Definition of Personal Data

Except as otherwise expressly stated in this Privacy Policy, "Personal Data" refers to any information related to an identified or identifiable natural person. This can include, but is not limited to:

• Name and contact details (address, phone number, email)
• Photos and property-related data
• Bank details and transaction history
• Posts or interactions on the platform
• Geo-location data, particularly in relation to property searches and inspections
• Maintenance and repair records
• Unique identifiers, such as IP addresses or device information

You do not have to create an account to use some of our service features, such as searching and viewing public profiles and spaces. We, however, believe you should always know:

• what data we collect from you
• how we use it, and,
• That you should have meaningful control over both.

We want to empower you to make the best decisions about the information that you share with us. That is the basic purpose of this Privacy Policy.

What Data We Collect

As earlier stated, the website can be visited without revealing any personal information. However, when you register on Porchplus, we collect data to provide and improve our services, facilitate property management, and ensure a secure platform for all users. The data we collect includes:

• Account Information: When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, and password. We may also collect additional details like your property portfolio, if applicable.
• Property and Transaction Data: For landlords and property managers, this includes details about your properties, rental listings, and financial transactions. For tenants, this includes rental history, payment details, and maintenance requests.
• Location Data: We collect location data to provide location-based services, such as property searches and scheduling inspections.
• Usage Data: Information about how you interact with our platform, including searches, viewed listings, and communications with other users (e.g., messaging between tenants and landlords).
• Device Information: We may obtain details about the device and software you utilize to access our services, encompassing the internet protocol (IP) address, web browser type, operating system version, and device identifiers.

Where required, this information may include your personal contact information and/or your company contact information and your bank details. Porchplus will use this information to reply to your inquiries, to provide you with requested products and services, to set up your member's account, and to contact you regarding new products and services when you opt-in for the same.

Consent and Your Choices

By accessing Porchplus services and voluntarily providing us with your personal information, you are giving your consent to the collection and use of your information as described in this Privacy Policy.

If you wish to withdraw your consent at any time, you can do so by sending a request to the contact information provided below.

If you do not agree with the collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information as outlined in this policy, we advise you not to provide any personal information to Porchplus. Your privacy and control over your data are important to us, and we are here to support your choices.

How We Use Your Data

We use your data to:

• Personalize your experience and allow us to deliver the type of content and product offerings in which you are most interested
• Provide and manage our services, including property listings, tenancy management, and maintenance workflows.
• Facilitate secure and efficient transactions, such as rent payments and other charges.
• Enhance your experience on Porchplus by offering personalized property recommendations based on your preferences and location.
• Communicate with you about your account, listings, inspections, and maintenance requests.
• Ensure compliance with legal obligations (such as anti-money laundering regulations) and protect our users from fraud or misuse of the platform.
• Administer referral programs, rewards, surveys, contests, or other promotional activities or events sponsored or managed by Porchplus or its partners.
• Allow us to better serve you in responding to your customer service requests.
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, security incidents, and other harmful activity.
• Conduct security investigations and risk assessments.
• Conduct checks against databases and other information sources.
• Enforce our service terms and policies.
• Follow up purposes (by email or phone inquiries)

User Control and Transparency

We believe you should have meaningful control over your data. Therefore, we provide you with the following options:

• Access and Portability: You can access your data at any time through your account dashboard. If you need to transfer your data, we offer export options in standard formats.
• Data Deletion and Retention: You can request the deletion of your data at any time. We retain your data only as long as necessary to fulfill our obligations to you or as required by law.
• Privacy Settings: You can manage your privacy settings to control what information is shared with other users, such as landlords, tenants, or property managers.

How do we Protect Your Information

We implement robust security measures to protect your personal data. These include encryption, secure servers, and regular audits to ensure compliance with industry standards. Only authorized personnel have access to your data, and we regularly review our practices to ensure the highest level of protection.

Our website is scanned on a regular basis for security holes and known vulnerabilities in order to make your visit to our site as safe as possible.

We implement a variety of security measures when a member registers to maintain the safety of your personal information. We also protect the security of your information during transmission by using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).

Sharing and Third-Party Disclosure

At Porchplus, we take your privacy seriously and do not sell, trade, or transfer your Personal Data to outside parties without providing you with advance notice. The only exceptions to this are our trusted partners who assist us in operating our platform, conducting business, or serving our users. These partners are required to keep your information confidential and are bound by strict data protection agreements.

However, we may share your information under the following circumstances:

• Compliance with the Law: We may disclose your data when it is necessary to comply with legal obligations, and regulatory requirements, or in response to valid legal processes, such as a court order or subpoena.
• Corporate Transactions: In the event of a corporate transaction, such as a merger, acquisition, financing, bankruptcy, or sale of all or part of our business or assets, we may transfer your data to the relevant parties. In such cases, we will ensure that your data continues to be protected according to our privacy standards.
• Enforcement of Terms and Policies: We may release your information to enforce our website terms, conditions, and policies, ensuring that our platform remains a safe and secure environment for all users.
• Affiliates and Subsidiaries: We may share your data with our subsidiaries, affiliates, or partner companies to provide you with a seamless and integrated experience across our services. These entities are also bound by our data protection commitments.
• Protection of Rights: We may disclose your data to protect the rights, property, or safety of Porchplus, our users, or others. This includes preventing fraud, mitigating security risks, and safeguarding the integrity of our platform.

