Link My Trade (“LMT”, “we”, “us”) values the trust you place in us when sharing personalinformation. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect personalinformation in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020 (including any amendments in forcefrom time to time).
1. Purpose
We collect and use personal information only as reasonably necessary to operate the Link MyTrade platform as a trade directory and connection service, and to maintain platform integrity,trust, and safety.
2. Information We Collect
Clients
• Name and contact details
• Property location
• Job descriptions and related information
Tradies
• Business name and contact details
• NZBN and registration details
• Trade qualifications and memberships
• Insurance status (as declared by the Tradie)
• Public profile information
Automatic Information
• IP address
• Device, browser, and operating system information
• Platform usage data collected via cookies or similar technologies
Automatic information is used to operate the platform, improve functionality, and helpprevent misuse or fraud.
3. How We Collect Personal Information
3.1 Direct Collection
Most personal information is collected directly from you when you:
• Register an account
• Create or update a profile
• Post or respond to a job
• Contact us or interact with the platform
3.2 Indirect Collection
Where lawful and appropriate, LMT may collect personal information from third parties tosupport platform integrity and verification processes.
This may include information from:
• Public registers such as the NZ Companies Office (NZBN), Licensed BuildingPractitioners Register, or Electrical Workers Registration Board
• Third-party identity or credential verification providers
• Publicly available sources, including online review platforms or published decisions
Some publicly available review information may also be displayed on the platform forinformational purposes only, as described in our Terms & Conditions.
Where personal information is collected indirectly, we will notify the individual as soon asreasonably practicable, unless an exception under the Privacy Act 2020 applies.
4. How We Use Personal Information
We use personal information for the following purposes:
• Facilitating connections between Clients and Tradies
• Displaying profiles and job information on the platform
• Verifying registrations or credentials claimed by Tradies
• Assessing trends and information relevant to a Tradie’s ongoing suitability forparticipation on the platform
• Sending service-related communications and platform updates
Where necessary, personal information may also be used to establish, exercise, or defendlegal rights, or to comply with legal obligations.
We do not use personal information for purposes unrelated to the operation of the platform.
5. Sharing Personal Information
We do not sell personal information.
Personal information may be shared with:
• Other Users, where required to facilitate connections
• IT infrastructure and cloud hosting providers
• Verification and compliance service providers
• Email and SMS communication service providers
Third-party service providers may use personal information only to provide services to LMTand not for their own marketing or independent purposes.
Where External Reviews are displayed, those reviews remain subject to the terms andpolicies of the third-party platforms from which they originate.
6. Cookies and Analytics
We use essential cookies and similar technologies to:
• Operate the platform
• Maintain security and session integrity
• Understand how users interact with the platform
You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings.
Disabling cookies mayaffect some platform functionality.
7. Storage and Security
• Personal information is primarily stored on secure servers located in New Zealand orAustralia
• We use reasonable technical and organisational safeguards, including encryption andaccess controls, to protect information from unauthorised access, misuse, orautomated scraping
• Where personal information is stored outside New Zealand, we take reasonable stepsto ensure it is protected in a manner comparable to New Zealand privacy standards
• Personal information is retained only for as long as necessary for platform operation oras required by law
8. Your Rights
Under the Privacy Act 2020, you have the right to:
• Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
You may also request account closure. Some information may be retained where required forlegal, compliance, or dispute-resolution purposes.
You can exercise these rights by contacting our Privacy Officer at: info@linkmytrade.nz
9. Marketing Communications
Where you have consented to receive marketing communications, you may opt out at any time by:
• Using the unsubscribe link in emails
• Replying “STOP” to SMS messages
Service-related messages necessary for platform operation may still be sent.
10. Notifiable Privacy Breaches
If a privacy breach occurs that we believe has caused, or is likely to cause, serious harm, wewill notify the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and affected individuals as soon aspracticable, as required by law.
11. Privacy Complaints
If you have a concern about how we handle personal information, please contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to make a complaint to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of New Zealand.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, technology, orplatform operations. The effective date at the top indicates the most recent version.
