Privacy & Cookie Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy & Cookie Policy explains how Matthew Evans, trading as The Property Photo Guy ("we", "us", "our"), collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal data when you visit our website at propertyphotoguy.co.uk (the "Website") or use our services.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR).

By using this Website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, please discontinue use of the Website.

2. Data Controller

The data controller responsible for your personal data is:

3. Information We Collect

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

3.1 Information you provide directly

• Contact form submissions: your name, email address, phone number, and any message content you provide when enquiring about our services.
• Booking information: property address, access details, and scheduling preferences when you book a photography session.
• Email correspondence: any personal data contained in emails you send to us.

3.2 Information collected automatically

• Usage data: pages visited, time spent on pages, referring URLs, and navigation paths through our Website.
• Device information: browser type and version, operating system, screen resolution, and device type.
• Location data: approximate geographic location based on your IP address (country/region level only).
• Course progress: your progress through our free photography guide is stored locally in your browser (localStorage) and is not transmitted to our servers.

3.3 Information from third parties

We may receive limited data from third-party services integrated into our Website, including analytics providers and affiliate programme partners (see sections 7 and 8 below).

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes and on the following legal bases under UK GDPR:

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected:

• Contact form data: retained for up to 12 months after your last communication with us, unless a booking is made.
• Client records and invoices: retained for 6 years in accordance with HMRC requirements.
• Analytics data: aggregated and anonymised data may be retained indefinitely; identifiable analytics data is retained for up to 26 months.
• Photographs: retained in accordance with our Terms & Conditions (see clause 8).

6. Who We Share Your Data With

We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We may share your data with the following categories of recipients where necessary:

• Cloud hosting providers: our Website is hosted on secure cloud infrastructure.
• Analytics providers: we use privacy-focused analytics to understand how visitors use our Website (see section 7).
• Payment processors: if you pay online, your payment is processed securely by a third-party payment provider. We do not store your card details.
• Professional advisors: our accountant and legal advisors where necessary for business administration.
• Law enforcement or regulators: where we are legally required to do so.

7. Website Analytics

We use analytics tools to understand how visitors interact with our Website. This helps us improve content, identify popular pages, and enhance the user experience. Analytics data is collected in aggregate and we do not use it to identify individual visitors.

The analytics data we collect includes: pages visited, time on page, referring website, browser and device type, and approximate geographic location (country/region level). This data is processed on the basis of your consent, which you can manage via the cookie banner displayed when you first visit our Website.

8. Affiliate Links & Amazon Associates Disclosure

8.1  Our Equipment Shop, Starter Kit recommendations, and product links within the Photography Guide may contain affiliate links to Amazon and other retailers.

8.2  We only recommend products that we have personally used, tested, or thoroughly researched. Affiliate relationships do not influence our editorial recommendations.

8.3  When you click an affiliate link, Amazon and other affiliate partners may place cookies on your device to track the referral. These cookies are governed by the respective third party's privacy policy:

• Amazon UK Privacy Notice
• Amazon US Privacy Notice

8.4  Product prices displayed on our Website are approximate and may vary. We make reasonable efforts to keep pricing information current but cannot guarantee accuracy. Always check the current price on the retailer's website before purchasing.

9. Cookies

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. We use cookies and similar technologies (such as localStorage) for the purposes described below.

9.1 Strictly Necessary

These are essential for the Website to function and cannot be disabled. They include:

Note: ppg-region and ppg-course-progress use localStorage, not cookies. This data never leaves your browser.

9.2 Analytics Cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors use our Website. They collect information in an aggregated form. These cookies are only set if you consent via the cookie banner.

9.3 Third-Party / Affiliate Cookies

When you click an affiliate link, the destination website (e.g. Amazon) may set its own cookies to track the referral. We have no control over these cookies. Please refer to the third party's privacy policy for details.

9.4 Managing Cookies

You can manage your cookie preferences at any time by clicking the "Cookie Settings" link in the footer of our Website. You can also control cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Website.

For more information about cookies and how to manage them, visit aboutcookies.org .

10. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, 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.
• Right to data portability: you can request your data in a structured, commonly used format.
• Right to object: you can object to processing based on legitimate interests.
• Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

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

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

11. Children's Privacy

Our Website and services are not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

12. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, destruction, or alteration. These measures include encrypted connections (HTTPS), secure hosting infrastructure, and access controls.

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

13. International Data Transfers

Some of the third-party services we use may process data outside the United Kingdom. Where this occurs, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the UK Government, or the service operating in a country with an adequacy decision.

14. Links to Third-Party Websites

Our Website contains links to external websites, including Amazon, equipment manufacturers, and regulatory bodies. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of every website you visit.

15. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy & Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when the policy was most recently revised. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

Material changes will be highlighted on our Website or communicated to you directly where we hold your contact details.

16. Contact Us

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