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The owner, operator, and controller of the platform accessible via www.houzy.ch, including the website, apps, and Cockpit (hereinafter the "Platform") is Houzy AG, Austrasse 38, 8045 Zurich (hereinafter "Houzy"). This privacy policy of Houzy (hereinafter the "Privacy Policy") applies to the platform as well as to all other services and offerings provided by Houzy, and applies in addition to any other laws or regulations applicable to the platform and the internet. Access to the platform is subject - like any use of the internet - to general, blanket, indiscriminate, and suspicionless mass surveillance by security authorities in Switzerland, the EU, the USA, and other countries. Houzy has no direct influence on the corresponding processing of personal data by intelligence services, police authorities, and other security authorities. Before a user (hereinafter the "user") uses the platform, they should carefully read this privacy policy.
Data protection and the privacy of users are very important to Houzy. Houzy complies with the applicable data protection laws and regulations, in particular the Swiss Data Protection Act (hereinafter the "FADP"). Houzy treats all personal data (hereinafter "personal data") confidentially. Personal data means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. A natural person is identifiable if they can be identified directly or indirectly, for example by reference to information that can be inferred from the circumstances or the context (identification number, location data, specific factors relating to their physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural, or social identity). Identification may be possible through a single piece of information (telephone number, house number, social security number, fingerprints, etc.) or by cross-referencing various pieces of information (address, date of birth, marital status, etc.). The purely theoretical possibility that someone could be identified is not sufficient to assume that a person is identifiable. This privacy policy describes how Houzy handles - already collected and future - personal data and sets out, in particular, which personal data of the user is processed and for what purposes such processing takes place. It also describes how collected personal data can be reviewed, corrected, or deleted. This privacy policy does not extend to any external links leading to offers and websites of third parties. These are outside Houzy's sphere of control, which is why the privacy provisions of the respective provider apply to such offers and websites.
The platform was designed to collect as little user data as possible. The user transmits personal data about themselves to Houzy by submitting information on the platform or by corresponding with Houzy by telephone, e-mail, or otherwise. This includes information the user provides, for example, when registering to use the platform, subscribing to the platform's services, and when reporting a problem in connection with the platform. Houzy respects the user's privacy and will not collect or process any personal data (such as name, address, e-mail address, etc.) unless such data is:
voluntarily provided by the user, such as
automatically collected when using the platform (technical data such as internet browser, operating system, date and time of accessing the platform, as well as referrer URL, IP address, and host name of the accessing computer).
Processing of personal data includes any handling of personal data, in particular the collection, disclosure, storage, use, modification, transmission, archiving, deletion, and destruction of collected personal data. Houzy generally processes personal data that Houzy receives, within the context of the business relationship with customers and other business partners, from these and other persons involved, or that Houzy collects from users when operating the platform and other applications.
A partner's identity document is processed exclusively for verification purposes and is deleted once verification is complete. Proof of operational liability insurance is retained for the duration of the contractual relationship.
Only partners owe fees for using the platform. Their payment methods, such as card or TWINT data, are captured directly by the payment service provider. Houzy receives only a reference as well as the information necessary for billing, but not the complete payment method data.
All data processing takes place only for specific purposes. These may arise, for example, from technical necessity, contractual requirements, statutory provisions, an overriding interest, i.e. legitimate reasons, or from the user's express consent. Houzy collects, stores, and processes personal data to the extent necessary for the purposes listed below. Houzy limits the processing of personal data to the minimum necessary for the intended purpose.
Houzy is responsible for processing personal data. Houzy receives personal data about users, for example, when the platform is accessed, upon registration on the platform, a quote request, or when contacting Houzy by telephone, e-mail, or otherwise.
Personal data transmitted by the user to Houzy may be used by Houzy as follows:
Access to personal data is limited to those employees of Houzy as well as distribution and cooperation partners who need to know this data. The relevant individuals and companies are obliged to maintain confidentiality and to comply with applicable and relevant data protection laws. Houzy will under no circumstances sell personal data to third parties or otherwise market it, unless the user has given express consent. The user's rights regarding the processing and transmission of their personal data to third parties under applicable data protection laws are respected.
To the extent Houzy is legally obliged to do so or ordered by a court decision, Houzy transmits personal data to authorities entitled to such information. For the provision of services by distribution or cooperation partners or by external third parties providing services for Houzy, personal data may, within the scope of these provisions, also be disclosed and processed abroad (i.e. also in countries without corresponding data protection legislation). Houzy takes reasonable steps to ensure that personal data is processed, secured, and transmitted in accordance with applicable law.
