Privacy Policy
AVENACREDIT
avenacredit.com
PRIVACY POLICY
1. INTRODUCTION
AvenaCredit ("AvenaCredit," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect your personally identifiable information ("Personal Information") when you access or use the AvenaCredit website at avenacredit.com (the "Website") and all related credit-building services (collectively, the "Services").
This Privacy Policy applies to all visitors, users, and subscribers of the Website and Services. By accessing the Website or using the Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.
2. APPLICABLE LEGISLATION
This Privacy Policy is governed by applicable Canadian federal and provincial privacy legislation, including:
The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (S.C. 2000, c. 5) ("PIPEDA");
The Act Respecting the Protection of Personal Information in the Private Sector (RLRQ, c. P-39.1) (Quebec);
Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (S.C. 2010, c. 23) ("CASL");
Any other applicable federal or provincial privacy legislation, depending on the relevant jurisdiction.
Where the laws of the Province of Quebec apply, we comply with the requirements of Quebec’s privacy legislation, including the provisions introduced by Bill 25 (An Act to modernize legislative provisions as regards the protection of personal information).
3. PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT
We collect Personal Information that is necessary to provide the Services. The types of Personal Information we may collect include:
3.1 Information You Provide Directly
Full legal name (first and last name)
Date of birth
Current and previous residential addresses
Email address and telephone number
Social Insurance Number (SIN), where required for credit bureau matching purposes
Rent payment information (landlord name, rental address, lease dates, monthly rent amount)
Utility account details (provider name, account number, payment amounts)
Bank account or payment card information for subscription billing
Proof of rent or utility payments for backdated reporting (bank statements, cancelled cheques, landlord confirmation)
3.2 Information Collected Automatically
IP address
Browser type and version, operating system, and device information
Pages visited, time spent on the Website, and referring URLs
Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 11)
3.3 Information from Third Parties
Payment processing information from our payment service providers
Credit bureau data, where applicable and with your consent
4. HOW WE USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
We use your Personal Information for the following purposes:
To create and manage your AvenaCredit account;
To deliver the Services you have subscribed to, including tradeline reporting, rent reporting, utility reporting, and backdated rent reporting;
To report your account activity, tradeline data, and payment performance to Equifax Canada and/or other applicable consumer reporting agencies;
To verify your identity for credit bureau matching and fraud prevention;
To process subscription payments and manage billing;
To communicate with you regarding your account, including payment reminders, service updates, and account notifications;
To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support;
To improve, develop, and optimize the Website and Services;
To comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements;
To detect, prevent, and address fraud, security issues, and technical problems.
5. CONSENT
We obtain your consent before collecting, using, or disclosing your Personal Information, except where permitted or required by law. When you create an account and subscribe to the Services, you provide express consent by checking the consent checkbox during the sign-up process.
Your consent to report your account activity and payment history to the credit bureau(s) is obtained separately through our Collection, Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Consent Form, which is presented during sign-up and is available on the Website.
You may withdraw your consent at any time by cancelling your subscription and contacting us at info@avenacredit.com. Please note that withdrawing your consent may result in the termination of the Services and that data already reported to the credit bureau(s) cannot be retracted by AvenaCredit.
6. DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
We may disclose your Personal Information to the following categories of third parties, and only to the extent necessary for the stated purposes:
6.1 Credit Bureau(s)
We report your account activity, tradeline data, and payment performance to Equifax Canada and/or other applicable consumer reporting agencies as part of the Services you have subscribed to.
6.2 Payment Processors
We share payment card and billing information with third-party payment processors to process your subscription fees and manage recurring billing. These processors are contractually required to protect your information and use it only for the purpose of processing payments on our behalf.
6.3 Service Providers
We may engage third-party service providers to assist in delivering the Services, including hosting, data storage, analytics, and customer support. These providers are bound by contractual obligations to maintain the confidentiality and security of your Personal Information.
6.4 Legal and Regulatory Disclosure
We may disclose your Personal Information where required or permitted by law, including in response to a court order, subpoena, or request from a regulatory authority, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of AvenaCredit, our users, or the public.
6.5 Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your Personal Information may be transferred as part of the transaction. We will notify you of any such transfer and any changes to this Privacy Policy.
7. MARKETING AND THIRD-PARTY SHARING
7.1 AvenaCredit Marketing Communications
With your consent, we may send you marketing and promotional communications about AvenaCredit products, services, and offers by email, SMS, or other electronic means. You may opt out of receiving marketing communications at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions in the communication or by contacting us at info@avenacredit.com. Opting out of marketing communications does not affect transactional or account-related communications.
7.2 Sharing with Third-Party Partners for Marketing Purposes
With your separate, express consent, AvenaCredit may share certain contact information - specifically your name, email address, and telephone number - with selected third-party partners for the purpose of marketing their products and services to you. These third-party partners may include financial services companies, credit products providers, insurance providers, and other businesses whose products or services we believe may be of interest to you.
