Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

HalfPriceAutoRepair ("we", "us", "our") is an independent automotive repair and maintenance workshop based at 134 Dunmow Rd, Bishop's Stortford CM23 5HN, United Kingdom. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect and use personal information when you interact with our website at https://halfpriceautorepair.org or contact us directly.

We are committed to handling your personal data responsibly and in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, please contact us at: [email protected]

2. What information we collect

We collect personal information only when you actively provide it to us. The types of information we may collect include:

• Contact information: Your name, email address, telephone number, and any details you include in a contact form or email message.
• Vehicle information: If you contact us about a specific vehicle, you may provide details such as make, model, year of registration, and a description of the issue.
• Technical data: Our website may collect standard technical information such as your IP address, browser type, and pages visited. This data is collected via cookies and similar technologies. Please see our Cookie Policy for more detail.

We do not collect sensitive personal data (such as health information or financial data) through our website. We do not process payment card data online — any payment arrangements are handled separately in person or by telephone.

3. How we use your information

We use the personal information you provide for the following purposes:

• Responding to enquiries: When you contact us via the website or by email, we use your contact details to respond to your message and address your query.
• Booking and service management: If you book a service or request a callback, we use your details to arrange and manage that appointment.
• Improving our website: Aggregated, anonymous technical data helps us understand how visitors use our site so we can improve its usability.
• Legal compliance: We may be required to retain certain records for legal or regulatory purposes.

We do not use your data for automated decision-making or profiling. We do not send marketing communications unless you have explicitly requested them.

4. Our legal basis for processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. Depending on the context, we rely on the following bases:

• Legitimate interests: Responding to enquiries you have initiated, and improving the functionality of our website.
• Contractual necessity: When you book a service with us, processing your contact and vehicle details is necessary to carry out that agreement.
• Consent: Where we use non-essential cookies, we obtain your consent via our cookie banner before placing them.
• Legal obligation: Retaining records as required by law.

5. How long we keep your data

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected, or as required by law.

• Contact form enquiries are typically retained for 12 months after the enquiry is resolved, unless there is an ongoing business relationship.
• Service records may be retained for up to 6 years to comply with business accounting and tax obligations.
• Website analytics data is retained in aggregated, anonymised form and is not linked to individuals.

Once data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised.

6. Sharing your information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data with third parties. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

• Service providers: We may use third-party tools such as hosting providers or email services. These providers are bound by data processing agreements and are only permitted to process your data as instructed by us.
• Legal requirements: If required to do so by law, regulation, or court order, we may disclose personal information to appropriate authorities.

Any third parties we work with are required to handle your data securely and in accordance with applicable law.

7. Your rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

• Right of access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to rectification: You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to erasure: You can ask us to delete your personal data in certain circumstances.
• Right to restrict processing: You can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
• Right to data portability: Where processing is based on consent or contract, you can ask us to provide your data in a portable format.
• Right to object: You can object to processing based on legitimate interests.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within one calendar month.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

8. Cookies

Our website uses cookies to enhance your experience and collect basic analytics data. When you first visit our site, you are presented with a cookie consent banner. You can choose to accept or decline non-essential cookies at that point.

For detailed information about the cookies we use, please read our Cookie Policy.

9. Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or disclosure. Our website is served over HTTPS. However, no method of transmitting or storing data is entirely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

If you believe your data has been compromised, please contact us immediately at [email protected].

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. When we do, we will update the "last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

Continued use of our website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us:

• By email: [email protected]
• By phone: +44 079 2226 7238
• By post: HalfPriceAutoRepair, 134 Dunmow Rd, Bishop's Stortford CM23 5HN, United Kingdom