EquipAssist Data Deletion Policy

Effective Date: August 25, 2026

Last Updated: August 25, 2026 Version: 2.0

1. Purpose

This policy explains how users can request deletion of an EquipAssist account, what happens during the deletion process, and when limited information may need to be retained.

EquipAssist is operated by Earl Clark, operating as EquipAssist, in North Carolina, USA.

2. Before Requesting Deletion

Before deleting your account, you may request a copy of your information through Account Settings > Download My Data. Available exports are generated in JSON or CSV format and sent to the verified email address associated with your account. Export files and download access are temporary.

You are responsible for saving any information you want to keep before deletion is completed.

3. How to Request Account Deletion

3.1 In the Application

1. Sign in to EquipAssist.
2. Open Account Settings > Delete Account.
3. Review the account-status warnings and deletion information.
4. Select whether you want a data export.
5. Enter the requested reason and your current password.
6. Confirm the deletion request.

For account security, the request must be made by the authenticated account holder and requires password verification. Rate limits may temporarily block repeated attempts.

3.2 When In-App Access Is Unavailable

Email support@equipassist.net with the subject “Account Deletion Request” and send the request from the email address associated with your account when possible. Do not email your password, government identification, medical records, or full payment information.

Support may ask for information reasonably necessary to verify account ownership. An email request is not complete until identity verification and any required account checks are finished.

4. Eligibility and Active Transactions

The application may prevent deletion while you have:

• Active equipment listings marked as available
• Pending or approved borrow requests or transactions
• Another unresolved account condition that must be completed for safety, fraud prevention, or legal reasons

Resolve or close those items before submitting the request. Contact support if the status is incorrect or cannot be resolved in the application.

5. Seven-Day Grace Period

After a valid in-app request, deletion is scheduled for seven days later. EquipAssist sends a confirmation to the account email with the scheduled date.

During the grace period:

• The request remains pending.
• You may sign back in and cancel through Account Settings > Delete Account.
• A requested data export may be generated and emailed to the account address.
• A new duplicate deletion or export request may be rejected while an existing request is active.

After the scheduled date passes and processing begins, cancellation may no longer be possible.

6. What Happens When Deletion Is Processed

When a scheduled request becomes due, EquipAssist’s deletion job removes the user account from the active user database. Information linked through database relationships is deleted or anonymized according to the applicable relationship, operational requirements, and law. Generated export files associated with the account are removed from EquipAssist storage before account deletion.

Deletion is not necessarily instantaneous at the scheduled time. Processing depends on the deletion service operating successfully. If processing fails, the request may be retried or handled by support.

After deletion:

• You can no longer sign in with the deleted account.
• Active authentication and device credentials associated with the account should no longer authorize access.
• Public content tied to the deleted database account may be removed, anonymized, or shown as belonging to a deleted user, depending on its relationship to other users’ records.
• Information already received or independently created by another user may remain in that user’s account where deletion is not legally or technically required.

7. Information We May Retain

We may retain limited information when reasonably necessary to:

• Comply with applicable law, legal process, tax, accounting, or recordkeeping obligations
• Preserve evidence subject to a valid legal hold
• Resolve active safety reports, disputes, fraud investigations, or abuse reports
• Protect the rights and safety of users, EquipAssist, or the public
• Detect and prevent security incidents or repeated misuse
• Maintain de-identified or aggregated statistics that no longer reasonably identify you

We do not retain information merely because it might be useful. Retained information is restricted to the purpose that justifies retention and deleted or de-identified when that purpose ends, unless law permits or requires a longer period.

8. Backups and Service Providers

Residual copies may remain temporarily in encrypted backups or system logs until overwritten under normal retention cycles. We do not restore deleted accounts from backups except when necessary for disaster recovery, security, or legal compliance; information restored during recovery remains subject to the deletion request.

Where a service provider processes information on our behalf, we require deletion or return consistent with our instructions and applicable obligations. Actual removal timing may depend on the provider’s backup and retention cycle.

9. Data Export

The Download My Data feature may include selected categories such as:

• Profile information
• Equipment listings
• Messages scoped to your conversation threads
• Activity, reviews, and borrowing records
• Borrow-request and meeting history
• Security events

Exports are available in JSON or CSV depending on your selection. Certain information may be omitted when disclosure would affect another person’s rights, reveal security controls, violate law, or expose information that does not belong to you.

Because export messages contain personal information, protect your email account and downloaded files.

10. Privacy Rights

Depending on where you live, applicable law may provide rights to delete, access, correct, or obtain a copy of personal information. Legal exceptions may apply, including when information is necessary to complete a transaction, protect security, exercise legal rights, or comply with law.

We may verify your identity before acting on a request. We will respond within the time required by applicable law and explain a denial when required. Exercising a privacy right will not result in unlawful discrimination.

11. Account Deletion Is Permanent

Once processing completes, the account cannot be restored. Creating a new account later does not restore old listings, messages, reviews, borrowing history, preferences, or relationships.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy as the Service, deletion process, or applicable law changes. We will update the date above and provide additional notice when required. A pending request will be handled under applicable law and the operational process available when it is processed.

13. Contact

For deletion or privacy questions:

Operator: Earl Clark, operating as EquipAssist

Email: support@equipassist.net

Jurisdiction: North Carolina, USA

Use the subject line “Account Deletion Request” or “Privacy Request” and include only the information needed to identify the account.