V.A. Hoffman Plumbing, Heating & Sheet Metal

Privacy Policy

1000548457 Ontario Ltd., operating as V.A. Hoffman Plumbing, Heating & Sheet Metal Port Colborne, Ontario

For readability, this policy refers to 1000548457 Ontario Ltd., operating as V.A. Hoffman Plumbing, Heating & Sheet Metal, as “V.A. Hoffman,” “we,” “us,” or “our.”

Purpose of this policy

This privacy policy explains how V.A. Hoffman collects, uses, shares, retains, and protects personal information in connection with our services and online systems, including V.A. Hoffman Workbench.

Workbench may be used to review estimates, approve or decline proposed work, review invoices, make or arrange payments, access information related to service work, and communicate with V.A. Hoffman.

Workbench may also support information or service requests submitted by authorized third parties, such as contractors, restoration companies, property managers, insurers, insurance adjusters, landlords, or other representatives acting in connection with a customer or property.

What we collect

We collect personal information that you provide to us, that is provided to us on your behalf, or that is reasonably necessary to provide and administer our services.

This may include:

• your name, email address, phone number, and mailing address;
• service, billing, or property addresses;
• information about a property, building, equipment, plumbing, heating, cooling, gas, or other systems;
• service requests, work orders, appointments, technician notes, photographs, documents, and correspondence;
• estimates, approvals, declined work, change requests, invoices, payments, account balances, and transaction records;
• equipment information, including model numbers, serial numbers, installation dates, and warranty information;
• information supplied by a contractor, restoration company, property manager, insurer, adjuster, landlord, tenant, owner, or other person involved with the work;
• account, authentication, and access information used to provide secure access to Workbench; and
• technical information reasonably necessary to operate, secure, troubleshoot, and maintain our online systems.

We do not intentionally collect more personal information than is reasonably necessary for the work, service, or business purpose involved.

Why we collect it

We may use personal information to:

• respond to inquiries and service requests;
• prepare and provide estimates;
• obtain approval or instructions for proposed work;
• schedule and perform service, repair, installation, inspection, and related work;
• maintain service, property, and equipment history;
• communicate with customers and authorized representatives;
• prepare and deliver invoices;
• process or record payments;
• administer warranties and manufacturer-related service where applicable;
• coordinate work involving contractors, restoration companies, insurers, adjusters, property managers, suppliers, or other involved parties;
• maintain business, accounting, tax, warranty, insurance, and service records;
• investigate or resolve billing, service, warranty, or other disputes;
• protect our customers, employees, systems, and business from fraud, misuse, unauthorized access, or security incidents; and
• meet legal, regulatory, contractual, insurance, and other legitimate business obligations.

We do not sell or rent personal information.

We do not use information collected through Workbench for unrelated marketing without appropriate consent.

Estimates, approvals, and service authorizations

Workbench may allow customers or authorized representatives to review estimates and indicate whether proposed work is approved or declined.

We may retain records of:

• estimates;
• estimate revisions;
• approvals;
• declined work;
• customer instructions;
• service authorizations;
• change requests; and
• related communications.

These records may form part of the service and business record associated with the customer, property, or work order.

Where an estimate or work order is being managed by an insurer, contractor, property manager, or other authorized third party, we may also retain information about that party's involvement and authorization.

Invoices and payments

Workbench may allow customers or authorized representatives to review invoices and make or arrange payments.

We retain appropriate records of invoices, payments, credits, balances, and related transactions for accounting, tax, dispute-resolution, fraud-prevention, and other legitimate business purposes.

Where electronic payment processing is offered, payment information may be collected or processed by a third-party payment provider. The information available to V.A. Hoffman depends on the payment method and provider used.

Third-party payment providers may have their own privacy policies, terms, and security practices.

Information provided by third parties

In some situations, information about a customer, property, occupant, or service request may be provided to us by someone other than the individual concerned.

For example, a service request may be submitted, coordinated, authorized, or paid for by:

• a contractor;
• a restoration company;
• an insurance company;
• an insurance adjuster;
• a property manager;
• a landlord or building owner;
• a tenant or occupant;
• a family member;
• a business representative; or
• another person reasonably involved in arranging or authorizing the work.

We may use information received from these parties where reasonably necessary to assess, coordinate, authorize, perform, document, or bill for requested work.

A person providing information about another individual should only provide information they are authorized or reasonably entitled to provide.

Where appropriate, we may contact the customer, property owner, occupant, or another involved party directly to confirm information, instructions, access, or authorization.

Service, property, and equipment records

Plumbing, heating, cooling, gas, sheet metal, and related service work can create records associated with a property, building, system, appliance, or piece of equipment.

These records may include:

• service history;
• work orders;
• technician notes;
• photographs;
• equipment details;
• model and serial numbers;
• installation dates;
• warranty information;
• diagnostic information;
• estimates and invoices;
• parts and materials used;
• recommendations;
• approvals or declined work; and
• communications relating to previous work.

Maintaining an accurate service history helps us understand previous work, support warranty claims, diagnose future problems, avoid unnecessary duplication, and provide more consistent service.

Some service, equipment, and property records may therefore be retained even if an individual later requests deletion of personal information, where continued retention is reasonably necessary for legal, business, accounting, tax, warranty, insurance, safety, security, dispute-resolution, or record-keeping purposes.

Consent

By providing personal information to V.A. Hoffman, using Workbench, approving an estimate, submitting a service request, making a payment, or otherwise interacting with our services, you consent to the collection, use, and handling of personal information for the purposes described in this policy, where consent is required.

Consent may also be provided by an authorized representative acting on your behalf.

