Privacy PolicyFind A Professional NZ · findaprofessional.co.nz

Find A Professional NZ ("we", "us", or "our") operates the platform available at findaprofessional.co.nz. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our website and services.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020 (New Zealand) and the New Zealand Privacy Principles.

By using our platform — whether as a customer searching for professionals or as a professional listing your services — you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our platform.

We collect information in three main ways: information you provide directly, information collected automatically, and information from third parties.

Information you provide

• Account registration: your name, email address, and password when you create an account.
• Professional profiles: your business name, service description, service area, pricing range, work photos, and languages spoken.
• Messages: the content of messages you send through our platform between customers and professionals.
• Reviews: written reviews and star ratings you submit after a job is completed.
• Support enquiries: information you provide when contacting us for help.
• Payment information: billing details processed securely through our payment provider. We do not store full card numbers on our servers.

Information collected automatically

• Usage data: pages visited, search queries entered, features used, and time spent on the platform.
• Device information: browser type, operating system, device identifiers, and screen resolution.
• Location data: approximate location based on your IP address or the city you select in the platform.
• Cookies and similar technologies: see our Cookies section below for full details.

Information we do not collect

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

To operate the platform

• Create and manage your account
• Display professional profiles in search results
• Facilitate direct messaging between customers and professionals
• Process subscription payments for professional listings
• Show your listing to customers searching in your area

To improve our service

• Analyse usage patterns to improve platform features
• Understand which categories and regions have the most demand
• Fix bugs and resolve technical issues
• Test new features before wider rollout

To communicate with you

• Send transactional emails (account confirmations, password resets)
• Notify you of new messages from customers or professionals
• Send billing receipts and upcoming payment reminders
• Inform you of important changes to the platform or this policy
• Send optional marketing emails (you can unsubscribe at any time)

To maintain safety and quality

• Monitor for fraudulent activity or spam
• Investigate reports of inappropriate content or behaviour
• Enforce our Terms and Conditions

We share your information only in the limited circumstances described below. We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party.

Between customers and professionals

When you send a message to a professional (or receive one as a professional), the other party can see the content of that message. Professional profiles — including name, service description, photos, pricing range, and reviews — are publicly visible to all visitors to the platform.

Service providers

We work with a small number of reliable third-party providers who help us operate the platform:

• Payment processing: your payment details are handled by a PCI-DSS compliant payment provider. We never see or store your full card number.
• Email delivery: transactional and notification emails are sent via a third-party email service provider.
• Cloud hosting: our platform and data are hosted on secure cloud infrastructure.
• Analytics: we use privacy-respecting analytics tools to understand platform usage.

All service providers are required to handle your data securely and only for the purposes we specify.

Legal requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or a lawful request from a government authority — for example, in response to a valid subpoena or to comply with our obligations under New Zealand law.

Business transfers

If Find A Professional NZ is acquired, merged with another company, or undergoes a significant ownership change, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you in advance and give you the opportunity to delete your account if you wish.

We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement industry-standard measures to protect it.

Where your data is stored

Your data is stored on secure cloud servers. Some data may be processed or stored outside New Zealand (for example, by our hosting or email providers). Where this occurs, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place consistent with the Privacy Act 2020.

Security measures

• All data in transit is encrypted using TLS (HTTPS)
• Passwords are hashed and salted — we never store plain-text passwords
• Access to production systems is restricted to authorised personnel only
• Regular security reviews and dependency updates
• Payment data is handled by our PCI-DSS certified payment provider

How long we keep your data

• Active accounts: we retain your data while your account is active.
• Cancelled professional listings: your profile and reviews are retained for 12 months after cancellation in case you choose to reactivate. After that, data is deleted or anonymised.
• Messages: conversation history is retained for 24 months.
• Billing records: payment records are retained for 7 years as required by NZ tax law.
• Deleted accounts: upon account deletion, personal data is removed within 30 days, except where retention is required by law.

We use cookies and similar technologies to make the platform work properly and to understand how it is used.

What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help the site remember your preferences and actions over time.

Cookies we use

• Essential cookies: required for the platform to function. These include session cookies that keep you logged in, and security tokens that protect against cross-site request forgery. You cannot opt out of these.
• Preference cookies: remember your settings such as your selected city or language preference.
• Analytics cookies: help us understand how visitors use the platform — which pages are popular, where users drop off, and how features are used. This data is aggregated and anonymous.

Managing cookies

You can control and/or delete cookies through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may prevent the platform from working correctly. Most browsers allow you to block third-party cookies while allowing first-party cookies — this is a good middle ground for most users.

Under the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020, you have specific rights regarding your personal information. We are committed to honouring these rights.

Right to access

You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. We will provide this within 20 working days of receiving your request.

Right to correction

If you believe information we hold about you is inaccurate or out of date, you have the right to request that we correct it. You can update most information directly from your account dashboard.

Right to deletion

You can request that we delete your account and associated personal data. We will action this within 30 days, subject to our legal obligations to retain certain records (such as billing history).

Right to opt out of marketing

You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the unsubscribe link in any email we send, or by updating your preferences in your account settings. Transactional emails (such as billing receipts and message notifications) cannot be disabled while your account is active.

How to exercise your rights

To make any privacy request, contact us at info@findaprofessional.co.nz with the subject line "Privacy Request". We may ask you to verify your identity before processing your request.

Complaints

If you believe we have breached your privacy rights, you can first contact us to resolve the matter. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner at privacy.org.nz.

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites, such as links in professional profiles to the professional's own website or social media pages.

This Privacy Policy applies only to Find A Professional NZ. We have no control over and take no responsibility for the privacy practices or content of any third-party sites you visit through links on our platform.

We encourage you to read the privacy policy of any third-party site you visit.

Find A Professional NZ is not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 16.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at info@findaprofessional.co.nz and we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors.

When we make significant changes, we will notify you by:

• Sending an email to the address associated with your account
• Displaying a notice on the platform when you next log in
• Updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page

Your continued use of the platform after we post changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. If you do not agree with changes, you should stop using the platform and may request deletion of your account.

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

We aim to respond to all privacy enquiries within 5 business days.