This policy explains how Recens, trading as Recens Host and RecensLabs, collects and uses your personal information, in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). We are the responsible party for the information described here.
1. What we collect
- Account and order details: your name, email address, phone number, postal address, company name and VAT number.
- Domain registrant details: the contact details a registry requires for each domain you register or transfer.
- Billing records: invoices, payments, refunds, account credit and coupon use. Card details are collected by Paystack, not by us; we keep only a reference to a saved card, its brand, last four digits and expiry date.
- Messages: what you send through our contact form, call bookings, support tickets and email.
- Technical data: your IP address and browser details when you sign in or use the site, kept to secure your account (for example to slow down repeated wrong passwords) and to diagnose faults.
- Your hosted content: the websites, files and email you store with us. We process these only to provide the service and do not read them unless you ask us to or the law requires it.
2. Why we use it
- To create your account, deliver what you order and send you invoices and service notices (performing our contract with you).
- To register domains in your name, as the registries require (contract and legal obligation).
- To keep accounting and tax records (legal obligation).
- To answer enquiries, support requests and bookings (your request).
- To keep our systems and your account secure and to prevent fraud (our legitimate interest).
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not send marketing email unless you have asked for it. Every marketing message lets you opt out.
3. Who we share it with
We share only what each provider needs to do its part, and each is bound to protect it:
- Paystack, to take card payments and store saved cards.
- Our domain registrar partner and the registries, to register and manage your domains. Registrant details may appear in public WHOIS records unless WHOIS privacy is available and on for your domain.
- A cloud service provider, which provides the servers your hosting runs on, in the data-centre region you choose.
- Email delivery providers, which send our account and invoice emails and relay outgoing mail from hosted mailboxes.
- Authorities, when the law or a court order requires it.
Some of these providers process information outside South Africa. Where they do, we rely on them giving protection comparable to POPIA, as section 72 of the Act requires.
4. How long we keep it
We keep your account details while you have an account with us. Invoices and payment records are kept for at least five years after the transaction, as tax law requires. Messages and technical logs are kept only as long as they are useful for support and security. When information is no longer needed we delete it or make it anonymous.
5. Cookies
We use only the cookies the site needs to work: one that keeps you signed in and one that protects forms against cross-site request forgery. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies.
6. Your rights
You may ask to see the personal information we hold about you, have it corrected or deleted, or object to how we use it. Most details can be changed directly in your account settings. We may need to keep some records, such as invoices, where the law requires it. If you are not satisfied with our response you may complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa) at inforegulator.org.za.
7. Security
We protect your information with encrypted connections, hashed passwords, encrypted storage for sensitive values such as domain transfer codes, and access limited to the staff who need it. If a breach puts your information at risk, we will tell you and the Information Regulator as POPIA requires.
8. Contact
Our Information Officer can be reached at hello@recenslabs.com. We will update this policy when our practices change; the date at the top shows the latest version.