This consent is entirely optional and is obtained through a separate, clearly labelled opt-in checkbox during the sign-up process, distinct from the consent required to use the Services. You are not required to consent to third-party marketing sharing in order to access or use the Services. Declining this consent will have no impact on your subscription or the delivery of the Services.
If you provide consent, you may withdraw it at any time by:
Updating your communication preferences in your account settings;
Contacting us at info@avenacredit.com;
Following the unsubscribe instructions in any marketing communication you receive from a third-party partner.
Upon receiving your withdrawal request, we will cease sharing your contact information with third-party partners for marketing purposes within ten (10) business days. Please note that withdrawal of consent does not affect any sharing that occurred prior to the effective date of withdrawal, and you may need to unsubscribe separately from any third-party communications already in progress.
7.3 Information Shared
When sharing with third-party partners for marketing purposes, we share only the following:
First and last name
Email address
Telephone number
We do not share your Social Insurance Number, date of birth, financial information, payment history, credit data, bank account details, or any other sensitive Personal Information with third-party partners for marketing purposes.
7.4 Third-Party Obligations
Third-party partners who receive your contact information are contractually required to use it solely for the marketing purposes described above and to comply with all applicable privacy legislation, including PIPEDA, Quebec’s privacy legislation, and CASL. AvenaCredit is not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party partners once your contact information has been shared. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third party that contacts you.
8. DATA RETENTION
We retain your Personal Information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy and to comply with our legal obligations. Specifically:
Account information is retained for the duration of your subscription and for a reasonable period thereafter to complete any final reporting obligations.
Payment records are retained as required by applicable tax and financial reporting laws.
Consent records (timestamp, IP address, user-agent, and consent version) are retained for the duration of the business relationship and for a minimum of three (3) years after the end of the relationship, or as required by law.
Marketing consent records, including the date of consent and the date of any withdrawal, are retained for a minimum of three (3) years after the end of the business relationship or withdrawal of consent, whichever is later.
Website usage data is retained for up to twenty-four (24) months for analytical purposes.
When Personal Information is no longer required, it will be securely destroyed, deleted, or anonymized in accordance with our data retention and destruction procedures.
9. SECURITY
AvenaCredit implements administrative, technical, and physical security measures designed to protect your Personal Information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, loss, or destruction. These measures include encryption of data in transit and at rest, access controls, secure server infrastructure, and regular security assessments.
While we take reasonable precautions to protect your Personal Information, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information.
10. YOUR RIGHTS
Under applicable Canadian privacy legislation, you have the following rights with respect to your Personal Information:
10.1 Right of Access
You have the right to request access to the Personal Information that AvenaCredit holds about you. We will provide you with a copy of your information within 30 days of receiving your request.
10.2 Right of Correction
You have the right to request the correction of any Personal Information that is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date.
10.3 Right of Deletion
You may request the deletion of your Personal Information, subject to our legal and regulatory retention obligations and any outstanding reporting requirements.
10.4 Right to Withdraw Consent
You may withdraw your consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your Personal Information at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions. This includes the right to withdraw consent for marketing communications and third-party sharing separately from your consent for the core Services. Withdrawal of consent may affect your ability to use the Services.
10.5 Right to File a Complaint
If you believe that your privacy rights have been violated, you have the right to file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or the Commission d’acces a l’information du Quebec (for Quebec residents).
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@avenacredit.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days.
11. COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES
The Website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience, analyze Website traffic, and understand how visitors interact with the Website.
11.1 Types of Cookies We Use
Essential cookies: Required for the Website to function properly, including session management and authentication.
Analytics cookies: Used to collect information about how visitors use the Website, including pages visited, time spent, and navigation patterns. We use this information to improve the Website and Services.
Functional cookies: Used to remember your preferences and settings to provide a more personalized experience.
11.2 Managing Cookies
You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Website. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies, delete existing cookies, or be notified when a cookie is set.
12. THIRD-PARTY LINKS
The Website may contain links to third-party websites, services, or applications. This Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party sites, and AvenaCredit is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit.
13. CHILDREN’S PRIVACY
The Services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18 (or the age of majority in their province or territory of residence). We do not knowingly collect Personal Information from minors. If we become aware that we have collected Personal Information from a minor, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.
14. INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS
Your Personal Information is primarily stored and processed in Canada. If it becomes necessary to transfer your Personal Information outside of Canada, we will ensure that the recipient provides a level of protection comparable to that required under Canadian privacy legislation, through contractual arrangements or other appropriate safeguards.
15. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY
AvenaCredit reserves the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated Privacy Policy on the Website and updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Where required by law, we will obtain your consent before making material changes. Your continued use of the Services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.
16. PRIVACY OFFICER
AvenaCredit has designated a person responsible for the protection of Personal Information. If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact:
AvenaCredit - Privacy Officer
Email: info@avenacredit.com
Website: avenacredit.com
We will acknowledge your inquiry within ten (10) business days and provide a substantive response within thirty (30) days.