Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Khench Technologies Inc. ("Khench", "we", "us", or "our") operates a reverse-auction local services marketplace available at khench.com and through our mobile application. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our platform.

This policy applies to all users of the Khench platform, including customers who post jobs and service providers who bid on them. We are committed to compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable Ontario privacy law.

By creating an account or using the Khench platform, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal information:

• Account information: Name, email address, phone number, date of birth (required to verify age for service type eligibility), and role (customer or provider).
• Job details and photos: Service descriptions, geographic job area (drawn as a map polygon), job photos uploaded at pre-job, onsite, and post-completion stages.
• Location data: GPS coordinates shared during active assignments to enable provider tracking. We also collect approximate location for map features and job matching.
• Payment information: Payment processing is handled entirely by Stripe. We never store raw card numbers, CVVs, or full payment credentials. We store only Stripe-issued identifiers (PaymentIntent IDs, customer IDs) and lifecycle states.
• Provider documents: For professional verification, providers may voluntarily upload insurance certificates, drivers' licences, and other professional documents. These are stored securely and reviewed by Khench administrators.
• Device and usage data: Device identifiers (push notification tokens), IP addresses, browser/app version, and interaction events for security, fraud prevention, and service improvement.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Match customers with nearby verified service providers
• Process payments and issue T4A tax slips to providers earning $500 or more annually
• Verify provider identity, age, and professional credentials
• Send push notifications about bids, job updates, and messages
• Enable real-time communication between customers and providers
• Investigate and resolve disputes
• Maintain our gamification system (XP, levels, badges) and reputation scores
• Comply with applicable laws, including PIPEDA and CRA reporting obligations

4. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only with the following third-party service providers as necessary to operate the platform:

• Stripe: Payment processing and card data handling (PCI-DSS Level 1 certified).
• Expo Push Notification Service: Delivery of push notifications to your device.
• AWS S3 / MinIO: Secure storage of job photos and provider documents.
• Twilio: SMS one-time password (OTP) verification for phone number confirmation.

We may also disclose information where required by law (such as responding to a court order or government request), or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Khench, its users, or the public.

5. Data Retention

• Active account data: Retained while your account is active.
• Completed job records: Retained for 7 years to satisfy CRA and T4A reporting obligations for providers.
• Job photos: Retained for 90 days after job completion, then automatically deleted from storage.
• Location pings: GPS data from active assignments is purged 30 days after assignment closure.
• Legal and audit records: Retained indefinitely as required by compliance obligations (immutable append-only logs).

6. Your Rights

Under PIPEDA and applicable Ontario law, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your account and associated personal data (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Withdraw consent, where consent is the basis for processing

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Cookies

We use session-based authentication tokens stored in your browser's local storage. We do not use third-party advertising cookies or tracking pixels. We do not participate in cross-site advertising networks. The only persistent storage used on web is your authentication token (JWT), which expires after 7 days.

8. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact:

Khench Technologies Inc.
Ontario, Canada
[email protected]