Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information

When you register for an account, we collect:

• Full name and email address
• Phone number and mailing address
• Profile photograph (optional)
• For Contractors: business name, BCIN (Building Code Identification Number), trade certifications, insurance documentation, and years of experience
• For Clients: property address and type of residence

1.2 Financial Information

Payment processing is handled by our third-party payment processor, Stripe, Inc. We do not store full credit card numbers. We collect:

• Billing address and payment method type
• Transaction history and invoices
• Bank account information for Contractors receiving payments (stored securely by Stripe)
• Tax identification numbers as required by law

1.3 Project and Service Information

When you create or bid on projects, we collect:

• Project descriptions, specifications, and scope of work
• Property location coordinates (to match nearby Contractors)
• Project photographs, blueprints, and technical documents
• Bid amounts, proposals, and estimates
• Messages exchanged between Clients and Contractors
• Project milestones, progress reports, and completion status
• Reviews, ratings, and feedback

1.4 Usage and Device Information

We automatically collect certain information when you use RenoNext:

• IP address, browser type, and device identifiers
• Pages viewed, features used, and time spent on the platform
• Referral sources and search terms
• Error logs and diagnostic data
• Approximate geographic location based on IP address

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

• Platform Operation: To create and manage your account, facilitate project matching, enable communication between Clients and Contractors, and process transactions
• Service Improvement: To analyze usage patterns, develop new features, and improve platform performance and user experience
• Safety and Trust: To verify Contractor credentials, prevent fraud, enforce our Terms of Service, and maintain platform integrity
• Communication: To send transactional emails (project updates, payment confirmations), service announcements, and promotional materials (with your consent)
• Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations, respond to legal requests, and protect our rights and property
• Geographic Matching: To connect Clients with nearby Contractors using location-based search functionality
• Dispute Resolution: To investigate and resolve disputes, claims, or issues between users

3. Information Sharing and Disclosure

3.1 Between Platform Users

When you engage with other users on RenoNext:

• Clients can view Contractor profiles, including business name, certifications, ratings, and portfolio
• Contractors can view Client project details and location (approximate area, not exact address until project is awarded)
• Contact information is shared only after mutual agreement to proceed with a project

3.2 Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist in operating our platform:

• Stripe: Payment processing and financial services
• Supabase: Database hosting and authentication services
• Cloud Infrastructure: Hosting and storage providers
• Email Services: Transactional and marketing email delivery
• Analytics Providers: Usage analytics and performance monitoring

These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

3.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law or to:

• Comply with legal processes, court orders, or government requests
• Enforce our Terms of Service and investigate violations
• Detect, prevent, or address fraud, security, or technical issues
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of RenoNext, our users, or the public

3.4 Business Transfers

If RenoNext is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the new entity. We will provide notice before your information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

4. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our services and maintain your account
• Comply with legal obligations (e.g., tax records, transaction history)
• Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements
• Improve our platform and develop new features

When you close your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 90 days, except where we are legally required to retain it. Project records and transaction history may be retained for up to 7 years for accounting and legal purposes.

Reviews and ratings you have provided may remain visible in an anonymized form to maintain the integrity of our platform.

5. Your Privacy Rights

Under PIPEDA and applicable provincial privacy laws, you have the following rights:

5.1 Access

You can request access to the personal information we hold about you. We will provide a copy of your data in a commonly used electronic format within 30 days of your request.

5.2 Correction

You can update most of your information through your account settings. If you believe any information we hold is inaccurate or incomplete, you can request corrections.

5.3 Deletion

You can request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions (e.g., legal retention requirements, active project obligations). Account deletion can be initiated from your account settings or by contacting us.

5.4 Withdrawal of Consent

You can withdraw consent for marketing communications at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in emails or adjusting your notification preferences. Note that withdrawing consent may limit your ability to use certain platform features.

5.5 Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

RenoNext uses cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to:

• Essential Cookies: Required for authentication, security, and core platform functionality
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with our platform and identify areas for improvement
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences
• Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements (with your consent)

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may limit platform functionality. We do not respond to Do Not Track signals, but we provide opt-out options for non-essential cookies.

7. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information:

• Encryption of data in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest
• Secure authentication and access controls
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Employee training on data protection and privacy practices
• Incident response procedures for data breaches

While we take reasonable precautions to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we will notify you of any data breaches as required by law.

8. Children's Privacy

RenoNext is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are under 16, please do not use our platform or provide any personal information.

If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 16 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

9. International Data Transfers

RenoNext operates primarily in Ontario, Canada. However, some of our service providers may be located in other countries, including the United States. When we transfer your information internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:

• Standard contractual clauses approved by privacy regulators
• Verification that the recipient country provides adequate data protection
• Your explicit consent where required by law

Data transferred to the United States may be subject to access by U.S. government authorities under applicable laws.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or business operations. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on this page with a new "Last updated" date
• Sending an email notification to your registered email address
• Displaying a prominent notice on our platform

Your continued use of RenoNext after the effective date of the updated policy constitutes your acceptance of the changes. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact our Privacy Officer: