Privacy Policy

Trade Connect respects your privacy and is committed to handling personal information responsibly.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, when it may be shared, how we protect it, and the choices available to you when you use the TradeConnect platform.

TradeConnect helps customers connect with participating tradespeople for plumbing services. Because the platform facilitates these connections, some information you provide may be shared with tradespeople at different stages of a plumbing request, as explained in this Policy.

1. Information We Collect

Account Information

When you create or use a TradeConnect account, we may collect:

• Your name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Account role, such as customer or tradesperson
• Email verification information
• Account status information
• Login and authentication information

Customer Plumbing Request Information

When a customer creates or submits a plumbing request, we may collect:

• Type of plumbing problem
• Property type
• Description of the problem
• Urgency level
• Parish
• General area
• Service address
• Preferred timing
• Access notes
• Photographs
• Videos
• Information about the progress or status of the request

Customers should avoid including unnecessary sensitive personal information in descriptions, photographs, videos, or other uploaded material.

Tradesperson Information

When a tradesperson creates or maintains a TradeConnect profile, we may collect:

• Legal name
• Business or display name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Biography
• Services offered
• Service areas
• Working hours
• Profile photograph
• Licence or certification name
• Licence, certification, or credential documents
• Police certificate or other screening information provided for verification purposes
• Insurance declarations
• Verification status
• Availability status

Some credential information may be reviewed by Trade Connect as part of our tradesperson verification process.

Marketplace Activity

We may collect information about activity that takes place through TradeConnect, including:

• Responses to plumbing requests
• Messages included in a tradesperson response
• Availability information
• Estimates provided by tradespeople
• Tradesperson selections
• Request status updates
• Job start and completion information
• Cancellations
• Ratings
• Reviews
• Notifications
• Customer and tradesperson interactions carried out through the platform

An estimate submitted through TradeConnect is not necessarily a final invoice or final price for the plumbing work.

Technical and Usage Information

When you use TradeConnect, we may collect technical information reasonably necessary to operate, maintain, secure, and troubleshoot the platform.

This may include:

• IP address
• Browser type
• Device information
• Operating system
• Access times
• Application logs
• Error information
• Pages or features used
• Cookies or similar technologies where applicable

2. How We Use Your Information

We may use personal information to:

• Create and manage user accounts
• Verify email addresses
• Process and display plumbing requests
• Allow participating tradespeople to evaluate and respond to available jobs
• Allow customers to review and select tradespeople
• Facilitate communication between customers and selected tradespeople
• Administer tradesperson profiles and verification
• Display ratings and reviews
• Send account, request, job, or service notifications, including notifications by email and WhatsApp
• Provide customer support
• Investigate misuse, fraud, suspicious activity, or security incidents
• Enforce our Terms of Service
• Maintain and improve the platform
• Comply with applicable legal obligations
• Protect the rights, safety, and security of Trade Connect, our users, and others

We do not currently process customer payments for plumbing work through TradeConnect.

3. How Information Is Shared Between Customers and Tradespeople

TradeConnect is a service marketplace, so some information must be shared in order for customers and tradespeople to evaluate and complete plumbing jobs.

Before a Tradesperson Is Selected

Before a customer selects a tradesperson, TradeConnect may make certain job information available to eligible tradespeople.

This may include:

• Plumbing problem type
• Property type
• Problem description
• Urgency
• Parish
• General area
• Preferred timing
• Access notes
• Photographs
• Videos
• Other information reasonably necessary for the tradesperson to decide whether to respond

A customer's full service address, phone number, and other private contact information are not intended to be made available to all tradespeople merely because they can view or respond to a request.

After a Tradesperson Is Selected

Once a customer selects a tradesperson, TradeConnect may make additional information available to that tradesperson where necessary to carry out the job.

This may include:

• Full service address
• Customer contact information
• Access information
• Other details reasonably necessary to coordinate or perform the plumbing service

Customers should understand that information shared with a selected tradesperson may then be used by that tradesperson for purposes connected with the requested plumbing service.

Information Customers May See About Tradespeople

Customers may be able to view information about participating tradespeople, including:

• Display or business name
• Biography
• Services offered
• Service areas
• Completed-job information
• Licence or certification name
• Verification status
• Ratings
• Reviews
• Other profile information made available through TradeConnect

Public Profile Information

Some tradesperson information is intended to be visible through a public or customer-facing profile.

Tradespeople should not include information in public profile fields that they do not want customers or other permitted users to see.

4. Tradesperson Verification

Trade Connect may review certain information and documents submitted by tradespeople as part of its verification process.

Verification may include, for example:

• Confirmation of email address
• Review of account status
• Profile approval
• Review of an uploaded licence, certification, or credential document
• Review or verification of police certificate or other screening information where required by Trade Connect

A TradeConnect verification indicator means that the relevant verification steps have been completed based on the information available to us.

Verification does not mean that Trade Connect guarantees:

• The quality of a tradesperson's work
• That credentials remain valid indefinitely
• That a tradesperson is suitable for every job
• The accuracy of every statement made by a tradesperson
• The outcome of any plumbing service

Customers remain responsible for deciding whether a particular tradesperson is appropriate for their needs.

5. Ratings and Reviews

After a completed job, customers and tradespeople may be permitted to submit ratings or reviews.

Ratings and reviews may be displayed to other users where the platform is designed to do so.

