Contents
On this page
  1. Who We Are
  2. Information We Collect
  3. How We Use Your Information
  4. Information We Share
  5. Payments & Stripe
  6. Google Reviews API
  7. Data Storage & Security
  8. Data Retention
  9. Your Rights
  10. Cookies
  11. Children's Privacy
  12. Changes to this Policy
  13. Contact Us
Related → Terms of Use
Legal Document

Privacy Policy

Effective: January 1, 2026 Last updated: August 2026 Jurisdiction: Your local jurisdiction Legislation: PIPEDA
In brief Your privacy matters to us. This Privacy Policy explains what information UpkeepBids collects, how we use it, who we share it with, and what rights you have over your data. We collect only what we need to operate the platform safely and fairly for both homeowners and tradespeople.

1 Who We Are

UpkeepBids is operated by Dustyboot Co., a business based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. We operate the UpkeepBids platform — a reverse auction marketplace connecting homeowners with verified tradespeople for home service work.

For the purposes of applicable privacy law, Dustyboot Co. is the data controller responsible for your personal information collected through UpkeepBids.

Contact for privacy matters: privacy@upkeepbids.com — Dustyboot Co., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

2 Information We Collect

We collect information in three ways: information you give us directly, information generated by your use of the platform, and information from third parties.

Information you provide directly:

  • Full name, email address, phone number, and location (city, province, postal code)
  • Account password (stored as a secure hash — we never store your plain-text password)
  • Profile bio, avatar photo, and years of experience
  • Job descriptions, photos, timelines, and budget information (homeowners)
  • Trade type, certifications, and credential documents (tradespeople)
  • Background check documents submitted for review (tradespeople)
  • Bid amounts and messages sent through the platform
  • Reviews and ratings submitted after completed jobs
  • Stripe customer ID and payment method details (handled directly by Stripe — see Section 5)

Information generated by platform use:

  • Login timestamps and session data
  • Jobs posted, bids submitted, bids accepted, and jobs completed
  • Response times, on-time rates, and completion rates
  • Messages exchanged between users through the platform
  • Dispute records and resolution outcomes
  • IP address and device/browser information for security purposes

Information from third parties:

  • Google Reviews associated with a tradesperson's business, retrieved via the Google Places API
  • Manitoba trade database records used to verify certifications

3 How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to operate, improve, and protect the UpkeepBids platform. Specifically:

Purpose Information Used Legal Basis
Create and manage your account Name, email, password hash, role Contract performance
Match homeowners with tradespeople Location, trade type, job details, bid data Contract performance
Process escrow payments Stripe customer ID, job amount, fee calculation Contract performance
Verify tradesperson credentials Cert documents, background check submissions Legitimate interest / contract
Display public profiles and reviews Name, bio, trade type, ratings, completed jobs Legitimate interest
Calculate platform and behaviour scores Response time, completion rate, dispute history Legitimate interest
Send platform notifications Email, notification preferences Contract performance
Resolve disputes Job records, messages, payment data Legal obligation / contract
Prevent fraud and abuse IP address, login history, account activity Legitimate interest
Improve the platform Aggregated, anonymized usage data Legitimate interest

We do not use your personal information for advertising purposes and we do not sell your data to third parties.

4 Information We Share

We do not sell your personal information. We share your information only in the following circumstances:

With other users — as part of normal platform operation:

  • A tradesperson's public profile (name, trade type, ratings, verified credentials, Secure Badge status) is visible to homeowners browsing the platform
  • A homeowner's name and job details are visible to tradespeople reviewing and bidding on jobs
  • Reviews submitted by either party are visible on the reviewed party's public profile
  • Bid amounts are visible to the homeowner and, where public bids are enabled, to other bidding tradespeople

With service providers:

  • Stripe — for payment processing and escrow management
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS) — for hosting and data storage in Canadian regions
  • Google — for retrieving external business reviews via the Places API

With legal authorities:

  • When required by law, court order, or government authority
  • When transferring disputed escrow funds to the appropriate local court as described in our Terms of Use
  • When necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of UpkeepBids, our users, or the public

All third-party service providers are bound by data processing agreements and are required to handle your information in compliance with applicable privacy law.

5 Payments & Stripe

All payment processing on UpkeepBids is handled by Stripe, a third-party payment processor. UpkeepBids does not store, process, or have access to your full payment card details.

