Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Whitestone Developments (“Pencl”, “we”, “us” or “our”) collects, uses, shares and protects personal information when you visit penclit.com or use the Pencl application (together, the “Service”). Please read it together with our Terms & Conditions.

1. Who we are

Pencl is land and development feasibility software operated by Whitestone Developments. For the purposes of data protection law, Whitestone Developments is the controller of the personal information described in this Policy. You can reach us using the details in Section 13.

2. Information we collect

Account information: your name, email address, company name and password or sign-in credentials when you create an account or start a free trial.
Project data: the deal information you enter, such as site details, acreage, lot assumptions, costs, comparable sales and photos. Your project data belongs to you (see our Terms).
Billing information: your plan, billing history and billing contact details. Card details are collected and stored by our payment processor; we never see or store full card numbers.
Communications: messages you send us, such as support requests and feedback.
Usage and device information: IP address, browser and device type, pages viewed, features used, and the date and time of your visits.

We collect this information directly from you, automatically as you use the Service, and from service providers acting on our behalf, such as our payment processor.

3. How we use your information

Provide and operate the Service, including saving your projects and calculating feasibility scores, lot yields and maximum land offers.
Generate AI-drafted memos and other written analysis when you ask for them.
Process payments, manage subscriptions and free trials, and prevent fraud.
Send service messages about your account, billing, security and important product changes.
Send product news and offers where the law allows. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in each email.
Respond to your questions and support requests.
Secure, troubleshoot, measure and improve the Service.
Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms.

If you are in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, we rely on these legal bases: performing our contract with you, our legitimate interests in running, securing and improving the Service, your consent (where we ask for it), and compliance with legal obligations.

4. AI features and third-party processing

When you ask Pencl to draft an investment memo or similar analysis, the project data needed for that request is sent to our AI provider, Anthropic, which provides the Claude models. We send only what is needed to produce the output you asked for.

Under our provider’s commercial terms, data sent through its API is not used to train its models and is kept only for a limited period, for example to detect misuse, before it is deleted. Please do not enter personal information about other people that your analysis does not need.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it for targeted advertising. We share it only with:

Service providers that host the Service, process payments, provide AI processing, deliver email and help us understand usage. They may use it only to provide services to us, under contracts that require them to protect it.
People you choose, for example when you export a memo and send it to a partner or lender.
Authorities and others when the law requires it, or when needed to protect the rights, property or safety of our users, the public or Pencl.
A successor business if Whitestone Developments is involved in a merger, acquisition or sale of assets. We will tell you before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

6. Cookies and local storage

We use cookies and browser local storage to keep you signed in, remember your preferences and save in-progress project data on your device between visits. We may also use analytics cookies to understand how the Service is used; where the law requires your consent for these, we ask for it first.

You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Some features, such as staying signed in, will not work without them.

7. How long we keep information

We keep account and project data for as long as your account is active. If you close your account, we delete or anonymise your personal information within a reasonable period, except for records we must keep for legal, tax, accounting or security reasons, such as invoices.

8. International transfers

We and our service providers may process information in the United States and other countries whose data protection laws may differ from those where you live. When we transfer personal information from the EEA or UK, we use safeguards recognised by law, such as the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses.

9. Your rights and choices

Depending on where you live, including under the GDPR, the UK GDPR and US state privacy laws such as the California Consumer Privacy Act, you may have the right to:

access the personal information we hold about you and receive a copy in a portable format;
correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete;
delete your information;
object to or restrict certain processing;
withdraw consent at any time, where we rely on it;
opt out of marketing emails.

You can view, edit, export and delete your project data directly in the app. To make any other request, email us at sales@penclit.com. We may need to verify your identity first, and we will respond within the time the law requires. We will never treat you differently for exercising your rights. You may also complain to your local data protection authority.

10. Security

We protect your information with technical and organisational measures, including encryption in transit, access controls and regular backups. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. If you believe your account has been compromised, contact us straight away.

11. Children’s privacy

The Service is intended for business use by adults and is not directed to anyone under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has given us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

12. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page shows when it last changed. If we make material changes, we will tell you by email or in the app before they take effect.

13. Contact us

Questions about this Policy or your personal information? Email us at sales@penclit.com.