Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

HostUnique ("we", "us", "our") provides web hosting, domain registration, email hosting, and related digital services to businesses in South Africa. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect personal information when you visit hostunique.co.za, contact us, or use our services.

For privacy-related enquiries, contact us at hello@hostunique.co.za.

2. Information we collect

We may collect the following types of personal information:

• Contact details — name, email address, phone number, and company name when you submit our contact form or communicate with us.
• Account and billing information — details provided when you register, order, or manage services through our WHMCS client area, including billing address and payment-related information processed by our payment providers.
• Service and technical data — domain names, hosting configuration, IP addresses, server logs, support tickets, and usage data necessary to operate and secure our services.
• Website usage data — browser type, device information, pages visited, and referral source collected through standard server logs and, where enabled, analytics tools.
• Communications — records of emails, support requests, and other correspondence with our team.

3. How we use your information

We use personal information to:

• Respond to enquiries submitted through our website contact form.
• Provide, maintain, bill for, and support hosting, domain, and related services.
• Process orders, renewals, invoices, and account management through WHMCS.
• Send service-related notices, including maintenance updates, security alerts, and billing reminders.
• Monitor, troubleshoot, and improve the performance and security of our infrastructure.
• Comply with legal obligations, including domain registry requirements and lawful requests from authorities.
• Protect our rights, prevent fraud, and enforce our Terms of Service.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

4. Legal basis and POPIA

We process personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). Depending on the context, processing is based on your consent, the performance of a contract, our legitimate interests in operating a secure hosting business, or compliance with a legal obligation.

Under POPIA, you may have the right to:

• Request access to personal information we hold about you.
• Request correction or deletion of inaccurate or outdated information, subject to legal and contractual retention requirements.
• Object to processing in certain circumstances.
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe your rights have been infringed.

To exercise these rights, email hello@hostunique.co.za. We may need to verify your identity before responding.

5. Cookies and similar technologies

Our website uses essential cookies required for security and basic functionality, such as session and CSRF protection tokens. When you visit our client area or complete an order through WHMCS, additional cookies may be set by that platform to manage your session and preferences.

Some pages may embed third-party content, such as Google Maps on our contact page, which may set their own cookies subject to the provider's privacy policy. You can control cookies through your browser settings, though disabling essential cookies may affect site functionality.

6. Third-party service providers

We share personal information with trusted third parties only where necessary, including:

• WHMCS — client billing, account management, and order processing (client area).
• Domain registries and registrars — to register, transfer, and maintain domain names as required by registry policies.
• Payment processors — to process transactions securely. We do not store full credit card details on our servers.
• Infrastructure and email providers — to host services, deliver email, and maintain backups.
• Professional advisers — where required for legal, accounting, or compliance purposes.

These providers are required to handle personal information appropriately and only for the purposes we specify.

7. Data retention

We retain personal information for as long as needed to provide services, meet legal and accounting obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. Contact form submissions are retained for a reasonable period to handle follow-up correspondence. Client account data is retained for the duration of the business relationship and thereafter as required by law or legitimate business needs, such as billing records and abuse prevention.

8. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or alteration. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for keeping your account credentials confidential and choosing strong passwords.

9. International transfers

Some of our service providers or infrastructure partners may process data outside South Africa. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place consistent with POPIA requirements.

10. Children

Our services are intended for businesses and adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18 without appropriate consent.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when it was last revised. Material changes will be posted on this page. Continued use of our website or services after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle personal information, please contact us:

• Email: hello@hostunique.co.za
• Website: Contact page