Privacy Policy

Last updated: 16 May 2026

HelpSorted ("we", "us", "our") operates the website at helpsorted.com.au and related services. This policy explains how we collect, use, store, and disclose your personal information, in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

1. What we collect

When you use HelpSorted, we may collect:

• Your name, phone number, email address, and the content of your message when you contact a service provider through our platform.
• Your IP address, browser type, and user agent when you visit the site.
• Your account email and password (hashed) if you sign up as a service provider.
• For service providers: business name, ABN, contact phone, listing details, photos, and payment information processed through Stripe.
• Records of consent you give (for example, accepting our disclosure modal before sending a message), including timestamp, IP address, and the disclosure version you accepted.

2. Why we collect it

We collect this information to:

• Connect you with local service providers and facilitate communication between you.
• Operate, secure, and improve the service.
• Send you transactional emails and SMS related to your account or your enquiries.
• Comply with our legal obligations.

3. Who we share it with

We share your information only with the service providers you choose to contact through the platform, and with the third-party processors we rely on to deliver the service:

• Supabase - database hosting.
• Vercel - website hosting and infrastructure.
• Twilio - SMS message delivery.
• Stripe - payment processing for service providers.
• Resend - transactional email delivery.

We do not sell your information. We do not share it with advertisers. We do not disclose it to anyone else except where required by law (for example, in response to a valid law-enforcement request).

4. How long we keep it

• Inbound messages from customers to service providers are retained for 90 days, then automatically deleted.
• Service provider account data is retained for as long as your account is active, plus 12 months after closure for billing and dispute purposes.
• Consent records are retained for 24 months to demonstrate compliance.
• Anonymised analytics (click events, weekly digest metrics) may be retained indefinitely.

5. How we protect it

We use industry-standard security practices, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), role-based access controls, and per-tenant data isolation through Supabase Row Level Security. Payments are processed through Stripe under their standard Data Processing Addendum; we do not store card numbers ourselves.

No system is fully secure. If a breach occurs that is likely to cause serious harm, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme under Part IIIC of the Privacy Act 1988.

6. Your rights

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Request that we correct it if it is inaccurate.
• Request that we delete it (subject to our legal record-keeping obligations).
• Complain about how we have handled your information.

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@helpsorted.com.au. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Cookies

We use only essential cookies needed to operate the site and keep you signed in. We do not use advertising cookies or third-party tracking pixels.

8. SMS communications

When a customer contacts a service provider through HelpSorted, we may send transactional SMS to facilitate that conversation. Commercial messages (for example, review requests after a completed job) include an opt-out instruction. Reply STOP to any commercial SMS and we will stop sending you commercial messages from that service provider.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The current version is always at helpsorted.com.au/privacy. Material changes will be notified to active account holders by email.

10. Contact + complaints

Questions or complaints? Email hello@helpsorted.com.au. We respond within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner:

• Phone: 1300 363 992
• Web: oaic.gov.au
• Post: GPO Box 5288, Sydney NSW 2001

HelpSorted is operated by Help Sorted (ABN 89 687 217 914). This policy is a working draft pending external legal review.