Privacy Policy

Last Updated: April 11, 2025

This Privacy Policy describes how Home Inspector Buddy™ ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and shares your personal information when you use our website and services.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide to Us

We collect information you provide directly to us when you:

Create an account
Upload photos for inspection analysis
Request inspector reviews
Generate or share reports
Contact our customer support
Sign up for our newsletters or career notifications
Participate in surveys or promotions

This information may include:

Contact information (name, email address, phone number)
Account credentials
Property information and images
Payment information
Communications with us

1.2 Information We Collect Automatically

When you access or use our services, we automatically collect certain information, including:

Log Information: We collect log information when you use our website, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring web page, pages visited, and the date and time of each visit.
Device Information: We collect information about the device you use to access our services, including the hardware model, operating system, and unique device identifiers.
Usage Information: We collect information about your interactions with our services, such as the features you use, the actions you take, and the time, frequency, and duration of your activities.
Location Information: With your consent, we may collect information about your precise or approximate location as determined by data such as your IP address or mobile device's GPS.
Cookies and Similar Technologies: We and our third-party partners may use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to collect information about your browsing activities. For more information, please see our Cookies Policy.

1.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third parties, such as:

Business partners
Service providers
Other users who refer you to our service
Public sources

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Provide, maintain, and improve our services
Process and complete transactions
Analyze and understand how our services are used
Communicate with you about our services, promotions, and events
Personalize your experience
Develop new products and services
Train and improve our artificial intelligence systems
Detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent transactions and other illegal activities
Comply with legal obligations
Protect the rights, property, and safety of our users and others

3. How We Share Your Information

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

3.1 With Your Consent

We may share your information when you direct us to do so.

3.2 Service Providers

We may share your information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as:

Payment processing
Data storage and hosting
Customer service
Email delivery
Analytics
Marketing and advertising

3.3 Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, bankruptcy, or sale of our business or assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

3.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if we believe it is necessary to:

Comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, or governmental requests
Protect the rights, property, and safety of Home Inspector Buddy, our users, or others
Detect, prevent, or address fraud, security, or technical issues
Enforce our Terms of Service, including investigating potential violations

3.5 Aggregated or De-identified Information

We may share aggregated or de-identified information that cannot reasonably be used to identify you.

4. AI Image Analysis and Data Use

4.1 AI Processing

When you upload photos for inspection analysis, our AI system processes these images to identify potential issues, safety concerns, and code violations. This processing is central to our service.

4.2 Training and Improvement

With your consent, we may use your uploaded images and the corresponding inspection reports to train and improve our AI models. All images used for training are de-identified and anonymized to protect your privacy.

4.3 Opt-Out

You can opt out of having your data used for AI training purposes by contacting us at [contact email].

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Reports are stored for 90 days by default. You can choose to save reports indefinitely for an additional fee.

6. Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure.

7. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, which may include:

Access: You can request access to your personal information.
Correction: You can request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Deletion: You can request that we delete your personal information in certain circumstances.
Restriction: You can request that we restrict the processing of your information.
Data Portability: You can request a copy of the information you provided to us in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
Objection: You can object to our processing of your personal information.
Withdraw Consent: You can withdraw your consent at any time for activities for which you previously consented.

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the "Contact Us" section below.

8. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will promptly delete that information.

9. International Data Transfers

We are based in the United States and process information on servers located in the United States. If you are located outside the United States, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers maintain facilities.

10. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by email or by posting a notice on our website prior to the change becoming effective.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

Email: justin@gethibud.com

12. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) regarding your personal information.

12.1 Right to Know

You have the right to request information about the personal information we collect, use, disclose, and sell, including:

Categories of personal information collected
Categories of sources from which personal information is collected
Business or commercial purpose for collecting personal information
Categories of third parties with whom we share personal information
Specific pieces of personal information collected about you

12.2 Right to Delete

You have the right to request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain exceptions.

12.3 Right to Opt-Out

You have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information. However, we do not sell your personal information.

12.4 Right to Non-Discrimination

You have the right not to be discriminated against for exercising your CCPA rights.

13. European Economic Area (EEA) Privacy Rights

If you are located in the EEA, United Kingdom, or Switzerland, you have certain rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable national data protection laws.

13.1 Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on one or more of the following legal bases:

Your consent
Performance of a contract with you
Compliance with a legal obligation
Protection of vital interests
Public interest
Our legitimate interests, provided they do not override your fundamental rights and freedoms

13.2 Data Controller

For the purposes of applicable data protection law, Home Inspector Buddy is the controller of your personal information.

13.3 Data Protection Officer

You can contact our Data Protection Officer at [DPO email].

14. Cookie Policy

For information about our use of cookies and similar technologies, please see our Cookies Policy.