Privacy Policy - Westaykenya

Introduction

Welcome to Westaykenya's Privacy Policy. We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. If you have any questions or concerns about this privacy notice, or our practices with regards to your personal information, please contact us at privacy@westaykenya.com.

This Privacy Policy applies to all information collected through our Services (which includes our website and mobile application), as well as any related services, sales, marketing or events.

Key Point: By using our services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

Information We Collect

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you register on the website, express an interest in obtaining information about us or our products and services, when you participate in activities on the website, or otherwise when you contact us.

The personal information we collect may include the following:

Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, profile photo, and other similar information
Booking Details: Travel dates, payment information, special requests, and preferences
Host Information: Property details, identification documents, bank account information
Communications: Messages between guests and hosts, feedback, and support requests
Technical Data: IP address, browser type, device information, and usage data
Location Information: Approximate location derived from IP address or precise location with your consent

How We Use Your Information

We use personal information collected via our services for a variety of business purposes described below:

To provide and operate our services: Facilitate bookings, process payments, and manage accounts
To improve our services: Conduct analytics to understand usage patterns and enhance user experience
To communicate with you: Send booking confirmations, service updates, security alerts, and support messages
For security and fraud prevention: Monitor and prevent fraudulent transactions and unauthorized access
For legal compliance: Comply with Kenyan laws, tax regulations, and respond to legal requests
For marketing purposes: Send promotional communications with your consent (which you can opt-out at any time)

Data Retention: We retain your personal information only 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.

Sharing Your Information

We may share your information in the following situations:

With Hosts/Guest: To facilitate bookings, we share necessary information between guests and hosts
Service Providers: With third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf (payment processors, cloud hosting, analytics)
Business Transfers: In connection with any merger, sale of company assets, or acquisition
Legal Obligations: When required by law or to protect rights, property, or safety
With Your Consent: We may disclose your information for any other purpose with your consent

International Transfers: Your information may be transferred to and maintained on computers located outside of Kenya where data protection laws may differ. We implement appropriate safeguards to ensure your data remains protected.

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures designed to protect the security of any personal information we process. However, please remember that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure.

Our security measures include:

Encryption of sensitive data in transit (SSL/TLS) and at rest
Regular security audits and vulnerability testing
Access controls and authentication mechanisms
Secure payment processing with PCI DSS compliant partners
Staff training on data protection best practices

We encourage you to use strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication where available, and be cautious about sharing personal information in public areas of our platform.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to access or store information. Specific information about how we use such technologies and how you can refuse certain cookies is set out in our Cookie Policy.

We use cookies for the following purposes:

Essential Cookies: Necessary for website functionality and security
Performance Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website
Functional Cookies: Enable enhanced functionality and personalization
Advertising Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements (with your consent)

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, if you choose to disable cookies, it may affect your ability to use certain features of our services.

Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location and applicable laws, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Access: Request access to your personal information
Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information
Objection: Object to processing of your personal information
Restriction: Request restriction of processing your personal information
Data Portability: Request transfer of your data to another service
Withdraw Consent: Withdraw your consent at any time where we rely on consent to process your information

To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@westaykenya.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be indicated by an updated "Last Updated" date and the updated version will be effective as soon as it is accessible.

We encourage you to review this privacy policy frequently to be informed of how we are protecting your information. If we make material changes to this privacy policy, we may notify you either by prominently posting a notice of such changes or by directly sending you a notification.

Policy History: This is the first version of our privacy policy. All future updates will be documented here with effective dates.

Contact Us

If you have questions or comments about this policy, you may contact our Data Protection Officer at:

Westaykenya Data Protection Office
Email: privacy@westaykenya.com
Postal Address: P.O. Box 12345, Nairobi, Kenya

If you have a complaint about how we handle your data, we would like to hear from you. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner in Kenya.