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Privacy Policy

Last Updated: 04/10/2025

1. Introduction

Dewar & Wilson ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. What Personal Data We Collect

We collect the following personal information when you enquire about our surveying services:

Through Our Contact Form:

• Your full name
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Property address (the property you wish to have surveyed)
• Property listing URL (if provided)
• Any additional information you provide in your message
• Property brochure documents (if uploaded)

When We Provide Services:

• Invoice address (collected when we send you an invoice)
• Payment details (processed by our payment provider)
• Survey report details and correspondence

3. Legal Basis for Processing Your Data

We process your personal data under the following legal bases:

• Legitimate Interests: To respond to your enquiry and provide you with information about our surveying services
• Contract Performance: To provide surveying services you have requested and to fulfil our contractual obligations
• Legal Obligation: To maintain business records as required by UK tax law and RICS professional standards (6-year retention period)

4. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

• To respond to your survey enquiries and provide quotations
• To communicate with you about our services
• To deliver the surveying services you have commissioned
• To send invoices and process payments
• To maintain accurate business records
• To comply with legal and regulatory obligations
• To improve our services and customer experience

We do not use your data for:

• Marketing purposes (unless you have specifically opted in)
• Automated decision-making or profiling
• Selling or renting to third parties

5. How We Store Your Data

Your personal data is stored securely using the following systems:

• Hostinger Servers: Our website and email systems are hosted on secure Hostinger servers located in data centres within the European Economic Area (EEA)
• n8n Workflow System: Enquiry data is processed and stored using our n8n automation system for efficient enquiry management
• Business Records: Physical and digital records are maintained securely in accordance with professional standards

Security Measures:

• SSL encryption for data transmission
• Password-protected systems
• Access controls limiting who can view your data
• Regular security updates and backups
• Secure file storage with encryption

6. How Long We Keep Your Data

We retain your personal data for the following periods:

• Enquiries that do not proceed: 12 months from the date of enquiry
• Client records (completed surveys): 6 years from the date of service completion (required for business records, tax compliance, and RICS professional indemnity insurance requirements)
• Financial records (invoices, payments): 6 years (HMRC requirement)

After these periods, your data will be securely deleted or anonymised unless we are legally required to retain it for longer.

7. Who We Share Your Data With

We may share your personal data with the following third parties, but only when necessary to provide our services:

Subcontractors and Specialists:

• Other RICS-qualified surveyors or specialists (for technical aspects of surveys)
• Structural engineers, architects, or planning consultants (for design feasibility assessments)
• Drone survey operators (for aerial surveys)

Service Providers:

• Payment processors (for invoice payments)
• Email service providers (for communication)
• Cloud storage providers (Hostinger, n8n)

Legal Requirements:

• Regulatory bodies (e.g., RICS if required for complaints or investigations)
• Law enforcement or legal authorities (if legally obligated)
• Professional indemnity insurers (if required for claims)

8. Your Data Protection Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right to Access

You have the right to request copies of your personal data. We may charge a reasonable fee if your request is clearly unfounded or excessive.

Right to Rectification

You have the right to request that we correct any information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.

Right to Erasure

You have the right to request that we erase your personal data, under certain conditions (e.g., if the data is no longer necessary for the purposes it was collected, or if you withdraw consent).

Note: We may not be able to delete your data if we are legally required to retain it (e.g., for tax purposes, professional indemnity insurance requirements, or ongoing legal matters).

Right to Restrict Processing

You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data, under certain conditions (e.g., if you contest the accuracy of the data).

Right to Data Portability

You have the right to request that we transfer the data we have collected to another organisation, or directly to you, in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.

Right to Object

You have the right to object to our processing of your personal data where we are relying on legitimate interests (or those of a third party).

Right to Withdraw Consent

Where we rely on your consent to process your data, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing before consent was withdrawn.

Rights Related to Automated Decision-Making

We do not use automated decision-making or profiling. All enquiries and client matters are handled by our professional team.

9. How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us:

We will respond to your request:

• Within one month of receiving your request
• Free of charge (unless the request is clearly unfounded or excessive)
• By providing information in a commonly used electronic format

You will need to provide:

• Proof of identity (to protect your personal information)
• Details of your specific request

10. Cookies

Our website uses essential cookies to ensure the website functions properly and to remember your preferences. We do not use tracking or marketing cookies.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to other websites (e.g., Rightmove, Zoopla). Please note that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party websites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies when you visit their sites.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons.

Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

For significant changes, we will notify you by email (if we have your contact details) or by a prominent notice on our website.

13. How to Complain

If you have any concerns about how we handle your personal data, please contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK's data protection supervisory authority:

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us:

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