You may withdraw consent to certain uses of your personal information, subject to legal, contractual, operational, insurance, accounting, safety, and other legitimate requirements.

Withdrawing consent may affect our ability to:

• respond to a request;
• provide Workbench access;
• prepare or administer an estimate;
• schedule or complete work;
• administer a warranty;
• process a transaction;
• maintain necessary service records; or
• continue providing certain services.

Who may see your information

Personal information may be accessed by V.A. Hoffman employees, technicians, administrators, management, and other personnel who reasonably require access to perform their duties.

We may also use third-party service providers that support our business, including providers of:

• website and application hosting;
• email and communications;
• document and data storage;
• information technology services;
• cybersecurity and system monitoring;
• accounting and bookkeeping;
• payment processing;
• software and business systems;
• equipment or manufacturer warranty administration; and
• other services reasonably required to operate our business.

These providers may process personal information on our behalf where reasonably necessary to provide their services.

V.A. Hoffman remains responsible for personal information under our control as required by applicable Canadian privacy law.

When we may disclose information

We may disclose personal information where reasonably necessary to:

• perform or coordinate requested work;
• obtain parts, equipment, technical assistance, or warranty service;
• communicate with an authorized contractor, restoration company, insurer, adjuster, property manager, owner, landlord, tenant, or other involved party;
• verify service or payment authorization;
• administer an insurance-related or third-party-paid job;
• process a payment or transaction;
• administer an account;
• collect amounts owing;
• respond to a legal claim, dispute, or insurance matter;
• investigate suspected fraud, misuse, or unauthorized access;
• protect our customers, staff, business, systems, or property;
• respond to a lawful request from a court, government body, regulator, or law-enforcement authority; or
• comply with legal, regulatory, contractual, insurance, tax, or other obligations.

We may also disclose information where otherwise permitted or required by law.

How long we keep information

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or for legitimate legal, business, accounting, tax, warranty, insurance, safety, security, and record-keeping purposes.

Different types of information may be retained for different periods.

Records relating to completed service work, equipment, installations, estimates, invoices, payments, warranties, and property history may be retained for an extended period because they can remain relevant to:

• future service;
• warranty claims;
• equipment history;
• accounting and tax records;
• insurance matters;
• disputes;
• legal obligations; and
• other legitimate business requirements.

Information may also be retained where necessary to establish that proposed work was approved, declined, changed, or otherwise authorized.

When information is no longer reasonably required, we may delete, destroy, anonymize, or otherwise dispose of it in accordance with our business practices and applicable requirements.

How we protect information

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards intended to protect personal information against loss, theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, or modification.

These safeguards may include:

• access controls;
• account authentication;
• secure system configuration;
• restricted administrative access;
• system logging;
• backups;
• software and security updates;
• secure hosting or storage arrangements; and
• internal policies and procedures.

Access to Workbench and other business systems is limited according to operational need and the access controls available within those systems.

No website, application, network, email system, or electronic storage method can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Workbench account and system security

Where Workbench provides authenticated, private, or personalized access, users are responsible for taking reasonable steps to protect access to their account, email account, device, authentication method, or private access link.

You should not knowingly provide another person with access to private customer information unless they are authorized to receive it.

If you believe that someone has gained unauthorized access to your information or to information associated with your property or account, please contact us promptly.

We may maintain technical logs and security information where reasonably necessary to:

• operate Workbench;
• authenticate users;
• investigate technical problems;
• detect or prevent misuse;
• maintain system availability; and
• protect the security of our systems and users.

Email and electronic communications

We may communicate with customers and authorized representatives by email, telephone, text message, or through Workbench where appropriate.

Electronic communications may contain information about estimates, invoices, appointments, service work, equipment, properties, or accounts.

While we take reasonable precautions, ordinary email and text messaging are not guaranteed to be completely secure.

If sensitive information requires another method of communication, please contact us.

Accuracy

We rely on customers and authorized representatives to provide accurate and complete information.

Please let us know if your:

• contact details;
• billing information;
• property information;
• service address;
• authorization;
• equipment information; or
• other relevant information

changes or is incorrect so that we can update our records where appropriate.

Your privacy rights

Subject to applicable law and limited exceptions, you may ask:

• whether we hold personal information about you;
• to access personal information we hold about you;
• for inaccurate or incomplete information to be corrected;
• questions about how your information has been used or disclosed;
• to withdraw consent where applicable; or
• to raise a concern about our privacy practices.

We may need to verify your identity before responding to a privacy request.

Access may be limited or refused in circumstances permitted or required by law, including where providing access would reveal personal information about another person or information that cannot lawfully be disclosed.

Certain information may need to be retained despite a request for deletion or withdrawal of consent where retention is required or reasonably necessary for legal, contractual, accounting, tax, warranty, insurance, safety, security, dispute-resolution, or legitimate business purposes.

Privacy responsibility

V.A. Hoffman has designated a Privacy Officer who is responsible for overseeing privacy matters and questions concerning the handling of personal information.

Privacy questions, access requests, correction requests, withdrawals of consent, or concerns may be directed to:

Privacy Officer V.A. Hoffman Plumbing, Heating & Sheet Metal 1000548457 Ontario Ltd.

Contact us

To access or correct your information, withdraw consent where applicable, or ask a privacy question, please contact:

V.A. Hoffman Plumbing, Heating & Sheet Metal 1000548457 Ontario Ltd.

393 Killaly Street East Port Colborne, Ontario

Email: office@vahoffman.com Phone: 905-834-3783

Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes to Workbench, our services, technology, business practices, or applicable legal requirements.

The current version of this policy will be made available through Workbench, our website, or another reasonable means.