Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 2026

1. Who We Are

MelaLocal ("we", "us", "our") operates the website melalocal.com, a local local marketplace for services, vehicles and property, based in Malta. We are the data controller for your personal data processed through this platform.

2. Data We Collect

We collect the following personal data:

  • Account data: name and email address when you register.
  • Service listing data: business name, phone number, location, description, and logo images when you list a service as a provider.
  • Vehicle listing data: vehicle details (make, model, year, mileage), photos, asking price, and seller contact information when you list a vehicle for sale.
  • Phone verification data: phone number and verification status when you verify via SMS.
  • Usage data: pages visited, phone number reveals, reviews submitted, and quote requests.
  • Technical data: IP address, browser type, and device information collected automatically.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data to:

  • Create and manage your account.
  • Display your service listing to potential customers.
  • Display your vehicle listing to potential buyers.
  • Verify your phone number for listing authenticity.
  • Send transactional emails (welcome, listing approval, new reviews).
  • Facilitate contact between customers and service providers.
  • Prevent fraud and abuse of the platform.
  • Improve our services and user experience.

4. Legal Basis (GDPR)

We process your data under the following legal bases:

  • Contract: to provide our marketplace services to you.
  • Legitimate interest: to improve our platform and prevent fraud.
  • Consent: for optional communications and marketing.
  • Legal obligation: to comply with applicable laws.

5. Data Sharing

We share your data with the following third parties only as necessary:

  • Cloudflare: hosting, CDN, and image storage (EU).
  • Vercel: website hosting (Frankfurt, EU).
  • Neon: database hosting (Frankfurt, EU).
  • Resend: transactional email delivery (EU).
  • Twilio: SMS phone verification.
  • Google Analytics: anonymised website usage analytics.

We do not sell your personal data to any third party.

6. Data Retention

We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. Service listing data is retained until you delete your listing or account. You can request deletion of your data at any time by contacting us.

7. Your Rights

Under the GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Access your personal data.
  • Rectify inaccurate data.
  • Erase your data ("right to be forgotten").
  • Restrict or object to processing.
  • Data portability.
  • Withdraw consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected].

8. Cookies

We use essential cookies for authentication and session management. These are necessary for the site to function and cannot be disabled. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies.

9. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), secure password hashing, and access controls.

10. Contact

For privacy-related queries, contact us at [email protected].

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Malta Information and Data Protection Commissioner (IDPC) at idpc.org.mt.