Privacy Policy

Last updated: February 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Louwrens Koen Attorneys ("the Firm", "we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you use the website www.cohabitationcontracts.co.za ("the Website") and when you engage our legal services.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and complying with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 ("POPIA") and all other applicable data protection legislation in the Republic of South Africa.

1. Responsible Party

The responsible party for the processing of your personal information is:

2. Personal Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal information:

3. How We Collect Your Personal Information

We collect personal information in the following ways:

• Directly from you — when you complete the online application form, contact us by telephone, email, or WhatsApp, or attend our offices in person;
• From your partner — when both parties provide information for the drafting of the cohabitation agreement;
• From identity documents — when you present your ID or passport at the signing appointment; and
• Automatically — when you browse our Website, through cookies and analytics tools.

4. Purpose of Processing

We process your personal information for the following purposes:

• To provide our legal services to you, including the drafting and notarial attestation of cohabitation / life partnership agreements;
• To communicate with you regarding your matter, including sending drafts, arranging appointments, and responding to enquiries;
• To verify your identity as required for notarial attestation;
• To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations, including the requirements of the Legal Practice Act, the Attorneys Act, and POPIA;
• To maintain records as required by law and by the rules governing the notarial profession, including the maintenance of the Notarial Protocol;
• To process payments for our services;
• To improve our Website and services through analytics; and
• To send you information about our services, where you have consented to receive such communications.

5. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information on the following legal grounds under POPIA:

• Consent — where you have given us your voluntary, specific, and informed consent (e.g., when submitting the online application form or opting in to marketing communications);
• Contract — where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are a party (i.e., the provision of our legal services);
• Legal obligation — where processing is necessary to comply with a legal obligation (e.g., maintaining the Notarial Protocol, FICA requirements); and
• Legitimate interest — where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided these are not overridden by your rights (e.g., improving our services, protecting our legal position).

6. Sharing of Personal Information

We will not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party.

We may share your personal information in the following limited circumstances:

• Notarial Protocol — the second original of your signed agreement is filed in the Notarial Protocol as required by law and may be inspected in accordance with the applicable legal provisions;
• Legal requirements — where we are required to disclose information by law, regulation, court order, or subpoena;
• Professional obligations — where disclosure is required by the rules governing the legal profession;
• Service providers — we may use trusted third-party service providers for website hosting, email services, and analytics, who process data on our behalf and are contractually bound to protect your information; and
• With your consent — where you have expressly authorised us to share your information with a specified third party.

7. Retention of Personal Information

We retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Specifically:

• Client files and agreements — retained for a minimum period as prescribed by the Legal Practice Act, the rules of the legal profession, and any other applicable legislation. Notarial records are retained indefinitely as part of the Notarial Protocol;
• Financial records — retained for the periods required by the Income Tax Act and other fiscal legislation;
• Website analytics data — retained in anonymised or aggregated form; and
• Marketing communications — until you withdraw your consent or unsubscribe.

When personal information is no longer required, it will be securely destroyed or de-identified in accordance with POPIA.

8. Security of Personal Information

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include secure storage of physical files, password-protected electronic systems, and restricted access to personal information on a need-to-know basis.

However, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

9. Cookies

Our Website may use cookies — small text files placed on your device — to improve your browsing experience and to collect anonymous usage data. The types of cookies we may use include:

• Essential cookies — necessary for the Website to function correctly;
• Analytics cookies — to understand how visitors use our Website (e.g., Google Analytics); and
• Functional cookies — to remember your preferences and settings.

You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain features of the Website.

10. Your Rights Under POPIA

Under POPIA, you have the following rights in respect of your personal information:

• Right of access — you may request confirmation of whether we hold personal information about you and request access to that information;
• Right to correction — you may request that we correct or update inaccurate or incomplete personal information;
• Right to deletion — you may request that we delete your personal information, subject to any legal obligation requiring us to retain it;
• Right to object — you may object to the processing of your personal information on reasonable grounds;
• Right to withdraw consent — where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time; and
• Right to lodge a complaint — you may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator if you believe that we have violated your rights under POPIA.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details set out below.

11. Information Regulator

If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your personal information, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator:

12. Third-Party Links

Our Website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those websites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.

13. Children's Privacy

Our Website and services are not directed at persons under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child without appropriate consent, we will take steps to delete that information.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or in applicable law. Any updates will be published on this page with a revised "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights under POPIA, or have any concerns about how we handle your personal information, please contact us: