Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

Qala Software ("Qala", "we", "us", "our") operates the website at qalasoftware.com and provides quantity surveying software as a service. We are committed to protecting your personal data and complying with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

If you have any questions about this policy, you can contact us at: hello@qalasoftware.com

2. What data we collect

We collect the following types of information when you use Qala:

• Account information: your email address and password (stored as a secure hash) when you register.
• Profile and company details: your company name, address, logo, and contact information that you enter in your account settings.
• Project data: estimates, programmes, applications, rates, and any other information you enter while using the platform.
• Usage data: basic information about how you use the service (e.g. pages visited, actions taken) for the purpose of improving the platform.

We do not collect payment card details directly — payments are handled by our third-party payment provider (Stripe), who has their own privacy policy.

3. How we use your data

We use your data to:

• Provide, operate, and maintain the Qala platform.
• Manage your account and respond to your queries.
• Send transactional emails (e.g. email confirmation, password reset).
• Improve and develop the platform based on usage patterns.
• Comply with legal obligations.

We will never sell your data to third parties or use it for advertising purposes.

4. How we store your data

Your data is stored securely using Supabase, which is hosted on AWS infrastructure within the EU. All data is encrypted in transit (TLS) and at rest. We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, or destruction.

5. Data sharing

We do not share your personal data with third parties except:

• Service providers who help us operate the platform (e.g. Supabase for database hosting, Stripe for payment processing). These providers are bound by data processing agreements.
• Legal requirements: if required to do so by law or in response to valid legal requests.

When you invite team members to your account, their email address and role within your organisation will be visible to other account holders you have authorised.

6. Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate data.
• Delete your account and associated data.
• Restrict or object to processing of your data.
• Data portability — receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.

To exercise any of these rights, email us at hello@qalasoftware.com. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

7. Cookies

Qala uses only essential cookies required for authentication and session management. We do not use tracking cookies or third-party advertising cookies.

8. Data retention

We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, your personal data and project data will be permanently deleted within 30 days. Some anonymised usage data may be retained for analytical purposes.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by email or by displaying a notice within the platform. Continued use of Qala after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us at hello@qalasoftware.com.