Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 1, 2026

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes how HomeStaQ ("the App", "we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you use our mobile application and related services.

By downloading, installing, or using HomeStaQ, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection and use of your information as described herein. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use the App.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you create an account or use the App, you may provide us with the following information:

• Your name and display name
• Email address (obtained through your sign-in provider)
• Phone number (if you choose to provide it)
• City, state, and pincode
• Profile photograph
• Language preference

2.2 Home and Appliance Data

To provide core functionality, we collect information about your household and appliances:

• Appliance details including brand, model, serial number, purchase date, and warranty information
• Photographs of appliances, scanned receipts, warranty cards, and manuals — captured using your camera (including barcode and nameplate scanning) or selected from your photo library
• Maintenance schedules, service logs, and repair history
• Household information including household name and member details
• Room assignments and appliance locations within your home

2.3 Service and Booking Data

When you use our marketplace and service features, we collect:

• Service requests you create, including descriptions and preferences
• Booking details such as scheduled dates, agreed pricing, and service status
• Ratings and reviews you submit about service providers
• Chat messages exchanged during active bookings
• Feedback and suggestions you submit through the App

2.4 Information Collected Automatically

When you use the App, certain information is collected automatically:

• Device information (device type, operating system version, app version)
• Push notification tokens for delivering alerts and reminders
• Crash reports and diagnostic logs to help us identify and fix issues
• Location data (only when you explicitly set your home location, configure a service area, or use the marketplace map — we never track your location in the background)
• Usage patterns and interaction data within the App

2.5 Information from Third-Party Sign-In Providers

When you sign in using Google, Apple, or other supported providers, we receive basic profile information (such as your name and email address) as permitted by your account settings with those providers. We do not receive or store your passwords from these services.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To create and maintain your account and provide the core features of the App
• To manage your home appliances, track warranties, and schedule maintenance
• To match you with nearby service technicians based on your location and service needs
• To facilitate communication between homeowners and service providers during bookings
• To send you push notifications about maintenance reminders, booking updates, and service alerts
• To process and display ratings and reviews to maintain trust in the marketplace
• To provide AI-powered features such as appliance detection and the chat assistant
• To diagnose technical issues, fix bugs, and improve the App's performance and features
• To respond to your enquiries, feedback, and support requests
• To enforce our Terms of Service and protect against misuse or fraudulent activity
• To comply with applicable legal obligations and regulatory requirements

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

4.1 With Service Providers (Technicians)

When you book a service, the assigned technician receives only the information necessary to perform the job (such as the appliance category, service type, and your general locality). Your phone number is not shared directly with technicians. Any personal information you voluntarily share during a booking chat is automatically cleaned up after 24 hours.

4.2 With Household Members

If you are part of a household, other members of that household may see shared appliance data, maintenance schedules, and service history associated with the household.

4.3 With Third-Party Service Providers

We use trusted third-party services to operate and improve the App, including cloud hosting, data storage, authentication, AI-powered features, image analysis, and push notification delivery. These service providers process data on our behalf and are contractually obligated to protect your information. We prioritise services that store data within India wherever possible.

4.4 For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, or if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request.

4.5 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganisation, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via the App or email before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

5. Data Storage and Security

We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of sensitive personal data both in transit and at rest
• Row-level security controls ensuring users can only access their own data
• All communications between the App and our servers are encrypted
• Uploaded files are stored securely with time-limited access URLs
• Authentication tokens are stored in your device's secure storage, never in plain text
• Optional biometric lock (Face ID or fingerprint) for additional App-level security

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of electronic storage or transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but are committed to maintaining industry-standard safeguards.

6. Data Retention

We retain your information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law. Specific retention periods are as follows:

• Account and profile data — retained until you delete your account
• Appliance and maintenance data — retained until you delete the asset or your account
• Booking and service records — retained for 12 months after service completion
• Personal information shared during bookings — automatically deleted after 24 hours
• Chat messages — automatically purged according to our retention schedule
• Crash reports and diagnostic logs — retained for 90 days
• Ratings and reviews — retained indefinitely to maintain marketplace trust

7. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access — You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction — You may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion — You may delete your account and all associated data directly through the App (Settings → Delete Account)
• Notification Preferences — You may customise or disable push notifications at any time through the App's notification settings or your device settings
• Withdraw Consent — You may withdraw your consent to data processing at any time by deleting your account, though this may affect your ability to use the App

Account deletion permanently removes your profile, appliance data, documents, maintenance history, and all associated information from our systems. This action cannot be undone. To exercise any of these rights, you may use the in-App settings or contact us at homestaq.support@gmail.com.

8. Biometric Data

HomeStaQ offers an optional biometric lock feature that uses your device's built-in Face ID or fingerprint recognition. This feature is processed entirely on your device by the operating system. HomeStaQ never collects, stores, transmits, or has access to your actual biometric data (such as facial geometry or fingerprint patterns). We only receive a success or failure response from your device's authentication system.

9. Location Information

HomeStaQ uses your location only when you actively use a feature that requires it:

• When you set your home location during profile setup, or update it later, we store the precise coordinates with your account so we can match you with nearby technicians within a service radius (typically up to 10 km).
• When you enter a pincode during profile setup or service-area configuration, we may geocode it to determine your approximate area.
• When you use the marketplace map to browse or search for technicians.
• When a technician sets their service area during registration.

When you book a service, only your general locality (such as your area or pincode) is used for technician matching. Your specific service address is shared with the assigned technician after you confirm the booking, so they can reach you to perform the work.

We never track your location in the background. Location services can be disabled at any time through your device settings — the App will continue to function with reduced location-based features.

10. Push Notifications

We use push notifications to send you timely information such as maintenance reminders, booking confirmations, service updates, and other alerts related to your use of the App. You can manage your notification preferences within the App or disable them entirely through your device settings. Disabling notifications may cause you to miss important updates about your bookings or scheduled maintenance.

11. Children's Privacy

HomeStaQ is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete such information promptly. If you believe that a child under 18 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at homestaq.support@gmail.com.

12. International Data Transfers

HomeStaQ is designed primarily for users in India, and we endeavour to store and process your data within India wherever possible. However, some of our third-party service providers may process data in other jurisdictions. Where such transfers occur, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

13. Cookies and Similar Technologies

As a mobile application, HomeStaQ does not use browser cookies. However, we may use local storage mechanisms on your device to store preferences, cache data for performance, and maintain your session. This data remains on your device and is cleared when you sign out or delete the App.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, features, or applicable laws. When we make material changes, we will notify you through the App prior to the changes taking effect. The "Last updated" date at the top of this policy indicates when it was most recently revised. Your continued use of the App after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

15. Grievance Redressal

If you have any concerns or complaints regarding the processing of your personal information, you may contact our Grievance Officer at the details provided below. We will acknowledge your complaint within 24 hours and endeavour to resolve it within 30 days.

16. Contact Us

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

Email: homestaq.support@gmail.com

We will respond to your enquiry as soon as reasonably possible, and in any event within 30 days of receipt.