Privacy Policy | HireLocalServices

HireLocalServices ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you use our platform.

1. Information We Collect

We collect personal information that you provide directly to us, as well as information collected automatically when you use our platform.

Information you provide

Account information: your email address and password when you create an account.
Business listing information: business name, description, phone number, email address, website URL, ABN, suburb, state, postcode, service radius, categories, photos, and testimonials.
Payment information: payment details are collected and processed by our payment processor, Stripe. We do not store your full credit card number on our servers.
Communications: any messages or correspondence you send to us via email or through the platform.

Information collected automatically

Usage data: pages visited, search queries, time spent on pages, and interaction with features.
Device information: browser type, operating system, device type, and screen resolution.
Log data: IP address, access times, and referring URLs.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:

To create and manage your account and business listing.
To process payments and manage your subscription.
To display your business information publicly in search results and on your profile page.
To communicate with you about your account, subscription, and any changes to our services.
To improve, personalise, and optimise the platform and user experience.
To detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, and security issues.
To comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service.

3. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our platform. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us remember your preferences and understand how you use our platform.

We use the following types of cookies:

Essential cookies: required for the platform to function, including authentication and session management.
Analytics cookies: help us understand how visitors interact with our platform so we can improve it.

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may affect your ability to use certain features of the platform.

4. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate our platform. Each has its own privacy policy governing how they handle your information:

Stripe: processes payments and manages subscriptions. When you subscribe, your payment information is handled directly by Stripe in accordance with their Privacy Policy.
Supabase: provides our database, authentication, and file storage infrastructure. Data is stored securely in accordance with their Privacy Policy.
Vercel: hosts our web application. Requests are processed in accordance with their Privacy Policy.

5. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

Public profile: business listing information (business name, description, contact details, photos, testimonials, location) is displayed publicly on the platform.
Service providers: we share information with third-party service providers (Stripe, Supabase, Vercel) who assist us in operating the platform, as described above.
Legal requirements: we may disclose your information if required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request.
Safety and enforcement: we may disclose information to protect the safety of our users, enforce our Terms of Service, or respond to fraud or security concerns.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with our services. If you cancel your subscription, your business listing will be unpublished but your account data may be retained for a reasonable period to allow you to resubscribe.

If you request deletion of your account, we will delete your personal information within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal, regulatory, or legitimate business purposes (such as fraud prevention or compliance with financial record-keeping obligations).

7. Data Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, use, modification, or disclosure. Our security measures include encryption of data in transit (HTTPS/TLS), secure authentication, and access controls. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Your Rights

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Access: you may request access to the personal information we hold about you.
Correction: you may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information. You can also update most of your information directly through your dashboard.
Deletion: you may request that we delete your personal information, subject to any legal obligations we may have to retain it.
Complaint: if you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles, you may lodge a complaint with us or with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au.

9. Children's Privacy

Our platform is not directed at individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child, we will take steps to delete it promptly.

10. 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 or through a notice on the platform. Your continued use of the platform after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us at privacy@hirelocalservices.com.au.

You may also view our Terms of Service and Disclaimer for more information about how we operate.