Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Tirhelo respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you provide when using our website, contacting us, applying for funding or credit, or requesting an insurance quote.

This Privacy Policy explains:

• what personal information we collect;
• why we collect it;
• how we use and protect it;
• who we may share it with;
• how cookies and analytics tools are used;
• what rights you have regarding your personal information.

Tirhelo processes personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 ("POPIA"), and other applicable South African laws.

2. Who is responsible for your information?

Tirhelo is the responsible party for personal information collected through this website.

Tirhelo is an Authorised Financial Services Provider, FSP53581, and a Registered Credit Provider, NCRCP16538.

3. Personal information we collect

The information we collect depends on how you use the website.

Website and contact information

When you contact Tirhelo or request a callback, we may collect:

• your name;
• mobile number;
• email address;
• enquiry topic;
• preferred contact method or callback time;
• the contents of your message.

Loan and credit applications

When you submit a Payday Loan or Short-Term Loan application, we may collect:

• your full name;
• South African identity number;
• contact details;
• residential address;
• employment and income information;
• monthly income and expenses;
• existing credit or loan information;
• requested loan amount and repayment information;
• supporting documents such as your identity document, proof of income, bank statements and proof of address;
• declarations and permissions required to assess your application.

Business Funding applications

When you submit a Business Funding application, we may collect:

• contact-person details;
• business name and trading name;
• company-registration information;
• business address and industry;
• director, owner and ownership information;
• tax and VAT information;
• employee information;
• turnover, expenses, debt and banking information;
• the amount and type of funding requested;
• contract, invoice, purchase-order, project or operational information;
• supporting business and financial documents.

Insurance quote requests

When you request a Personal or Business Insurance quote, we may collect:

• your contact information;
• business information, where applicable;
• the type of cover requested;
• information about vehicles, property, contents, assets, business activities or risks;
• relevant financial or operational information;
• supporting documents;
• your preferred contact method.

Technical and analytics information

When you use the website, we may collect limited technical information such as:

• Internet Protocol address;
• browser and device type;
• operating system;
• pages viewed;
• time spent on pages;
• referring website;
• approximate geographic region;
• cookie and analytics identifiers;
• website interactions and navigation patterns.

We do not intentionally use analytics tools to collect identity numbers, bank statements, uploaded documents, financial form answers or other application contents.

4. How we collect information

We collect information:

• directly from you when you complete a form;
• when you upload supporting documents;
• when you contact us by phone, email, WhatsApp or through the website;
• through cookies and analytics technologies, where permitted;
• from credit bureaus, verification providers, insurers, funding partners or other authorised sources where necessary and legally permitted.

5. Why we process personal information

Tirhelo may process personal information to:

• respond to enquiries and callback requests;
• receive and assess applications;
• verify identity, employment, income, business and supporting information;
• perform affordability, eligibility and risk assessments;
• conduct credit checks where permission has been provided;
• obtain or arrange insurance quotations;
• communicate with applicants and customers;
• refer applications or requests to suitable authorised partners;
• prevent fraud and misuse of the website;
• meet legal, regulatory and record-keeping obligations;
• improve the performance, usability and security of the website;
• investigate complaints and resolve disputes;
• protect Tirhelo's legal rights and legitimate business interests.

Submitting an application or quote request does not guarantee approval, funding or insurance cover.

6. Online applications and supporting documents

Applications and supporting documents submitted through the website are transmitted to Tirhelo through the website's secure server-side submission process.

The website does not intentionally retain a separate permanent copy of submitted applications or uploaded documents in its own database or file-storage system.

Applications and documents are delivered to Tirhelo by email. They are therefore processed by Tirhelo's transactional email provider and retained within Tirhelo's email and mailbox systems according to the applicable operational, legal and retention requirements.

Do not submit information or documents that are not requested or necessary for your application.

7. Who we may share information with

Tirhelo does not sell your personal information.

Where necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, information may be shared with:

• Tirhelo employees and authorised consultants;
• registered credit providers;
• credit bureaus;
• affordability and identity-verification providers;
• business-funding partners;
• insurers, underwriters and insurance intermediaries;
• information-technology, website-hosting and email-service providers;
• professional advisers, auditors and compliance providers;
• regulatory authorities, courts or law-enforcement bodies where required by law.

