Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Sites for Trade ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1.1 Data Controller

Sites for Trade is the data controller for the personal information we collect and process. You can contact us at: contact@sitesfortrade.co.uk

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you use our services, we collect:

• Contact Information: Name, business name, email address, phone number, postal address
• Business Information: Trade type, service areas, business registration details
• Payment Information: Billing address. Payment card details are collected and processed directly by Stripe (our payment processor) and are not stored on our servers.
• Website Content: Text, images, logos, and other materials you provide for your website
• Communications: Messages you send us via contact forms, email, or phone
• Credentials: Accreditation certificates, insurance documents, qualifications

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

When you visit our website or use our services:

• Usage Data: IP address, browser type, device type, operating system
• Cookies: See our Cookie Policy for details
• Analytics Data: Pages visited, time spent, referring websites, search terms
• Website Performance: Error logs, uptime data, page load times

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information from:

• Stripe (Payment Processor): Transaction confirmation, payment status, and billing information
• Google Services: Analytics data, Google My Business information
• Referral Partners: Information if you were referred to us by a third party

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 To Provide Our Services

• Build and maintain your website
• Process payments and manage subscriptions
• Provide hosting and technical support
• Perform SEO services and analytics
• Set up and optimize Google My Business profiles
• Communicate about your project and services

3.2 To Improve Our Services

• Analyze website usage and performance
• Identify and fix technical issues
• Develop new features and services
• Conduct customer satisfaction surveys

3.3 For Marketing (With Your Consent)

• Send promotional emails about our services
• Share industry tips and best practices
• Notify you of special offers or new features
• Display your website in our portfolio

You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by clicking "unsubscribe" in our emails or contacting us directly.

3.4 Legal Obligations

• Comply with legal requirements and court orders
• Enforce our Terms and Conditions
• Protect our rights and prevent fraud
• Maintain tax and accounting records

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data under the following legal bases:

• Contractual Necessity: To fulfill our service agreement with you
• Legitimate Interests: To improve our services, prevent fraud, and ensure security
• Consent: For marketing communications and cookie usage (where required)
• Legal Obligation: To comply with UK laws and regulations

5. How We Share Your Information

5.1 Service Providers

We share information with trusted third parties who help us deliver services:

• Stripe: Secure payment processing for subscription payments. Stripe handles all payment card data in compliance with PCI DSS standards. See Stripe's Privacy Policy.
• Hosting Providers: To host your website on secure UK servers
• Email Services: To send transactional and marketing emails
• Analytics Providers: Google Analytics for website performance tracking
• CDN Services: To deliver website content quickly and securely

All service providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and use it only for specified purposes.

5.2 Business Transfers

If we merge with, are acquired by, or sell assets to another company, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change.

5.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or to protect our legal rights.

5.4 With Your Consent

We may share your information with other parties when you give us explicit consent (e.g., featuring your website in our portfolio).

6. International Data Transfers

Your data is stored primarily on UK-based servers. If we transfer data outside the UK or EEA, we ensure adequate protection through:

• Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the UK ICO
• Adequacy decisions by the UK government
• Other appropriate safeguards as required by UK GDPR

7. Data Security

We implement robust security measures to protect your data:

• Encryption: SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit
• Access Controls: Limited access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
• Secure Storage: Encrypted databases and secure file storage
• Regular Backups: Automated backups with secure off-site storage
• Security Monitoring: Continuous monitoring for security threats
• Staff Training: Regular data protection training for all team members

While we take security seriously, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to provide our services and comply with legal obligations:

• Active Subscriptions: For the duration of your subscription plus 30 days
• Financial Records: 6 years after the end of the tax year (HMRC requirement)
• Marketing Data: Until you unsubscribe or request deletion
• Website Backups: 90 days after cancellation
• Support Communications: 3 years for quality assurance and dispute resolution

After the retention period, we securely delete or anonymize your data.

9. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

9.1 Right to Access

You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.

9.2 Right to Rectification

You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.

9.3 Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten")

You can request deletion of your data in certain circumstances, subject to legal and contractual obligations.

9.4 Right to Restrict Processing

You can ask us to temporarily suspend processing of your data in certain situations.

9.5 Right to Data Portability

You can request your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.

9.6 Right to Object

You can object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.

9.7 Right to Withdraw Consent

Where we process data based on consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time.

9.8 Automated Decision-Making

We do not use automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at: contact@sitesfortrade.co.uk

We will respond to your request within 30 days.

10. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience. For detailed information, please see our Cookie Policy.

Essential cookies are necessary for our website to function. Non-essential cookies require your consent, which you can manage through our cookie banner.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., Google My Business, social media platforms). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

12. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such data, please contact us immediately.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on this page with a new "Last Updated" date
• Sending you an email notification
• Displaying a prominent notice on our website

Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

14. Contact Us and Complaints

14.1 Contact Information

For privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights:

• Email: contact@sitesfortrade.co.uk
• Contact Form: www.sitesfortrade.co.uk/contact

14.2 Complaints

If you're not satisfied with how we handle your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

• Website: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
• Phone: 0303 123 1113
• Address: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

15. Data Protection Officer

As we process personal data on a relatively small scale, we are not currently required to appoint a Data Protection Officer. However, all privacy queries should be directed to privacy@sitesfortrade.co.uk, and they will be handled by our data protection team.