Privacy
Privacy Policy
Bell Incorporated ("we", "us") is a firm of attorneys and conveyancers in South Africa. This policy explains how we handle personal information in the Bell Incorporated app (for iPhone and Android) and the agent portal at office.bellinc.co.za, which estate agents use to follow the property transfers they are involved in. We process personal information in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA).
Who is responsible
Bell Incorporated is the responsible party for the personal information described here. Our office is at Eagle Canyon Office Park, Block B, 1st Floor, c/o Dolfyn & Jan Frederick Ave, Randpark Ridge, Randburg, 2169. For any privacy question or request, or to reach our Information Officer, contact us at bianca@bellinc.co.za or 010 745 0601.
Who the app is for
The app and the portal are for estate agents and staff who have been given an account by Bell Incorporated. Accounts cannot be created in the app. They are not intended for children.
What we process and why
| Information | Why we use it |
|---|---|
| Account details: your name, email address, contact number and role (for example, estate agent). | To give you access, show you the files you are linked to, and contact you about them. |
| Sign-in details: your password (stored only as a secure one-way hash), and a record of each sign-in attempt: the time, the name used, whether it succeeded, your IP address and your device or browser type. | To keep accounts secure: for example, to lock an account for a short time after repeated wrong passwords, and to investigate misuse. |
| Transfer file information: for files you are linked to, the file number, property address, the names of the sellers and buyers, transfer milestones and the updates we send. | To keep you informed about the progress of transfers you are involved in. This information comes from our records; the app only displays it. |
| Notification details: a push notification token for your device and a random identifier for your installation of the app. | To send you a notification when we send an update on one of your files. The notification only says "New update on file" followed by the file number. |
| Search terms you type in the app's file search. | To find matching files. We do not store your searches. |
| Purchase prices you enter in the transfer cost calculator. | To calculate an estimate. We do not store them. |
We process this information because it is needed for the mandate and relationship between you, us and our clients, to meet our legal obligations, and for our legitimate interest in keeping our systems secure.
What we do not do
- We do not use your information for advertising, and the app contains no advertising.
- We do not track you across other apps or websites, and the app contains no analytics or tracking tools.
- We do not sell personal information.
- The app does not access your location, contacts, photos, camera or microphone.
On your device
- Your sign-in session is stored in your device's secure storage (the iOS Keychain or Android Keystore). Signing out removes it.
- File information is held in the app's memory while you use it and is not saved to your device.
- When you share a file's summary PDF, a temporary copy is created for the share sheet. The app deletes it the next time it starts. Copies you choose to share or save elsewhere are then under your control.
- You can turn notifications off at any time in your phone's settings. Signing out of the app also stops them.
Who we share it with
We use service providers who process information on our behalf and only for these purposes:
- Hosting: the provider that hosts our servers and database.
- Notifications: Expo (650 Industries, Inc., United States) relays notifications to Apple Push Notification service (Apple) and Firebase Cloud Messaging (Google). They receive your device's notification token and the notification text.
- Email: the email service we use to send update emails and account messages.
Some of these providers are outside South Africa. Where information is transferred across borders, we do so in line with section 72 of POPIA, for example where the recipient is bound by laws or agreements that give comparable protection.
We may also disclose information where the law requires us to.
How long we keep it
- Account details and sign-in records: for as long as your account is open. After it is closed, only for as long as our legal and professional obligations require.
- App sign-in sessions expire after 60 days without use; signing out ends them immediately.
- Notification tokens: until you sign out of the app, or until Apple or Google reports that the token is no longer valid.
- Transfer file information is part of our client records and is kept for as long as the law and our professional obligations require.
How we protect it
All communication between the app and our servers is encrypted (HTTPS). Passwords are stored as one-way hashes. Access to each file is checked on our server every time: an agent can only see files they are linked to. Repeated wrong passwords temporarily lock an account, and sign-in attempts are rate-limited.
Your rights
Under POPIA you may ask us to:
- confirm whether we hold personal information about you, and give you a copy;
- correct or update information that is inaccurate;
- delete information or close your account, where we are not required to keep it;
- stop processing it, where you have the right to object.
To make a request or to close your account, contact us at bianca@bellinc.co.za. We may need to confirm your identity first. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa): inforegulator.org.za.
Changes to this policy
We will update this page when the app, the portal or the way we handle information changes, and change the date at the top. Significant changes will also be communicated to account holders.