Privacy Policy

HOUSE OF VRIKSHA

For the House of Vriksha website, enquiries, Everyday Wood, Bespoke Furniture and Aadya Interior World

Data Fiduciary / legal entity:

Shruthi Singh Brand: House of Vriksha (HOV),

a design studio by Aadya Interior World

Address: House of Vriksha, A design studio by Aadya Interior World, Govindappa Complex, Near SBI Bank, Tindlu, Vidhyranyapura Post, Bangalore - 560097

Privacy contact: thehouseofvriksha@gmail.com

+91 9972701202

1. About this Privacy Policy

House of Vriksha (“HOV”, “we”, “us”, “our”) respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we may collect through www.houseofvriksha.com (“Website”), why we collect it, how we use it, the legal basis for processing, how long we retain it, when it may be shared, how we protect it, and the rights and choices available to you. This Policy applies to information collected through the Website, including the Start Your Project enquiry form, contact forms, communications initiated through the Website and other online interactions with HOV. It does not replace the specific terms governing a purchase or project; those are addressed in HOV's Terms & Conditions and applicable quotation/Project Agreement.

2. Who is responsible for your personal data?

The entity identified above is the Data Fiduciary responsible for personal data processed through the Website, to the extent the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (“DPDP Act”) and applicable rules apply to HOV. If the legal contracting entity differs from the brand name, the exact legal entity should be inserted before publication.

3. What personal data may we collect?

We collect only information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose. Depending on how you interact with HOV, this may include:

• Identity/contact information: full name, email address, phone/WhatsApp number and preferred contact method.

• Location information you provide: city/location and, where relevant to a project, site address or project location.

• Project/enquiry information: whether you are enquiring about Everyday Wood, Bespoke Furniture or Aadya Interior World;

product/piece requirements; quantities; dimensions; room or project details; style preferences; scope; timeline; budget information where you choose to provide it.

• Files and visual information you voluntarily upload: room photographs, measurements, sketches, reference images, floor plans, drawings and similar project material.

• Communications: messages, emails, enquiry details, approvals and other information you choose to share with HOV.

• Transaction/project information: quotations, invoices, payment status, purchase/order information and project records where you become a customer

.• Technical/usage information: information that may be generated automatically by the Website or its hosting/analytics/security services, such as IP address, browser/device information, approximate location derived from technical data, pages viewed, referring pages, timestamps and similar diagnostic information, where those technologies are actually used.

• Cookies and similar technologies: information collected through cookies, pixels, tags, analytics or comparable technologies, depending on the Website configuration and your choices. HOV should not intentionally request sensitive personal information through the Website unless it is genuinely necessary and lawful. Please do not upload Aadhaar numbers, bank passwords, card PINs, health records, biometric information or other highly sensitive information unless HOV specifically and lawfully requests it through an appropriate secure channel.

4. How we collect personal data

We may collect information directly from you when you submit Start Your Project, contact HOV, request a quotation, upload files, communicate with us, place an order or otherwise provide information. Some technical information may be collected automatically through the Website's hosting, security, analytics or cookie technologies. We may also receive information from service providers supporting the Website or a transaction, where permitted by law.

5. Why we use personal data

HOV may process personal data for the following purposes, depending on your interaction with us:

• To receive, understand and respond to your enquiry.

• To contact you about the enquiry using your selected contact method.

• To assess requirements for Everyday Wood, Bespoke Furniture or Aadya Interior World services.

• To prepare quotations, proposals, drawings, specifications, material/finish options and other requested project information.

• To communicate about an order or project, including approvals, scheduling, delivery, installation and handover.

• To process payments, issue invoices/receipts, maintain business records and perform accounting/tax obligations.

• To provide customer support, handle complaints and resolve disputes.

• To maintain records necessary for legal, regulatory, contractual, accounting, tax, fraud-prevention and security purposes.

• To operate, maintain, secure, troubleshoot and improve the Website and its forms.

• To understand Website usage and improve content, user experience and service performance, where permitted and where applicable technologies are enabled.

• To send promotional or marketing communications only where there is an appropriate lawful basis and, where required, your consent. • To protect HOV, customers, employees, vendors and the Website against fraud, misuse, security incidents and unlawful activity.

6. Legal basis / grounds for processing

Depending on the processing activity and the law applicable at the relevant time, HOV may process personal data on one or more lawful grounds available under Indian law, including consent and certain legitimate uses recognised by the DPDP Act

• Consent: where HOV asks you to consent to a specified processing purpose, the request will be presented in clear and plain language and will identify the relevant data and purpose.

