Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

Design and Build is a Zimbabwe-based digital platform that connects users with artisans, labourers, architects, and construction professionals. Artisans pay to be listed, and users access the service for free. Our mission is to enable safe, transparent, and efficient link-ups between clients and service providers in the construction industry.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal information:

Identification and Contact Data: Full name, Email address, Phone number, National ID, Passport number or Driver's Licence number (from artisans)

Transaction and Usage Data: Chat history between users and professionals, Date and time of logins or interactions, Ratings and reviews submitted, Payment details for artisan subscriptions (via third-party processors)

Device and Technical Data: IP address, Browser type, Device identifiers, Location data (only shared after mutual agreement between user and artisan)

3. How We Use Your Data

• To operate and improve our platform
• To facilitate communication between users and artisans
• To verify artisan identities
• To enable payments and receipts
• To comply with legal obligations and resolve disputes
• To ensure platform security and prevent fraud

4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR/International Compliance)

• Consent (e.g., newsletter subscription)
• Performance of a contract (e.g., platform registration)
• Legal obligation (e.g., providing data to authorities)
• Legitimate interest (e.g., improving services or ensuring safety)

5. Sharing of Data

We do not sell or rent your personal information. We may share data with:

• Third-party payment processors (for artisan subscriptions)
• Cloud hosting and analytics providers (under strict data protection agreements)
• Law enforcement or government agencies upon valid legal request
• Other users only after mutual chat agreement, for the purpose of completing a job

6. Data Retention

We retain your data only as long as necessary for the purposes stated above, or as required by law. Identification data from artisans may be retained for verification and compliance purposes.

7. Security of Your Data

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to safeguard your information. However, no method of data transmission or storage is completely secure. You use our platform at your own risk.

8. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

• Right to access, correct, or delete your personal data
• Right to object to processing or request restriction
• Right to data portability
• Right to lodge a complaint with a data protection authority

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at: designandbuildzim@gmail.com

9. International Transfers

If your data is transferred outside Zimbabwe (e.g., to cloud servers), we ensure such transfers are protected by appropriate safeguards, such as data processing agreements or standard contractual clauses.

10. Children's Privacy

We do not knowingly collect or process personal data of users under the age of 18. If we learn that we have collected data from a minor without parental consent, we will delete it promptly.

11. Cookies and Tracking

We may use cookies and similar technologies for authentication, analytics, and platform performance. By using our Services, you consent to our use of these technologies unless you disable them in your device settings.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Effective Date" at the top and, where appropriate, notify you via the platform.