What’s The Damage? (whatsthedamage.com.au) is an independent Australian cost guide for home services. We take your privacy seriously. This policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights.
What we collect
We collect minimal data to operate and improve the site:
Analytics data. We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to understand how visitors use the site — pages visited, time on site, device type, and approximate location (city level). This data is aggregated and cannot identify you personally. Google Analytics uses cookies to distinguish unique visitors.
Quote Checker submissions. When you use the Quote Checker, the trade, city, and quote amount you enter are processed locally in your browser. We do not collect your name, email, phone number, or any personally identifying information through the Quote Checker.
Contact form and email. If you email us at contact@whatsthedamage.com.au or submit a contact form, we collect the information you provide (name, email, message). This is used solely to respond to your enquiry.
Lead capture forms. Some pages include a “Get a Fair Quote” form that asks for your name, phone number, email, suburb, and job details. This information is used to connect you with relevant tradespeople and is stored securely. We do not sell this data to third parties.
Cookies
We use the following cookies:
Google Analytics (_ga, _ga_*). These cookies help us measure site traffic and understand which pages are most useful. They expire after 2 years. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
No advertising cookies. We do not run ads on the site and do not use advertising or retargeting cookies.
Third-party services
We use the following third-party services:
Google Analytics 4 — for website analytics. Google’s privacy policy.
Google Fonts — for typography (Fraunces and DM Sans). Google may log your IP address when fonts are loaded. Google Fonts privacy FAQ.
Netlify — for website hosting. Netlify’s privacy policy.
Mailchimp — for email newsletters, if you subscribe. Mailchimp’s privacy policy.
How we use your data
We use the data we collect to:
• Improve the accuracy and usefulness of our cost guides
• Understand which trades and cities are most searched
• Respond to enquiries
• Connect homeowners with relevant tradespeople (only when you request a quote)
• Send newsletters (only if you subscribe, and you can unsubscribe at any time)
Data sharing
We do not sell your personal information. We share data only in these cases:
• Quote requests: If you submit a quote request, your contact details and job information are shared with relevant tradespeople in your area.
• Service providers: We share aggregated, non-identifying analytics data with our hosting and analytics providers as described above.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by Australian law.
Data retention
Analytics data is retained for 14 months in Google Analytics. Contact form submissions and quote requests are retained for up to 24 months unless you request deletion. Newsletter subscriber data is retained until you unsubscribe.
Your rights
Under the Australian Privacy Act 1988, you have the right to:
• Request access to any personal information we hold about you
• Request correction or deletion of your personal information
• Opt out of marketing communications at any time
• Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
Children’s privacy
Our site is not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The “last updated” date at the top of this page will reflect any changes. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact
If you have questions about this privacy policy or want to exercise your rights, contact us at:
contact@whatsthedamage.com.au