Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Property Exchange Africa ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our real estate services.

Please read this policy carefully. If you do not agree with its terms, please do not access or use our platform. By using Property Exchange Africa, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information that you voluntarily provide to us when you register, list a property, make an enquiry, or otherwise interact with our platform.

Information Collected Automatically

• Usage Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, pages viewed, and time spent on pages.
• Device Data: Device identifiers, screen resolution, and mobile network information.
• Location Data: With your consent, approximate location to show relevant property listings near you.

Information from Agents & Companies

• Property details, images, pricing, and descriptions uploaded to our platform.
• Business registration documents and license certificates submitted for verification.
• Company logos, website URLs, and representative contact information.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

1. Account Management: To create, manage, and secure user accounts for buyers, agents, brokers, and companies.
2. Property Listings: To display and manage properties uploaded by verified agents and developers.
3. Communications: To send account-related notifications, enquiry responses, and — with your consent — marketing emails.
4. Platform Improvement: To analyse usage patterns and improve the quality and performance of our services.
5. Verification & Compliance: To verify agent and company identities and ensure regulatory compliance.
6. Fraud Prevention: To detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent transactions, abuse, and other harmful activity.
7. Legal Obligations: To comply with applicable laws and respond to lawful requests from public authorities.

4. Disclosure of Your Information

We do not sell your personal data. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

• With Your Consent: When you have explicitly authorised us to share your information for a specific purpose.
• Service Providers: With trusted third-party vendors who assist us in operating our platform (e.g., hosting, email delivery, analytics). These vendors are bound by confidentiality agreements.
• Property Enquiries: When you contact an agent or developer about a listing, your contact details are shared with that party to facilitate the enquiry.
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or governmental authority.
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, where data may be transferred as part of the transaction.
• Protection of Rights: When necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Property Exchange Africa, our users, or the public.

5. Security of Your Information

We implement industry-standard technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal data, including encrypted password storage, SSL/TLS connections, and restricted access controls. Your passwords are hashed using secure one-way algorithms and are never stored in plain text.

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. You are responsible for keeping your account credentials confidential.

6. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements.
• Right to Restriction: Request that we limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
• Right to Portability: Request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Right to Object: Object to our processing of your data for direct marketing purposes.
• Right to Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the unsubscribe link included in every email.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the details provided in Section 10 below.

7. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our platform. Cookies are small data files stored on your device that help us remember your preferences and understand how you use our site.

Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for the platform to function correctly (e.g., session authentication, CSRF protection). These cannot be disabled.
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our site so we can improve it.
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and choices across visits.

You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to alert you when cookies are being sent. Note that disabling cookies may affect certain features of the platform.

8. Third-Party Services

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites, including property listing portals, social media platforms, and payment processors. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you visit.

We use the following categories of third-party services:

• Email Delivery: To send transactional and marketing emails on our behalf.
• Mapping Services: Google Maps or OpenStreetMap for property location features.
• Payment Processing: Paystack for processing subscription and transaction payments (we do not store card details).
• Analytics: To understand user behaviour and improve our platform.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. We will notify registered users of significant changes by email and update the "Effective Date" at the top of this page.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our platform after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.