Users should:

• Provide truthful feedback
• Avoid including unnecessary personal information
• Avoid unlawful, abusive, threatening, or defamatory content
• Avoid publishing private contact details or other sensitive information

Trade Connect may remove or restrict reviews that violate our policies or applicable law.

6. Photos, Videos, and Uploaded Content

Customers may upload photographs or videos relating to a plumbing problem, and tradespeople may upload certain profile or credential materials.

By uploading content to TradeConnect, you understand that the content may be processed and displayed where reasonably necessary to provide the service.

For example, photographs and videos attached to a plumbing request may be made available to eligible tradespeople evaluating that request.

Users should not upload content that:

• They do not have the right to provide
• Contains unnecessary personal or sensitive information
• Violates another person's privacy
• Is unlawful or inappropriate
• Contains unrelated material

7. Location and Address Information

TradeConnect may collect location information supplied by customers to help identify where plumbing services are needed.

This may include:

• Parish
• General area
• Service address
• Location information entered or selected using mapping or address tools, which may include geographic coordinates

General location information may be shared with eligible tradespeople before selection so they can determine whether a job falls within their service area.

More precise address information may be restricted until a tradesperson is selected.

8. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell or rent personal information to third parties. We may share information with service providers and other parties only as described in this Privacy Policy.

Service Providers

We may use third-party service providers to help operate TradeConnect.

These may include providers supporting functions such as:

• Website hosting
• File or media storage
• Email delivery
• Messaging and communications services, including WhatsApp
• Maps and address functionality
• Security
• Analytics
• Technical support

TradeConnect may use Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform to send service-related WhatsApp messages, such as notifications about available plumbing requests, job activity, and other platform communications. When WhatsApp is used, certain information, such as your phone number and message-related technical data, may be processed by Meta in accordance with its applicable terms and privacy policies.

These providers may process information only to the extent reasonably necessary to perform services for Trade Connect, subject to their own terms and applicable contractual or legal obligations.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose information where reasonably necessary to:

• Comply with applicable law
• Comply with a court order or lawful request
• Respond to legal process
• Investigate fraud or unlawful conduct
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of Trade Connect, our users, or others
• Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims

Business Transactions

If Trade Connect is involved in a merger, acquisition, restructuring, financing, sale of assets, or similar transaction, personal information may be disclosed as part of that transaction, subject to appropriate safeguards where required.

9. Cookies and Similar Technologies

TradeConnect may use cookies or similar technologies where necessary to:

• Keep users signed in
• Maintain sessions
• Support security
• Remember preferences
• Operate website functionality
• Understand how the platform is used
• Troubleshoot technical issues

Some cookies may be necessary for the platform to function correctly.

You may be able to control certain cookies through your browser settings. Disabling necessary cookies may affect your ability to use some TradeConnect features.

10. Data Security

Trade Connect takes reasonable steps to protect personal information against:

• Unauthorized access
• Unauthorized disclosure
• Alteration
• Loss
• Misuse

Security measures may include technical, administrative, and access-control measures appropriate to the nature of the information and the services being provided.

However, no website, internet transmission, or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Users are also responsible for:

• Protecting their passwords
• Keeping login credentials confidential
• Using secure devices and networks where possible
• Notifying Trade Connect if they believe their account has been compromised

11. Data Retention

We may retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to:

• Provide TradeConnect services
• Maintain user accounts
• Maintain transaction and job records
• Resolve disputes
• Prevent fraud or misuse
• Enforce agreements
• Comply with legal obligations
• Maintain appropriate business records

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the reason it is being retained.

Information may also remain in backups for a limited period after deletion from active systems.

12. Account Closure and Data Requests

Users may request assistance with:

• Correcting account information
• Accessing certain personal information
• Closing an account
• Requesting deletion of certain information
• Asking questions about how personal information is handled

Some information may need to be retained even after an account is closed where reasonably necessary for:

• Legal compliance
• Fraud prevention
• Dispute resolution
• Security
• Recordkeeping
• Enforcement of agreements

Where information cannot be deleted immediately or at all, Trade Connect may retain only what is reasonably necessary for the applicable purpose.

13. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on applicable law, you may have rights relating to your personal information, including the ability to request:

• Access to personal information
• Correction of inaccurate information
• Deletion of certain information
• Information about how your data is being used
• Restriction of certain processing
• Withdrawal of consent where processing is based on consent

You may also have the right to raise concerns with an appropriate data protection authority.

Trade Connect may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests.

14. Children

TradeConnect is intended for adults who are able to request or provide plumbing services.

The platform is not intended for children to create accounts or independently enter into service arrangements through TradeConnect.

If we become aware that personal information has been provided by a child contrary to our intended use of the platform, we may take appropriate steps to remove or restrict that information.

15. Third-Party Services and Links

TradeConnect may contain links to third-party websites or use services provided by third parties.

Those third parties may have their own privacy practices and policies.

Trade Connect is not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites or services that are outside our control.

Users are encouraged to review the privacy policies of third parties they interact with.

16. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.

When we make changes, we will update the effective date shown at the top of the Policy.

Where changes are significant, we may also provide additional notice through the platform, by email, or by another appropriate method.

17. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, want to make a privacy-related request, or have concerns about how your personal information is handled, contact us at:

Trade Connect
Email: support@tradeconnectbarbados.com
Website: https://tradeconnectbarbados.com
Location: Barbados

For account closure or data requests, please include enough information for us to identify your account and understand your request.

By using TradeConnect, you acknowledge that you have read this Privacy Policy.