• Voluntary provision for a specified purpose: where you voluntarily provide personal data to HOV for a specified purpose, HOV may process it for that purpose to the extent permitted by applicable law.

• Contract/requested services: information may be processed as necessary to respond to a requested service, prepare or administer an accepted order/project, perform contractual obligations or take steps requested before entering into a contract, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

• Legal/compliance purposes: processing may be required to meet tax, accounting, legal, regulatory, court, lawenforcement or other applicable obligations.

• Security/fraud and other lawful purposes: HOV may process information where permitted or required by applicable law to protect its systems, rights, customers or other persons. The DPDP Act provides for processing on the basis of consent or certain legitimate uses, and requires consent to be free, specific, informed, unconditional and unambiguous with clear affirmative action

7. Consent and withdrawal

Where consent is the basis for processing, HOV will request it separately and clearly from other information wherever required. Consent will be specific to the stated purpose and will not be bundled with unrelated purposes merely because you submit an enquiry.

• You may withdraw consent at any time where consent is the applicable basis for processing.

• Withdrawal should be available through a method that is reasonably comparable in ease to the method by which consent was given. For website enquiries, you may contact HOV at the privacy email below, and HOV should provide any additional withdrawal mechanism required by the live consent system.

• Withdrawal does not make prior lawful processing unlawful.

• Withdrawal may affect HOV's ability to continue a service where the processing is necessary for that service, order or project.

• Withdrawal of marketing consent will not necessarily stop transactional or legally required communications. The DPDP Act expressly provides for withdrawal of consent and cessation of processing within a reasonable time unless continued processing is required or authorized by law

8. Start Your Project form

The Start Your Project form may ask different questions depending on what you select:

• Everyday Wood: product/piece, quantity, custom requirement, material/finish, location, timeline and optional upload.

• Bespoke Furniture: what to make, approximate dimensions, where used, style/reference images, budget, timeline and room photos/dimensions.

• Aadya Interior World: residential/commercial, location, new/renovation, area, scope, budget, timeline and plans/photos.

• Not sure yet: a description of what you are imagining and optional reference uploads.

• Common details: full name, email, phone/WhatsApp, city/location, preferred contact method, preferred contact time and how you heard about HOV. Only provide information that is relevant to your enquiry. Do not upload unnecessary personal information about other people.

9. How we may use uploaded photographs, drawings and files

Files submitted through Start Your Project are used to understand and evaluate your enquiry, prepare designs/quotes where applicable, coordinate the requested service and maintain project records. HOV may need to share relevant files with employees, carpenters, designers, installers, consultants, vendors or other service providers involved in evaluating or delivering the requested work, subject to appropriate controls and applicable law. You should have the right or permission to provide any photograph, drawing, floor plan, reference image or other third-party material that you upload. Please avoid uploading images containing unnecessary personal information.

10. When we may share personal data

HOV does not sell personal data to third parties. We may disclose or make personal data available only where reasonably necessary for the stated purpose, business operation, legal obligation or other lawful basis, including to:

• Website hosting, form, cloud storage, email, CRM and IT service providers supporting HOV.

• Payment processors, banks, accountants, auditors and professional advisers where necessary.

• Designers, carpenters, installers, contractors, consultants, vendors and other project partners who need relevant information to evaluate or deliver the requested work. • Analytics, security and website-performance providers, where used and permitted.

• Government authorities, courts, regulators, law enforcement or other persons where required or authorised by law.

• Professional advisers, insurers or prospective transaction parties where reasonably necessary for a business transaction, subject to confidentiality and applicable law. HOV should configure vendors so that processors receive only the information necessary for their role and are subject to appropriate contractual/confidentiality and security obligations.

11. International transfers and third-party platforms

Some Website, cloud, analytics, communication or payment providers may process data using infrastructure located outside India. Before publication, HOV should maintain a current vendor list and confirm where personal data is stored/processed and what contractual, security and legal safeguards apply. Any cross-border transfer will be handled in accordance with applicable Indian law and any restrictions that are in force.

12. Data retention

HOV will retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, and longer where necessary for an accepted order/project, accounting/tax records, legal claims, dispute resolution, security, fraud prevention or another lawful requirement.

• Unqualified enquiries: retain only for as long as reasonably necessary to respond, follow up and maintain appropriate business records.