Houzy stores users' personal data for as long as necessary for the respective purpose for which it was collected, in particular to fulfill contractual and statutory obligations, to maintain accurate accounting, financial, and other business records, to resolve disputes, and to enforce Houzy's rights in connection with use of the platform. The data is deleted or anonymized, where possible, once the respective purpose no longer applies. In particular, the following periods apply: information on requests and customer contacts remains available to partners for at least 60 days after termination of their contract; for other users, requests stored in the Cockpit remain available until the user account is deleted; invoices, payment receipts, and related information are retained for the statutory retention period of ten years; identity documents are deleted after verification.
Through the platform, requests from users are referred to craftsman businesses and other service providers (hereinafter the "Partners"). Prior to referral, Houzy may technically and substantively evaluate, categorize, summarize, and supplement a request with additional information; such information is non-binding and is displayed to partners in this form.
Disclosure takes place in stages. Initially, the partners potentially suitable for the request receive the information they need to assess it; this also includes the user's name and region. The user's communication data is disclosed to a partner as soon as that partner expresses interest in taking on the request or the user authorizes the contact.
Where messages are exchanged between user and partner via the platform, the message history and any attachments are stored on the platform and displayed to those involved in their Cockpit. Houzy accesses the content only to the extent necessary or appropriate to combat abuse, resolve errors, or comply with a legal obligation.
Upon disclosure, the partner itself becomes responsible for the further processing of this data; in this respect, it is not a data processor on behalf of Houzy.
Disclosure of personal data to third parties concerns recipients such as, for example, Houzy's service providers, merchants, suppliers, subcontractors, customers, authorities, courts, media, associations, etc. Houzy discloses users' personal data only where the relevant data protection laws permit this and such a measure is necessary to:
Houzy will only pass on users' personal data to third parties if:
Personal data is not passed on to third parties for purposes other than those listed above. Personal data is passed on to third parties, for example, through the transmission of credit card data to the processing banking institutions or payment service providers for the purpose of debiting the purchase price (billing purposes), through the shipment of products or information, or through the provision of customer service. In addition, personal data is transferred in connection with the web analytics services listed below. Third parties have access to the user's personal data only to the extent necessary to fulfill their tasks. These service providers are obliged to handle personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.
To the extent Houzy has made personal data concerning the user publicly available and Houzy is obliged to delete it (see Section 16 below), Houzy, taking into account available technologies and implementation costs, takes reasonable measures, including of a technical nature, to inform those persons who have received and are processing such personal data that the user has requested the deletion of all links to such personal data or of copies or replications of such personal data. Houzy is further obliged to inform the user - upon request - about the recipient of their personal data.
Houzy may, by contract or under legislation, transfer the processing of personal data to a data processor, i.e. a private person or a federal body that processes personal data on behalf of Houzy, if:
In doing so, Houzy satisfies itself that the data processor is able to ensure data security.
Storage of users' personal data generally takes place in databases within Switzerland. Under certain circumstances, however, it may be necessary for Houzy to transfer personal data to countries outside Switzerland, the European Union (EU), or the European Economic Area (EEA), so-called "third countries." Transfers to third countries may cover all of the processing activities described above. These provisions also apply where personal data is transferred to third countries in which a different level of data protection prevails than in the user's country of residence. Any transfer of personal data to third countries takes place only with the user's knowledge and, where applicable, prior consent.
Any transfer of personal data to countries whose level of data protection is not recognized as adequate by the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) takes place on the basis of contractual arrangements, such as the standard contract defined by the FDPIC for outsourcing data processing abroad, or on the basis of other safeguards that comply with applicable law.
When the user visits the platform, information such as IP addresses, browser types, domain names, and other statistical data on use of the platform may be automatically stored on their devices (computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc.). This takes the form of so-called "cookies" or a similar file. This data is collected in order to learn about the preferences of platform users, to ensure error-free provision of the platform, and to analyze user behavior for the purpose of optimizing the platform. Cookies do not cause any damage to users' computers and do not contain viruses.
Most browsers allow cookies to be deleted, their installation prevented, or a warning generated before a cookie is installed. The user can find further information on this in their browser's instructions. If cookies are blocked by the user, certain functions of the platform may no longer work. Houzy uses the following cookies on the platform:
Houzy will use automatically stored information exclusively for statistical analyses and, in particular, will not link it to any personal data of the user that may have been provided to Houzy.
As with any connection to a web server, the server of Houzy's web hosting provider logs and stores certain technical data. This data includes the IP address and operating system of the user's device, the time of access, the type of browser, and the browser request, including the origin of the request (referrer). This is required for technical reasons in order to provide the platform to the user. The web hosting provider protects this data with technical and organizational measures against unauthorized access and does not pass it on to third parties. To the extent Houzy processes personal data in this context, it does so in the interest of offering the user the best possible user experience and ensuring the security and stability of Houzy's systems.