These parties may only receive information that is reasonably necessary for their role or for the service requested.

Third-party service providers processing information on Tirhelo's behalf are expected to apply appropriate confidentiality and security measures.

8. Email service provider

Tirhelo uses a transactional email provider to deliver application notifications and confirmation emails.

The provider may process:

• sender and recipient email addresses;
• email metadata;
• email content;
• uploaded documents attached to internal Tirhelo emails;
• email delivery and failure information.

Applicants do not receive copies of their sensitive uploaded documents in their confirmation emails.

9. Cookies and analytics

Tirhelo may use cookies and similar technologies to operate the website, remember preferences, measure website performance and understand how visitors use the website.

Necessary cookies

Necessary cookies support essential website functions and cannot always be disabled through Tirhelo's cookie controls.

Google Analytics

Tirhelo may use Google Analytics to understand website traffic and performance. Google Analytics may process information such as:

• pages viewed;
• session and interaction information;
• device and browser information;
• approximate location;
• referring sources;
• pseudonymous cookie or device identifiers.

Tirhelo does not intentionally send identity numbers, uploaded documents, form contents or other sensitive application information to Google Analytics.

Microsoft Clarity

Tirhelo may use Microsoft Clarity to understand how visitors navigate and interact with public website pages through tools such as aggregated behavioural measurements, heatmaps and session replay.

Microsoft Clarity may use cookies and pseudonymous identifiers to connect website interactions across pages.

Microsoft Clarity must not be used to record:

• application or quote forms;
• document-upload pages;
• identity numbers;
• contact details entered into forms;
• financial information;
• uploaded document names or contents.

Analytics consent

Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity are optional analytics services.

Tirhelo will only activate optional analytics cookies and tracking after you have provided the relevant consent through the website's cookie controls.

You may reject optional analytics or withdraw your consent at any time through the website's cookie settings. You may also manage or delete cookies through your browser.

Rejecting analytics cookies will not prevent you from viewing the website or submitting an application.

10. International processing

Some technology, email and analytics providers may process information using systems located outside South Africa.

Where personal information is transferred outside South Africa, Tirhelo will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer is permitted and that appropriate safeguards apply.

11. Retention of information

Tirhelo retains personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to:

• process and assess the relevant application, request or enquiry;
• provide the requested service;
• comply with legal and regulatory obligations;
• maintain appropriate financial-services, credit and insurance records;
• resolve complaints or disputes;
• protect Tirhelo's legal rights.

Applications and documents delivered by email may remain in Tirhelo's mailbox, backups and authorised service-provider systems for the applicable retention period.

When information is no longer required, Tirhelo will take reasonable steps to delete, destroy or de-identify it, subject to applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

12. Security

Tirhelo applies reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information against:

• loss;
• unauthorised access;
• misuse;
• alteration;
• disclosure;
• destruction.

These measures may include access restrictions, secure transmission, authentication controls, staff confidentiality obligations and service-provider security requirements.

No website, email system or electronic transmission method can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

If a security compromise involving personal information occurs, Tirhelo will investigate and make the notifications required by applicable law.

13. Your rights

Subject to POPIA and other applicable laws, you may have the right to:

• ask whether Tirhelo holds personal information about you;
• request access to your personal information;
• request correction or updating of inaccurate information;
• request deletion or destruction where legally permitted;
• object to certain processing;
• withdraw consent where processing depends on consent;
• lodge a complaint with Tirhelo;
• lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.

Tirhelo may need to verify your identity before responding to a request.

To exercise your rights, contact Tirhelo using the details in section 17.

14. Information about children

Tirhelo's credit, funding and insurance application services are not intended for persons under the age of 18.

Persons under 18 should not submit applications, identity documents, financial information or supporting documents through the website.

15. Third-party websites and services

The website may contain links to third-party websites, including WhatsApp and service-provider websites.

Tirhelo is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites. You should review their privacy policies before providing information to them.

16. Changes to this Privacy Policy

Tirhelo may update this Privacy Policy when its services, legal obligations or technology providers change.

The updated version will be published on this page with a revised "Last updated" date.

17. Contact Tirhelo

Questions, privacy requests or concerns may be directed to:

You may also lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa using the Regulator's official complaints process.