Privacy Policy

Chattelz Inc. ("Chattelz", "we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable Ontario privacy legislation. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use the Chattelz platform.

By accessing or using Chattelz, you consent to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our Service.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly to us, information generated through your use of the Service, and information from third-party sources where permitted by law.

Information you provide:

• Account registration details: name, email address, phone number, and password
• Profile information: profile photo, bio, and professional credentials (for agents and stagers)
• Property and listing details: addresses, photos, item descriptions, and pricing
• Payment information: processed securely through Stripe; Chattelz does not store full card numbers
• Communications: messages sent through the platform, support tickets, and dispute filings
• Identity verification: RE licence number and brokerage details for professional accounts

Information collected automatically:

• Device information: browser type, operating system, device identifiers
• Usage data: pages visited, features used, time spent, and click patterns
• Log data: IP addresses, access times, referring URLs, and error reports
• Location data: approximate location inferred from IP address (not precise GPS)

2. How We Use It

We use the information we collect to operate and improve the Chattelz platform, process transactions, and communicate with you. Specifically, we use your data to:

• Create and manage your account, and authenticate your identity
• Process purchases, escrow payments, fund releases, and withdrawals
• Connect buyers and sellers and facilitate offer negotiations
• Verify real estate professional credentials with provincial authorities
• Send transactional emails: order confirmations, pickup notifications, and payment receipts
• Send service communications: policy updates, security alerts, and account notices
• Send marketing communications where you have opted in (you may unsubscribe at any time)
• Detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, abuse, and violations of our Terms
• Comply with legal obligations under Canadian federal and Ontario provincial law
• Improve the platform through analytics, A/B testing, and user research

We will not use your personal information for purposes beyond those listed above without first obtaining your consent, except as required by law.

3. Sharing & Third Parties

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

Service providers: We engage trusted third-party service providers who process data on our behalf under binding data processing agreements. These include:

• Stripe Inc. — payment processing and fraud detection
• Amazon Web Services (AWS) — cloud infrastructure and data storage
• Google Analytics — anonymised usage analytics
• Parker's Moving — moving quote coordination (only the information you choose to share)
• Email delivery providers — transactional and marketing email delivery

Between users: When you engage in a transaction, certain information is shared between buyer and seller (e.g., pickup address, contact details for coordination). This sharing is limited to what is necessary to complete the transaction.

Legal requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or governmental authority, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Chattelz, our users, or the public.

Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. You will be notified via email or a prominent notice on our platform prior to any such transfer.

4. Cookies & Tracking

Chattelz uses cookies and similar tracking technologies (local storage, session storage) to operate the platform, remember your preferences, and analyse usage patterns.

Essential cookies are required for the Service to function (e.g., authentication tokens, session management). You cannot opt out of these without losing access to the platform.

Analytics cookies help us understand how users interact with Chattelz. We use anonymised, aggregated data to improve features and fix bugs. You may opt out of analytics tracking through your browser settings or by contacting us.

Preference cookies remember your settings, such as saved searches and notification preferences.

We do not use third-party advertising cookies or share your data with advertising networks. You can control cookie settings in your browser; however, disabling essential cookies may affect the functionality of the Service.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with the Service. Specifically:

• Account data is retained for the duration of your account plus 2 years after closure
• Transaction records are retained for 7 years to comply with Canadian tax and financial regulations
• Support and dispute records are retained for 3 years after resolution
• Marketing consent records are retained for 3 years after you unsubscribe
• Server log files are retained for 90 days and then deleted or anonymised

When data is no longer required, we securely delete or anonymise it. You may request early deletion of your account and associated personal data (subject to legal retention obligations) by contacting us at privacy@chattelz.com.

6. Your Rights (PIPEDA/Ontario)

Under Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable Ontario privacy law, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right of access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Right to correction: You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to withdraw consent: You may withdraw consent to certain processing activities (note: this may limit your use of the Service)
• Right to complain: You may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) at www.priv.gc.ca
• Right to deletion: You may request deletion of your personal data, subject to our legal retention obligations

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Privacy Officer at privacy@chattelz.com. We will respond to all requests within 30 days, as required by PIPEDA. There is no charge for access requests unless the request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.

7. Security

We implement industry-standard technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit using TLS 1.2+ (HTTPS)
• Encryption of sensitive data at rest using AES-256
• Payment card data handled exclusively by Stripe (PCI DSS Level 1 certified)
• Access controls: role-based permissions and multi-factor authentication for internal systems
• Regular security assessments and penetration testing
• Incident response procedures including breach notification protocols

Despite our best efforts, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. In the event of a data breach affecting your personal information, we will notify you and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner as required by PIPEDA's breach reporting regulations within the applicable timeframes.

8. Children's Privacy

Chattelz is not directed at children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 18. By using the Service, you represent that you are at least 18 years of age.

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 we may have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately at privacy@chattelz.com.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
• Notify registered users by email at least 14 days before changes take effect
• Display a prominent notice on the platform for 30 days after the change

Your continued use of Chattelz after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the revised policy, you may close your account at any time.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Previous versions are archived and available upon request.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our handling of your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer:

We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within 10 business days. For formal access requests under PIPEDA, we will respond within 30 calendar days.

If you are unsatisfied with our response, you have the right to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at www.priv.gc.ca or by phone at 1-800-282-1376.