To analyze use of the platform, Houzy uses web analytics services from third-party providers, to which personal data of users may also be transmitted in connection with the use of these services. Houzy also uses social plugins from various providers (Facebook, Apple, and Google) on the platform. This may involve data collection by the relevant providers. The user can prevent processing of data by the web analytics services or social plugins by using the opt-out mechanisms available from the respective network operator. The available opt-out mechanisms are described in the respective privacy policies of the network operators. An opt-out may mean the user is unable to use all functions of the platform.
Google Analytics is a web analytics service of Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA ("Google"). Google Analytics uses so-called "cookies", text files stored on users' computers, which enable an analysis of use of the platform. The information generated by the cookie about use of this platform (including the users' IP address, duration of use, frequency of accessing the platform, etc.) is transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there. Due to this setting, Google shortens the IP addresses collected within member states of the European Union or in other contracting states of the Agreement on the European Economic Area prior to storage. In this way, it is no longer possible to associate the shortened IP address with the accessing device. Google will use this information to evaluate use of the platform by users, to compile reports on activity on the platform for Houzy, and to provide further services connected with use of the platform and use of the internet. Google will also transmit this information to third parties where required by law or to the extent third parties process this data on Google's behalf. Google will under no circumstances link the users' IP address with other data held by Google. Users can prevent the installation of cookies through a corresponding setting in their browser software; however, Houzy points out to users that in this case it may not be possible to fully use all functions of the platform. By using the platform, users consent to the processing by Google of personal data collected about them in the manner described above and for the purpose stated above.
Should the user in principle not wish to permit Google Analytics, they can install the browser add-on (https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout) to deactivate Google Analytics. Further information on Google's data protection practices or on data protection in connection with Google Analytics can be found on the Google Privacy & Terms website at https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en or on the Google Analytics Help website at https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en.
Houzy uses Google Analytics 4 on the platform. This allows Houzy to analyze activity on the platform across devices (e.g. when access takes place via a laptop and later via a smartphone). This is made possible through the pseudonymous assignment of a user ID to a user. This occurs, for example, when the user registers for a user account or logs into their user account. No personal data is passed on to Google. These functions do not limit the data protection measures mentioned above.
Data collected within the scope of Google Analytics is stored for as long as necessary for analyzing the platform. At the latest after a period of 50 months, the data is automatically deleted.
Facebook is a social network of the American company Meta, Inc., headquartered in Menlo Park, California, USA. Apple is one of the leading providers of consumer electronics, software, and online services, headquartered in Cupertino, California, USA. When users access Houzy's platform, their browser establishes a direct connection with the servers of the aforementioned providers and loads the respective button from there. In doing so, information is transmitted to the relevant provider that the corresponding platform has been accessed. If the user is a registered user of the relevant service, the provider may also be able to link the page visit to the corresponding profile and, under certain circumstances, collect further data.
Houzy offers the user a newsletter service. The user receives information on the topics covered in the newsletter and further notices upon subscribing to the newsletter service. When using the newsletter, Houzy also collects device and access data of the user. To subscribe, the user must register with their e-mail address and first and last name, and confirm in an e-mail sent by Houzy that they wish to subscribe to the newsletter service ("double opt-in process"). Only after confirmation by the user is the e-mail address used for this purpose permanently stored, until the user unsubscribes from the newsletter or it is deleted by Houzy. The user can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time. Every e-mail containing the newsletter includes an unsubscribe link.
For the newsletter service, Houzy uses the services MailChimp and ActiveCampaign. For sending operational communications, in particular regarding requests, subscriptions, and payments, Houzy also uses the services Mailjet (e-mail) and Twilio (SMS). These services process the recipient data in this context, namely the e-mail address or telephone number, as well as the content and delivery status of the message. Houzy informs the user that data from these services is in part stored and processed on servers located outside Switzerland, in particular in the USA and the EEA.
Houzy's newsletter contains no obvious or hidden counters, third-party advertising, or links to external websites that are not directly related to the content of the newsletter.
The e-mail address is collected for the purpose of sending the newsletter. Additional personal data serves to prevent misuse of the services or of the e-mail address used. By submitting the newsletter subscription, the user gives their consent to the processing of data in connection with sending the newsletter. The user agrees that a newsletter will be regularly sent to the specified e-mail address and that usage behavior may be statistically analyzed for the purpose of optimizing the newsletter. Houzy is entitled to pass on the user's data to third parties for the purpose of the technical handling of the newsletter.
