Last updated: 3 May 2026
Operator: Meraki and Co (Pty) Ltd, trading as Studio HQ
Registration: 2022/553866/07
Address: 7 Kuile St, George Industria, George, 6529, South Africa
Studio HQ ("we", "our", "us"), operating as Meraki and Co (Pty) Ltd, respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA).
This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, who we share it with, and the rights you have over your personal information.
1. Information We Collect
When you book a session, contact us, or use our services, we may collect the following:
- Identity information: First name, last name
- Contact information: Email address, phone number
- Booking details: Selected package, session date and time, special requirements
- Business details (optional): Business name, VAT number, registration number for invoicing
- Payment information: Processed entirely by PayFast. We do not store your card or banking details.
- Indemnity records: Digital signature (typed full name) and acceptance confirmation
- Technical information: Browser type, IP address, page interactions (only if analytics is active)
2. How We Use Your Information
We process your personal information to:
- Confirm and manage your booking
- Send you booking confirmation emails and invoices
- Communicate with you about your session, including studio access codes
- Issue tax invoices where required
- Respond to your contact form enquiries
- Comply with our legal and accounting obligations
- Improve our services
3. Lawful Basis for Processing
We process your personal information on the basis of:
- Contract performance: To deliver the studio rental service you have booked
- Legal obligation: To comply with tax and accounting laws in South Africa
- Consent: Where you have explicitly agreed (for example, when submitting a contact form or completing a booking)
- Legitimate interest: To run our business effectively, including responding to enquiries
4. Third Parties We Share Information With
To deliver the booking service, we share necessary information with:
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party.
5. Cross-Border Transfer
Some of the third parties listed above (Supabase, EmailJS, Netlify, Formspree) are based in the United States. Your information may therefore be transferred outside South Africa. Each provider has industry-standard security measures and privacy policies in place. By submitting your information to us, you consent to these transfers.
6. How Long We Keep Your Information
- Booking and invoice records: 5 years (in line with South African tax retention requirements)
- Contact form enquiries: 12 months from last contact
- Indemnity signatures: 5 years
- Marketing emails (where applicable): Until you opt out
7. Security
We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information, including:
- HTTPS encryption on all data submitted to our website
- Reputable third-party providers (PayFast, Supabase, etc.) with their own security standards
- Restricted access to admin systems
- Periodic review of our security practices
No system can be 100% secure. While we work hard to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
8. Your Rights
Under POPIA, you have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Correct any incorrect or outdated information
- Delete your information (subject to our legal retention obligations)
- Object to processing of your information
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
- Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator (see Section 11)
To exercise any of these rights, email us at support@studiohq.co.za.
9. Cookies
Our website may use minimal cookies and session storage to make the site function (for example, during the booking process). We do not currently use third-party tracking or advertising cookies. If we add analytics in the future, this policy will be updated.
10. Information Officer
Chris Knoesen serves as the Information Officer for Studio HQ.
11. Lodging a Complaint
If you believe we have not handled your personal information in accordance with POPIA, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator:
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised "last updated" date. Material changes will be communicated to you where reasonably possible.
13. Contact Us
For any privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights, contact us at: