Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

At Settle*, we understand that your financial data is deeply personal. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our platform to secure rent guarantees. We comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

2. Data Collection & Banking Connections

We collect financial and income data solely for the purpose of underwriting your rent guarantee.

Bank Connections: We use authorized third-party aggregators, including Plaid and Flinks, to securely gather your transaction history and analyze your cash flow. By connecting your bank account, you grant Settle* and our partners the authority to act on your behalf to access and transmit your financial information from your financial institution. You acknowledge that your data may be processed in accordance with the privacy policies of these providers.

Usage Data: We collect anonymous usage statistics and technical data (e.g., IP address, device type) to improve platform performance and security.

3. Credit Reporting & Payments

Building Credit: By using Settle*, you consent to having your rent payment history (both on-time and late payments) reported to credit bureaus, including Equifax and TransUnion. This helps you build a Canadian credit history.

Payments: We use Payment Service Providers (such as Rotessa or GoCardless) to facilitate Pre-Authorized Debits (PAD) from your account. We do not store your raw banking password or credentials; your payment data is securely tokenized by our providers.

4. Data Sharing & Residency

We do not sell your data. We share necessary data only with:

• Your prospective Landlord (for lease approval)
• Our Banking & Identity Partners (Plaid, Flinks, Certn)
• Payment Processors (Rotessa, GoCardless)
• Credit Bureaus (Equifax, TransUnion)

Data Residency: While we prioritize Canadian storage, we use trusted third-party service providers (such as AWS, Plaid, and PostHog) that may process or store data in the United States. As a result, your personal information may be subject to the laws of those jurisdictions.

5. Security & Your Rights

We use industry-standard encryption (AES-256) for data at rest and in transit. You have the right to access, correct, or request the deletion of your personal data at any time, subject to active lease guarantee obligations.

If you have questions about how your data is being used, please contact our Privacy Officer at privacy@getsettle.ca.