Privacy Policy
Last updated: May 2026
1. Introduction
OwnersOnly ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights.
2. Information We Collect
We collect the following types of information:
- Account information: Name, email address, phone number, WhatsApp number (for owners)
- Authentication data: Password (hashed), or OAuth tokens from Google sign-in
- Listing data: Property details, photos, documents, and compliance declarations
- Verification documents: ID document or driver's licence (for seller verification)
- Usage data: Saved properties, search alerts, search history, and browsing patterns
- Payment information: Processed by PayFast — we do not store card details
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your information to:
- Create and manage your account
- Display your property listings to potential buyers
- Facilitate direct contact between buyers and sellers (based on your preferences)
- Send search alert email notifications
- Verify seller identity (manual admin review)
- Process listing payments via PayFast
- Improve our platform and user experience
- Prevent fraud and enforce our Terms of Service
4. Contact Information Visibility
As a property owner, you choose which contact details are visible on each listing. You can toggle email, phone, and WhatsApp visibility per listing. Your contact information is only shown to users browsing your listing — it is never sold or shared with third parties for marketing purposes.
5. Data Storage & Security
Your data is stored securely using Supabase (hosted infrastructure with encryption at rest and in transit). Verification documents are stored in private storage buckets accessible only to our admin team. We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information.
6. Data Sharing
We do not sell your personal information. We share data only with:
- PayFast: For payment processing (listing fees only)
- Supabase: Our database and authentication provider
- Law enforcement: When required by law or court order
7. Cookies & Local Storage
We use browser local storage to save your preferences (theme, recently viewed properties, compare selections, and anonymous favourites). We use essential cookies for authentication. We do not use third-party tracking cookies.
8. Your Rights Under POPIA
You have the right to:
- Access your personal information we hold
- Request correction of inaccurate information
- Delete your account and associated data
- Object to processing of your personal information
- Withdraw consent at any time
- Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator
You can delete your account yourself at any time under Account Settings. This permanently removes your profile, listings, photos, documents, favourites, and search alerts. For the other rights above, email us using the details at the end of this policy.
9. Data Retention
We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. Listing data is retained for the listing duration (90 days active) plus an additional 90 days for record-keeping. Sold listings are archived after 14 days. You can delete your account and all associated data at any time from your Account Settings.
10. Children's Privacy
OwnersOnly is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect information from minors.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify registered users of significant changes via email.
Contact
For privacy-related queries or to exercise your POPIA rights, email us at privacy@ownersonly.co.za