Privacy Policy

XTRAHAND PRIVACY POLICY

Last updated: 22 June 2026

1. Introduction

XtraHand ("we", "our", or "us") is an on-demand home-services app operated as a partnership based in Banjul, The Gambia. Through XtraHand, customers order standardised home services (cleaning, cooking, laundry, child-care, gardening, and similar) from a fixed price catalogue, and our dispatch team assigns a vetted helper to fulfil each order.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your rights over it. By using XtraHand, you agree to the practices described here.

For helpers (the people who carry out the work), please refer to the separate XtraHand Helper app and its privacy policy.

2. Information We Collect

When you register and use XtraHand, we collect:

Identity & contact: first name, last name, phone number, optional profile photo, optional gender, year of birth (used solely to confirm you are 18 or older — registration is closed to minors).

Location: a region and town for your default service address, and — if you choose to share it for a specific order — a precise GPS pin so the assigned helper can navigate to your door.

Wallet & order data: top-up requests, wallet balance, order history, the services and prices you ordered, the helper assigned to each order, ratings and reviews you leave for helpers.

Username / handle: a permanent @handle tied to your phone number. This stays with you even if you change your name and lets helpers identify you consistently across orders.

Device & technical data: a Firebase Cloud Messaging push token (for delivery and order notifications), device model, OS version, app version, language settings, and app activity logs (which screens you visited, errors encountered).

Authentication metadata: when you sign in via OTP, the SMS verification code, the timestamp of the attempt, and a hashed PIN (the PIN itself is never stored or transmitted in clear text).

We do not collect contacts, your photo library beyond what you intentionally upload, microphone audio, or precise location in the background.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information to:

Create and operate your account, including signing you in via SMS OTP and a 4-digit PIN.

Take and price orders from the service catalogue and debit your wallet for them.

Allow our dispatch team to assign a vetted helper to your order based on availability, services offered, and proximity.

Show the assigned helper enough information to find you (name, phone, location, optional live position during the visit).

Send you push notifications about order status, helper assignments, and important account events.

Operate the Trust system that helps us decide which helpers to assign to your orders (helpers' trust scores, not yours).

Investigate complaints, refund disputes, and safety incidents.

Improve the service through anonymised aggregate analytics.

Comply with legal obligations.

We do not use your personal information for behavioural advertising, do not sell your data, and do not enrich it with third-party data brokers.

4. Information Sharing

We share information only with:

The helper assigned to your order: their app shows your first name, your @handle, your phone number (for one-tap calling if a problem arises during the visit), your service address (region, town, landmark), and — if you opted in for that order — your precise GPS pin while the helper is en route.

Other helpers on the platform: nothing. Only the assigned helper sees your data, and only for as long as the order is active.

Service providers we use to run the app:

Google Firebase (Authentication, Firestore, Cloud Functions, Cloud Storage, Cloud Messaging, Hosting) for authentication, database storage, server-side logic, file storage, push notifications, and the web version of XtraHand. Firebase processes data under Google's privacy policy and the Google Cloud Data Processing Addendum.

Google Maps for rendering the in-app map and turn-by-turn directions. Map tile requests carry an anonymous device fingerprint and your approximate viewport coordinates, not your account.

Authorities: where we are required to disclose information by law, court order, or a legitimate safety investigation, and only to the extent strictly necessary.

We do not sell or rent your data, and we do not share it with advertisers.

5. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored in Firebase servers operated by Google Cloud (multi-region, default Firebase data residency). Data in transit is encrypted using HTTPS / TLS. Stored passwords and PINs are hashed. Phone numbers are normalised to E.164 format and used as account keys; we never store SMS verification codes for longer than the short window in which they can be redeemed.

We restrict admin access to a small number of vetted staff. Sensitive operations (issuing refunds, assigning orders, viewing wallet history) require admin authentication and are logged for audit.

No security control is perfect. Please use a unique PIN, keep your phone secure, and contact us immediately if you suspect your account is being used by someone else.

6. Live Location While a Helper Is on the Way

When a helper is on their way to your address, you may see them on a live map. We achieve this by reading the helper's GPS coordinates approximately every 30 seconds and showing them on your map. The window is capped at one hour from when the helper toggles sharing on.

You can also choose to share your own precise GPS for a specific order if your saved address is not exact (e.g. you are at a different location for the day). We use that pin only to render the helper's destination and don't retain it after the order completes.

You can turn location permissions off at any time in your device settings; without it, the map and "Share my precise location" features won't work, but the rest of the app continues to function.

7. Platform Disclaimer

XtraHand operates an admin-brokered service: we vet our helpers and accept responsibility for the assignments we make, but we do not employ them as permanent staff. You agree to interact respectfully and lawfully with helpers we assign. If anything goes wrong during a visit (damage, safety concerns, missed appointments), contact our support immediately so we can intervene; the wallet model means refunds and replacements happen through us, not the helper directly.

8. Children's Privacy

XtraHand is intended for users aged 18 or older. We collect a year of birth at registration solely to enforce this. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18; if we discover that we have, we delete the account and associated data promptly.

9. Your Rights

You have the right to:

Access: see what we hold about you (most of it is visible in-app under Account → My orders, My wallet, etc.).

Correct: update your name, photo, address, or other profile details through Account → Edit profile.

Delete: request full deletion of your account through Account → Delete account. We process customer deletions immediately; helper deletions go through an admin review process (described in the XtraHand Helper privacy policy).

Following deletion, we may retain a minimal forensic snapshot of your account (phone number, deletion timestamp, deletion reason) for up to seven years to comply with our legal obligations and to cooperate with lawful investigations (GDPR Art. 17(3)(e)). We retain a permanent record of your phone number against the @handle it last used so that the same handle is reserved if you ever re-register with that number. No other personal data is retained.

Withdraw consent: if you no longer wish to use the service, deleting your account is the cleanest way; you can also revoke specific permissions (location, notifications) in your device settings.

Object / restrict / portability: contact us at the email below and we will respond within 30 days.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy. We will notify you of material changes through an in-app banner, a push notification, or an SMS to the phone number registered on your account. Continued use after the change date constitutes acceptance.

11. Contact Us

For questions about this Privacy Policy, to exercise any of the rights above, or to report a concern:

XtraHand

Email: helpers.hub2026@gmail.com