Your trust is important to us, and we are committed to ensuring that any sharing of your Personal Data is done responsibly and in your best interest.

Guiding Principles

At Porchplus, the collection and processing of your Personal Data are governed by principles of legitimacy, lawfulness, and your explicit consent. We ensure that your data is only retained for as long as necessary to fulfill its intended purpose and is securely protected against any foreseeable risks.

We process your Personal Data based on a clear and lawful basis, aligned with the specific purposes for which we collected it. The legal grounds for processing your data include:

• Consent: We process your data when you have provided explicit consent for one or more specific purposes. Your consent is always sought transparently, and you retain the right to withdraw it at any time.
• Performance of a Contract: When processing is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations to you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract, we ensure that your data is handled appropriately to deliver our services.
• Protection of Vital Interests: We may process your data when it is essential to protect your vital interests or those of another person, ensuring your safety and well-being.
• Compliance with Legal Obligations: When required by law, we will process your data to fulfill legal obligations, ensuring that our practices are in full compliance with applicable regulations.
• Public Interest: We may process your data when it is necessary to perform a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in Porchplus.

In every instance, we commit to handling your Personal Data with the utmost care, ensuring that it is processed in strict accordance with legal requirements and with full respect for your rights and privacy.

Your Rights

At Porchplus, we respect and uphold your rights concerning your personal data. We ensure that you have control over how your data is used and protected. Here’s a breakdown of your rights and how they apply within the context of using Porchplus:

1. Right of Access to Personal Data

   You have the right to access and review your personal data stored by Porchplus. You can update some of your information directly through your Account settings. If you've linked your Porchplus Account to a third-party application, you can manage and revoke those permissions through the same settings. Please ensure your personal information is accurate and up-to-date, as you are responsible for maintaining its accuracy.

2. Right to Be Informed About Your Personal Data

   You have the right to be informed about how we collect, use, and protect your personal data. This includes understanding the safeguards we have in place when your data is transferred internationally or to third parties. We commit to transparency in all our data handling practices.

3. Right to Request Rectification of Inaccurate or Incomplete Information

   If you discover that any personal information we hold about you is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to request a correction. For information you cannot update directly through your Porchplus Account, please contact us, and we will rectify the inaccuracies promptly.

4. Right to Data Retention and Erasure

   We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations and comply with legal requirements. You also have the right to request the deletion of your personal data (your right to be forgotten). However, please note:

   • We may retain some personal data for legitimate business interests, such as fraud detection, safety enhancements, or compliance with legal obligations (e.g., tax, legal reporting, and auditing).
   • Information you have shared on the Porchplus Platform may remain publicly visible even after your account is deleted, though it will no longer be attributed to you.
5. Right to Object to the Processing of Your Personal Data for Direct Marketing Purposes

   You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data in specific circumstances, particularly for direct marketing. If you object, we will cease processing your data unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for processing that override your objection. We will inform you of these grounds if applicable.

6. Right to Restrict the Processing of Your Personal Data

   You can request that we restrict the processing of your personal data under certain conditions, such as when you contest the accuracy of your data, when the processing is unlawful, or when we no longer need the data but you require it for legal claims. During the restriction period, we will retain your data without processing it and will notify you before lifting the restriction.

7. Right to Data Portability

   You have the right to request the transfer of your personal data from Porchplus to another service provider. We will provide your data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format. If technically feasible, we can also transmit your data directly to another controller at your request.

8. Right to Revoke Consent

   You have the right to withdraw your consent for the processing of your personal data at any time. Once you revoke consent, we will cease processing your data immediately, without any negative repercussions for your decision.

9. Right to Submit a Complaint to NITDA

   If you have concerns about how we handle your personal data, you have the right to file a complaint with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), which oversees data protection and IT practices in Nigeria.

Applicable Remedies

In the event that Porchplus violates this Privacy Policy, you, as the customer, have the right to demand the return of all personal data collected and to request that we cease any further use of your personal data. This remedy is available from the moment the breach occurs, provided that you have submitted a complaint to us which has not been adequately addressed. We are committed to resolving any issues that arise and ensuring compliance with our privacy obligations.

Security

At Porchplus, we prioritize the security of your personal information and are continuously implementing and updating administrative, technical, and physical security measures to protect your data from unauthorized access, loss, destruction, or alteration. We do not use cookies for tracking purposes. Some of the security measures we employ include:

• Firewalls: To block unauthorized access to our systems.
• Data Encryption: To protect your information during transmission.
• Information Access Controls: To ensure that only authorized personnel can access your personal data.

If you suspect that your Porchplus Account credentials have been lost, stolen, or compromised, or if you notice any unauthorized use of your Porchplus Account, please contact us immediately. We take all such reports seriously and will work promptly to secure your account.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

Porchplus reserves the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time. If changes are made, we will post the updated Privacy Policy on our website at https://porchplus.com/privacy. Additionally, we will notify you of the changes via email once they become effective.

If you do not agree with the revised Privacy Policy, you may choose to cancel your Porchplus Account. Continued use of the Porchplus Platform after the changes take effect will be considered as your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about this Privacy Policy or how Porchplus handles your information, please contact us at:

Email: [email protected]

We are here to address any issues you may have and to ensure that your privacy rights are upheld.