example, certain cookies or optional features), you may be able to provide or withhold consent through your settings.

Withdrawing consent

You may withdraw consent where consent is the legal basis for processing, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice. Withdrawing consent may limit our ability to provide certain features or the Service.

4) How we use personal information

We use personal information for purposes that may include:

• Providing and operating the Service, including receiving requests, matching customers with providers, and facilitating referrals
• Communicating with you, including sending service-related messages (e.g., confirmations or important updates)
• Customer support, issue handling, and responding to inquiries
• Safety and security, including fraud prevention, abuse prevention, and protecting the integrity of the Service
• Analytics and improvement, including understanding how the Service is used and improving performance and features
• Marketing and promotions, where permitted by law and based on your preferences

5) How we disclose personal information

We do not sell personal information.

We may disclose personal information in the following circumstances:

A) Disclosure to providers (referrals and matching)

If you submit a service request, we may disclose relevant personal information to one or more providers for the purpose of responding to your request and arranging service. What is shared may depend on the request and may include contact, location, scheduling, and request details you choose to provide.

B) Service providers and vendors

We may use third-party vendors to support the Service (for example, hosting, analytics, communications, customer support, advertising measurement, and maps/location services). These vendors may process personal information on our behalf and are expected to protect it and use it only to provide services to us.

C) Legal, compliance, and protection

We may disclose personal information where we believe disclosure is necessary to:

• comply with law, legal process, or lawful requests;
• protect the rights, property, or safety of Houmse, our users, providers, or others; or
• investigate suspected fraud, security issues, or violations of our agreements.

D) Business transactions

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, reorganization, financing, or sale of assets, personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to appropriate protections.

6) Providers are independent third parties

Providers are independent third parties and are not employees or contractors of Houmse. If you share personal information directly with a provider (for example, during scheduling or onsite service), that provider’s handling of personal information is governed by their own practices and policies.

7) De-identified and aggregated information

We may create and use de-identified or aggregated information (information that does not reasonably identify you) for purposes such as analytics, improving the Service, and understanding service demand and performance.

8) Links and third-party services

The Service may include links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

9) International processing

Our service providers, and we may store or process personal information outside of Canada (for example, where vendors operate). In such cases, personal information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction where it is processed, which may permit access by authorities under certain circumstances.

10) Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies for purposes that may include:

• making the Service work (e.g., security, preferences);
• analytics and performance measurement; and
• advertising and marketing measurement.

We may offer a cookie consent banner and settings that allow you to manage non-essential cookies. You can also manage cookies through your browser settings; however, blocking certain cookies may affect functionality.

11) Marketing communications

Where permitted by law, we may send marketing communications. You can opt out at any time using the unsubscribe instructions included in the message or by contacting us.

Even if you opt out of marketing, we may still send service-related communications that are necessary to operate the Service.

12) Data retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including to provide the Service, maintain business records, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information, the context in which it was collected, and legal or operational requirements. We generally retain operational records for a limited period and delete or de-identify information upon request unless required for legal or security reasons.

13) Security

We maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information against loss, theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. No system is completely secure and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

14) Your choices and requests

You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of certain personal information, subject to applicable law and verification of identity. To make a request, contact our support at info@houmse.com.

15) Children

The Service is intended for individuals who are at least the age of majority in their province or territory. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors.

16) Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated version and revise the effective date above. Continued use of the Service after updates means you accept the revised Policy.

17) Contact

For privacy questions or requests, contact our support at info@houmse.com.