Privacy policy
Last updated 3 October 2026. We collect only what the service needs, we never sell it, and you can ask for a copy of it or have your account deleted at any time.
Who we are
HelpClean is operated by HelpClean (Pty) Ltd, a South African company. We are the responsible party for your personal information under POPIA.
What we collect
Your name, mobile number and home location, so we can match you with helpers nearby. Your email address, if you choose to give it. Your bookings, payments and reviews. Any messages you send our support team. To confirm who you are, we also collect your ID document and a selfie taken during the check. Helpers additionally provide identity documents for vetting.
The app also sends us crash reports, basic performance data and how the app is used, along with a device identifier, so we can fix problems and spot fraud.
Why we collect it
To run the service: matching you with verified helpers, taking payment securely, releasing money when a job is done, and meeting our obligations under South African law, including the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and labour legislation.
The selfie from your identity check also becomes your profile picture, so a helper arriving at your home knows who they are meeting. It cannot be swapped for another picture afterwards, because that is the point of it.
Who sees it
Your helper sees your first name, profile picture, suburb and booking details, your exact address only once a booking is confirmed. Your ID number and the images from your identity check are seen only by our verification team and our identity-check provider, never by helpers.We never sell your information.
We use a small number of service providers to run HelpClean. They process your information only on our behalf and only for the job below:
- Didit checks your ID document and selfie during identity verification.
- iKhokha processes payments on its secure checkout. We never see or store your card details.
- Google Firebase (Crashlytics and Analytics) receives crash reports, app performance data and app usage, with a device identifier.
- Google Maps Platform powers address search when you enter your home location.
- Our cloud hosting provider stores your data, with identity documents in a private store reached only through short-lived, signed links.
Where it lives
Your data is stored securely and encrypted in transit. Identity documents are kept in a private store that can only be reached through short-lived, signed links.
How long we keep it
Account data is kept while your account is active. Booking and payment records are kept for as long as financial and tax regulations require, even after your account is deleted. Everything not subject to those rules is removed when we action a deletion request.
Deleting your account
You can ask us to close your HelpClean account and delete your personal information at any time, and you do not have to give a reason. There are two ways to do it.
1. In the app
Open the HelpClean app and go to Profile → My data → Delete my account. You will be asked to confirm, and the request goes straight to our team.
2. By phone, if you don't use a smartphone
Some of our helpers were signed up in person by a HelpClean field agent and do not use the app themselves. If that is you, or if you simply cannot get into your account, phone our support team and we will do it for you:
Monday to Saturday, 06:00–22:00. We will confirm your identity over the phone before deleting anything, this protects you from somebody else closing your account.
Either way, we action deletion requests within 30 days and confirm when it is done. Bear in mind that deleting your account cancels any upcoming bookings, and that any money still owed to you is paid out before the account is closed. Records we are legally required to retain, invoices and payment history, are kept, but are no longer linked to an active profile.
Your other rights under POPIA
You may also ask us for a copy of the personal information we hold about you, or ask us to correct anything that is wrong. Use Profile → My data in the app, or contact support on the number above. Every request goes to a person who has to respond.
If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your information, you have the right to complain to the Information Regulator of South Africa.
Contact our Information Officer
- Phone: 069 375 3744 (Mon–Sat, 06:00–22:00)
- Email: support@helpclean.co.za