• Customer/order/project records: retain for the period reasonably necessary to administer the relationship, warranties, accounting/tax obligations, disputes and legal requirements.

• Marketing preferences/consent records: retain sufficiently to demonstrate and manage the relevant choice and comply with applicable obligations

• Uploaded project files: retain only as long as reasonably required for enquiry/project administration, contractual records, warranty/dispute needs or lawful business purposes. Retention periods should be finalized internally by HOV and reflected in its data-retention schedule. HOV should securely delete or anonymize data when it is no longer required, subject to lawful retention requirements.

13. Security

HOV will take reasonable technical and organizational measures appropriate to the nature of the personal data and the risks involved. Depending on the systems used, these may include access controls, authentication, limited staff/vendor access, secure hosting, backups, encryption where appropriate, malware/security protections, monitoring and secure deletion. No internet transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. HOV cannot promise absolute security, but it will take reasonable measures appropriate to the circumstances and applicable law. The final Website implementation should use HTTPS and reputable form/file-handling providers.

14. Your privacy rights and choices

Subject to the DPDP Act, applicable rules, exemptions, verification requirements and the legal basis for processing, you may have rights including:

• Access/information about whether HOV is processing your personal data and information about the processing, as provided by applicable law.

• Correction of inaccurate or misleading personal data and completion/updating of incomplete information, where applicable.

• Erasure of personal data where applicable and where retention is not required by law or another lawful purpose.

• Withdrawal of consent where consent is the basis for processing.

• Grievance redressal through HOV's designated privacy/grievance channel.

• Nomination of another individual to exercise rights in the event of death or incapacity, where and when such right is applicable under the DPDP framework.

The DPDP Act provides rights relating to information, correction/erasure and grievance redressal, subject to its terms and applicable law

15. How to exercise your rights

Send a request to: thehouseofvriksha@gmail.com with the subject line “Privacy Request”.

Please describe the request clearly and provide enough information for HOV to identify the relevant data or interaction. HOV may reasonably verify identity before acting on a request to protect against unauthorized disclosure or deletion.

HOV will respond within the period required by applicable law and may explain where a request cannot be fully completed because retention or processing is required or authorized by law, necessary for an existing transaction/project, or otherwise permitted by applicable law. If the applicable DPDP framework provides a further complaint/escalation route, HOV will provide the relevant information in its then-current privacy/grievance process

16. Cookies and similar technologies

The Website may use essential cookies or similar technologies needed for site operation, security, forms and preferences.

It may also use analytics or other non-essential technologies if enabled. Before launch, HOV should publish a cookie notice/consent mechanism that accurately reflects the technologies actually installed on the Website.

• Essential technologies may operate where necessary for Website functionality and security, subject to applicable law.

• Non-essential analytics/marketing technologies should be configured and consented to where required by applicable law.

• Do not state that HOV uses Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, advertising cookies or other tools unless those tools are actually installed.

• Browser settings may allow you to block or delete cookies, although doing so may affect Website functionality.

17. Marketing communications

HOV may contact you about your enquiry, order or project using the contact details you provide. Promotional/marketing communications will be sent only where HOV has an appropriate lawful basis and, where required, your consent. You may withdraw marketing consent or opt out using the method provided in the communication or by contacting the privacy email.

18. Children's data

The Website is not intentionally directed at children. HOV does not knowingly seek to collect personal data from children for marketing or unrelated purposes. If a parent/guardian believes a child has provided personal data to HOV, please contact the privacy email so the matter can be reviewed and handled in accordance with applicable law.

19. Third-party websites and services

The Website may link to third-party websites or social-media platforms. Their privacy practices are controlled by their own policies. HOV is not responsible for the privacy or security practices of third-party websites outside its control. Review the relevant third-party policy before providing information to that third party.

20. Changes to this Privacy Policy

HOV may update this Privacy Policy when its data practices, Website technologies, services or legal obligations change. The latest version will be published on the Website with a revised “Last updated” date. Where applicable law requires additional notice or consent for a material change, HOV will provide it.

21. Contact and grievance channel

For privacy questions, requests, consent withdrawal, correction/erasure requests or privacy complaints: House of Vriksha (HOV) Privacy email: thehouseofvriksha@gmail.com Phone: +91 9972701202 Address: House of Vriksha, A design studio by Aadya Interior World, Govindappa Complex, Near SBI Bank, Tindlu, Vidhyranyapura Post, Bangalore - 560097