Privacy Policy

Effective date: 1 February 2026 · Version 1.0

1. Who We Are

TradeLynq ("TradeLynq", "we", "our") is an online marketplace that connects homeowners and clients in Trinidad and Tobago with verified local professionals. We are registered and operate from Port of Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when you use the TradeLynq platform, including our website (tradelynq.tt) and any associated applications.

2. Legal Framework

We operate under the Data Protection Act, Chapter 22:04 of the Laws of Trinidad and Tobago (the "DPA"), as well as applicable data-protection principles recognised internationally. By using TradeLynq you consent to the processing described in this policy.

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Information you provide directly

Account registration: full name, email address, phone number, account role (homeowner or professional).
Professional profile: business name, trade/profession category, service areas, biography, portfolio images, years of experience, qualifications.
Enquiries and bookings: job descriptions, preferred dates, contact preferences.
Reviews: star ratings and written testimonials.
Payments: billing details are processed by our payment partners (WiPay / First Atlantic Commerce) — we never store raw card numbers.
Support communications: messages you send via WhatsApp or email.

3.2 Information collected automatically

Activity logs: events such as logins, profile views, searches, and enquiry submissions. IP addresses are stored as a one-way SHA-256 hash (we cannot reverse it to your raw IP).
Device and browser data: browser type, operating system, referring URL, and pages visited — used for security and performance analysis.
Cookies: session cookies required for authentication; no third-party tracking cookies are set. See our Cookie Notice below.

4. How We Use Your Information

Service delivery: matching clients with professionals, processing enquiries and bookings, sending notifications.
Identity verification: confirming that accounts belong to real people in Trinidad and Tobago.
Communications: transactional messages via email (Resend) and WhatsApp Business (Meta); marketing communications only if you opt in.
Trust and safety: fraud detection, enforcement of our Community Standards, and dispute resolution.
Payment processing: subscription billing and transaction records for legal compliance.
Platform improvement: anonymised analytics to improve search relevance and user experience.
Legal obligations: tax records, regulatory reporting, and court orders.

5. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell personal information. We share it only with:

Other users: your professional profile (name, business name, bio, reviews) is publicly visible. Homeowner names appear on reviews they submit.
Service providers (data processors):
- Supabase Inc. — database hosting and authentication
- Vercel Inc. — web hosting and CDN
- Resend Inc. — transactional email
- Meta Platforms Inc. — WhatsApp Business API notifications
- WiPay (Caribbean) Ltd. and First Atlantic Commerce Ltd. — payment processing
Law enforcement / regulators: when required by valid legal process or court order.
Business transfers: if TradeLynq is acquired, user data may transfer to the acquirer under equivalent privacy protections.

6. Data Retention

Active account data is retained for as long as your account is open.
After account deletion, we retain records for 7 years to comply with tax law and to support dispute resolution.
Activity logs are retained for 24 months then purged automatically.
Payment records are retained for 7 years as required by the T&T Board of Inland Revenue.

7. Your Rights

Under the DPA and general data-protection principles you have the right to:

Access the personal information we hold about you.
Correct inaccurate information.
Delete your account (subject to legal retention obligations).
Object to processing for marketing purposes.
Portability — request an export of your data in a machine-readable format.

To exercise any right, email privacy@tradelynq.tt or message us on WhatsApp. We will respond within 30 days.

8. Cookies

We use strictly necessary cookies only — session tokens required for you to stay logged in. We do not use advertising cookies or sell data to ad networks. You may clear cookies at any time via your browser settings.

9. Security

We implement industry-standard measures including TLS encryption in transit, AES-256 encryption at rest (via Supabase), row-level security policies so users can only access their own data, hashed IP storage, and in-memory rate limiting on all API endpoints. We conduct periodic security reviews.

No internet transmission is 100% secure. If you believe your account has been compromised, contact us immediately at security@tradelynq.tt.

10. Children

TradeLynq is intended for users aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe a minor has created an account, please notify us and we will promptly delete it.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy as the platform evolves. Material changes will be notified by email at least 14 days before taking effect. Continued use after that date constitutes acceptance.

12. Contact

TradeLynq Privacy Team
Email: privacy@tradelynq.tt
WhatsApp: +1 (868) 000-0000
Port of Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

TradeLynq Policies