Houzy presents the user with information and offers from Houzy based on their interests. The user receives these individual product recommendations regardless of whether they have subscribed to a newsletter. For the selection of individual product recommendations, Houzy uses, in accordance with statutory provisions, primarily the user's previous purchasing and interest data, from which the user's product interests are derived taking into account the interests, preferences, and profile data communicated by the user.
Houzy uses the user's personal data for personalized advertising presented to the user on the platform and in the app. Common internet technologies are used for this purpose. This enables Houzy to advertise in a more targeted manner, so as to present the user, as far as possible, only with advertising and offers that are actually relevant to them.
For the operation of the platform, Houzy engages service providers who process personal data on Houzy's behalf. These include, in particular, providers for hosting and operations, for processing payments and invoicing, for sending e-mails and SMS, as well as for analytics and customer support. These service providers are contractually obliged to process the data solely on Houzy's behalf and in accordance with applicable data protection laws. Their registered office or server locations may also be outside Switzerland, in particular in the European Economic Area and the USA; Section 8 applies.
Houzy informs the user that data transmission over the internet (e.g. when communicating by e-mail) may have security vulnerabilities. Complete protection of data against access by unauthorized third parties is not possible. As soon as Houzy has received the transmitted information, it secures it appropriately within its systems.
Personal data is transmitted securely using encryption. This applies both to quote requests and to the user account (login data). Houzy uses the SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security) encoding system for this purpose. The user can recognize SSL-protected areas by the lock symbol in their browser. The SSL system protects the data that a user sends over the internet to a company's server.
Furthermore, Houzy implements technical and organizational security measures designed, in particular, to prevent the loss, misuse, theft, destruction, falsification, and alteration of information and personal data. Accordingly, Houzy stores all personal information provided by the user on secure servers (protected by password and firewall). Houzy further continuously issues and updates directives in the field of data protection and conducts training for employees. These technical and organizational measures of Houzy correspond to the state of the art and are appropriate to the nature and scope of the data processing as well as to the risks that the processing poses to the personality and fundamental rights of the individuals concerned.
As a data subject, the user has the right to learn what data concerning them is processed by Houzy and may at any time request that Houzy provide them with a copy of the personal data concerning them. In addition, the user may request information on the origin, disclosure, purpose of collection and use, planned duration of storage, the type of processing of personal data, and, where applicable, the country to which the personal data has been disclosed.
Houzy ensures that personal data is accurate. Houzy takes all reasonable measures to ensure that personal data that is inaccurate or incomplete with respect to the purpose of its collection or processing is corrected, deleted, or destroyed. Houzy will further correct, supplement, amend, or delete personal data at the user's request at any time, or restrict its processing, unless the processing is justified by Houzy's legitimate interests, necessary to fulfill a legal obligation, required for reasons of public interest, or necessary to assert, exercise, or defend legal claims. The user may further request that disclosure of their personal data to third parties be prohibited. The user can reach the relevant office as follows:
Houzy AG, Austrasse 38, 8045 Zurich
E-mail: info@houzy.ch
Houzy is obliged, in the case of such requests, to verify the user's identity. Requests can therefore only be processed if suitable proof of the user's identity (copy of identity card or similar) is provided. Where data processing is based on consent, the user also has the right to withdraw such consent at any time vis-à-vis Houzy. This has the consequence that Houzy may no longer continue processing data based on this consent in the future.
The user also has the right to receive, free of charge, in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, the personal data they have provided to Houzy on the basis of consent or a contract, or to request its transmission to another controller. The user also has the option of asserting their claims in court, filing a complaint with the competent data protection supervisory authority, and withdrawing consent to data processing. The supervisory authority responsible for the user is determined based on their habitual place of residence, place of work, or the place of the alleged infringement. In Switzerland, this is the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC, Feldeggweg 1, 3003 Bern, https://www.edoeb.admin.ch/edoeb/en/home.html).
The user has the right to object to the processing of personal data concerning them and to request a restriction of the processing of personal data. They further have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing (including profiling) that produces legal effects concerning them or similarly significantly affects them.
Houzy reserves the right to adapt, supplement, and amend this privacy policy at any time within the scope of statutory requirements. Houzy therefore recommends that users read this privacy policy again from time to time. The most current version is always available on Houzy's platform. The most current privacy policy replaces all previous versions and is binding on users of the platform with immediate effect.
It should be noted that users are always responsible for keeping their personal data up to date and for providing Houzy with their current contact information or any changes.
For questions regarding the privacy policy and the processing of personal data, the user may at any time contact info@houzy.ch or the address given in the legal notice. © Houzy AG, 2026, version 3.0