When you make a payment through UpkeepBids, your payment information is transmitted directly and securely to Stripe. Stripe processes and stores payment data in compliance with PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).

UpkeepBids stores only:

  • Your Stripe Customer ID (a reference token used to initiate transactions)
  • Transaction records including amounts, timestamps, and fee breakdowns
  • Escrow status and payout records

For more information on how Stripe handles your data, see Stripe's Privacy Policy at stripe.com/en-ca/privacy.

6 Google Reviews API

For tradesperson profiles, UpkeepBids retrieves publicly available Google reviews associated with a tradesperson's business using the Google Places API. This is done using the Google Place ID provided by the tradesperson when setting up their profile.

These reviews are fetched from Google's public data and displayed on the tradesperson's UpkeepBids profile to provide additional context for homeowners. UpkeepBids does not modify, curate, or selectively display these reviews.

By providing a Google Place ID, tradespeople consent to UpkeepBids retrieving and displaying publicly available Google review data associated with that business listing. Tradespeople may remove their Google Place ID from their profile at any time to stop this feature.

For more information on how Google handles data, see Google's Privacy Policy at policies.google.com/privacy.

7 Data Storage & Security

UpkeepBids stores all user data on servers located in Canada, using Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure in the following regions:

  • ca-central-1 — Montreal, Quebec (primary)
  • ca-west-1 — Calgary, Alberta (secondary / backup)

Keeping your data in Canada means it is subject to Canadian privacy law, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

We implement the following security measures to protect your data:

  • All data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted using TLS (HTTPS)
  • Passwords are stored as cryptographic hashes — never in plain text
  • Access to production data is restricted to authorized personnel only
  • Payment card data is never stored on our servers — handled exclusively by Stripe
  • Background check documents are stored securely and accessible only to authorized UpkeepBids reviewers

No system is completely secure. If you believe your account has been compromised, please contact us immediately at security@upkeepbids.com.

8 Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active and for a reasonable period afterward to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

Data Type Retention Period
Account information Duration of account + 3 years after closure
Job and bid records 7 years (financial records)
Payment and transaction records 7 years (CRA requirement)
Escrow and dispute records 7 years
Reviews and ratings Duration of platform + 3 years
Background check documents Duration of account + 2 years after closure
Certification documents Duration of account + 2 years after closure
Messages between users 3 years after job completion
Security and access logs 90 days

When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymized. Anonymized, aggregated data may be retained indefinitely for platform improvement purposes.

9 Your Rights

Under PIPEDA and applicable Canadian privacy law, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

  • Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
  • Correction: You may request that inaccurate or incomplete information be corrected
  • Withdrawal of consent: You may withdraw consent for optional data uses — note that withdrawal of consent for core platform functions may require account closure
  • Account closure: You may close your account at any time — we will delete or anonymize your data subject to our retention obligations
  • Complaint: You have the right to file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) if you believe your privacy rights have been violated
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@upkeepbids.com. We will respond to all requests within 30 days.

We may need to verify your identity before processing a request. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

10 Cookies & Tracking

UpkeepBids uses a limited number of cookies and similar technologies to operate the platform. We do not use advertising cookies or track you across third-party websites.

  • Session cookies: Required to keep you logged in during your session. These are deleted when you close your browser.
  • Security cookies: Used to detect and prevent fraudulent activity and protect your account.
  • Preference cookies: Used to remember your settings and preferences on the platform.

We do not use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any other third-party advertising or tracking technologies on UpkeepBids. UpkeepBids products are ad-free and we do not allow advertisers to target you through our platform.

11 Children's Privacy

UpkeepBids is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a person under 18, we will delete that information promptly.

If you believe we may have collected information from a minor, please contact us at privacy@upkeepbids.com.

12 Changes to this Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will:

  • Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
  • Send an email notification to all registered users at least 30 days before the changes take effect
  • Post a notice on the UpkeepBids platform

Your continued use of UpkeepBids after the effective date of an updated Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the changes.

13 Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our handling of your personal information, please contact us:

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at priv.gc.ca or by phone at 1-800-282-1376.

© 2026 UpkeepBids / Dustyboot Co. — Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. This Privacy Policy was last updated in August 2026. Read our Terms of Use · Return to UpkeepBids.