Privacy Policy

ArdhiHome ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform.

This policy is designed to comply with the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019 and the regulations issued thereunder by the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC).

By using ArdhiHome, you consent to the data practices described in this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our services.

ArdhiHome acts as the Data Controller for personal data collected through our platform. Our contact details are:

2.1 Personal Information You Provide

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, password
• Realtor Information: EARB/ERA registration number, license certificates, company details
• Identity Verification: National ID or passport (for realtors)
• Profile Information: Profile photo, company name, website
• Property Listings: Property details, images, location data, pricing
• Communications: Messages sent through our contact forms

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system
• Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, search queries
• Location Data: Approximate location based on IP address
• Cookies: Session cookies for authentication and preferences

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Authentication Providers: If you sign in using third-party services
• Public Records: EARB registration verification

Under the Kenya Data Protection Act 2019, we process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

• Consent: You have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for specific purposes
• Contract: Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with you (e.g., providing platform services)
• Legal Obligation: Processing is necessary to comply with Kenyan law
• Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided these do not override your rights

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve our platform services
• Process and manage your account registration
• Verify realtor credentials and EARB registration
• Facilitate property listings and searches
• Enable communication between users and realtors
• Process commission payments and transactions
• Send service-related notifications and updates
• Respond to your inquiries and support requests
• Detect, prevent, and address fraud and security issues
• Comply with legal obligations under Kenyan law
• Analyze usage patterns to improve user experience

We may share your personal data with:

5.1 Other Users

Your public profile information and property listings are visible to other platform users. Realtors' contact information is shared with users who express interest in their listings.

5.2 Service Providers

We engage third-party companies to perform services on our behalf, including:

• Cloud hosting and data storage providers
• Payment processing services
• Analytics and monitoring services
• Email and communication services

5.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law, court order, or government request, or to protect our rights, property, or safety.

5.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal data may be transferred to the acquiring entity.

As ArdhiHome is headquartered in the United States with operations in Kenya, your personal data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside Kenya.

In accordance with the Kenya Data Protection Act 2019, we ensure that any international transfer of personal data is subject to appropriate safeguards, including:

• Standard contractual clauses approved by the ODPC
• Transfers to countries with adequate data protection laws
• Binding corporate rules for intra-group transfers

We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our services to you
• Comply with legal obligations (e.g., tax and accounting requirements)
• Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements

Specific retention periods:

• Account data: Retained while your account is active, plus 7 years after deletion
• Transaction records: 7 years (as required by Kenyan tax law)
• Communication logs: 3 years
• Analytics data: 2 years (anonymized thereafter)

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data, including:

• Encryption of data in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest
• Secure authentication mechanisms
• Regular security assessments and penetration testing
• Access controls limiting data access to authorized personnel
• Employee training on data protection practices
• Incident response procedures for data breaches

In the event of a data breach that poses a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and the ODPC within 72 hours as required by law.

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Essential Cookies: Enable core functionality like authentication and security
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences
• Analytics Cookies: Understand how users interact with our platform

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling essential cookies may affect platform functionality.

ArdhiHome is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a child without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated policy on our platform and updating the "Last updated" date.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.