PRIVACY POLICY

Shields Plumbing & Heating is a sole trader plumbing business operating in Northern Ireland. We are committed to protecting your personal information and respecting your privacy.This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information when you contact us, request a quotation or use our website.Last updated: 2 November 2026

1. Who We AreShields Plumbing & Heating is a sole trader plumbing business based in Northern Ireland, providing domestic and commercial plumbing services.The business owner, trading as Shields Plumbing & Heating, is responsible for deciding how and why your personal information is used.For privacy enquiries, please contact:Email: [email protected]Website: shieldsplumbing.co.uk

2. Information We CollectWhen you contact Shields Plumbing & Heating or request a quotation, we may collect the following personal information:- Full name
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Property address or job location
- Details of the plumbing work required
- Correspondence relating to enquiries and quotations
- Invoicing and payment recordsOur website may also collect technical information, such as device information and website usage data, through our hosting provider and any enabled analytics or advertising tools.

3. How We Use Your InformationWe use the personal information we collect to:- Respond to plumbing enquiries and customer questions.
- Provide quotations and estimates.
- Arrange appointments and carry out plumbing work.
- Communicate with customers regarding ongoing or completed jobs.
- Prepare invoices and maintain financial records.
- Comply with legal, tax and accounting obligations.
- Measure the effectiveness of our advertising, where permitted.We only use personal information for legitimate business purposes and in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

4. Our Legal Basis for ProcessingUnder UK data protection law, we must have a lawful reason for collecting and using your personal information.Depending on the circumstances, we rely on the following legal bases:- Contract: To provide quotations, arrange appointments and carry out plumbing services requested by customers.
- Legal obligation: To maintain financial records and comply with tax and accounting requirements.
- Legitimate interests: To manage our business, respond to customer enquiries and maintain customer relationships, where these interests do not override your rights.
- Consent: Where required, including for optional advertising cookies and tracking technologies such as Meta Pixel.Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

5. How Your Information Is Stored and SharedWhen you submit an enquiry through our website, your information is processed through Carrd and delivered to our business email account using Microsoft Outlook.We may also store customer information securely on business devices and within systems used for quotations, invoicing and record keeping.We may share relevant information with:- Suppliers or subcontractors where necessary to complete plumbing work.
- Accountants or professional advisers for business administration.
- Service providers who help operate our website, email and business systems.
- Relevant authorities where required by law.We do not sell customer personal information.Some service providers may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where applicable, appropriate data protection safeguards will be used.

6. Cookies and Advertising TrackingOur website may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality and improve our services.We also plan to use Meta Pixel, a tracking tool provided by Meta Platforms, to help us understand how visitors interact with our website and measure the effectiveness of our Facebook and Instagram advertising.Where Meta Pixel is enabled, it may collect information such as:- Pages visited and interactions with our website.
- Browser and device information.
- Information relating to advertising referrals.
- Website events, such as quote requests.Non-essential advertising and analytics tracking will only be activated after visitors have provided appropriate consent.Visitors will be able to accept or reject optional cookies and withdraw or change their consent preferences.We will provide information about the cookies and tracking technologies in use through our website's cookie consent mechanism.

7. How Long We Keep Your InformationWe only keep personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.- Customer enquiries: Enquiries that do not result in work will be reviewed and deleted when no longer required.
- Customer and job records: Information relating to completed plumbing work may be retained where necessary for warranties, customer service, disputes or legal claims.
- Invoices and financial records: Relevant records will generally be retained for at least five years after the applicable tax submission deadline, or longer where required by law.
- Marketing and cookie preferences: Information will be retained only as long as necessary for the relevant purpose, subject to applicable requirements.When personal information is no longer required, we will securely delete or dispose of it.

8. Your Data Protection RightsUnder UK data protection law, you have certain rights regarding your personal information. Depending on the circumstances, these may include:- Right of access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
- Right to rectification: Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Right to erasure: Request deletion of your personal information where applicable.
- Right to restrict processing: Ask us to limit how your information is used in certain circumstances.
- Right to object: Object to certain uses of your personal information, including direct marketing.
- Right to data portability: Request transfer of certain personal information where applicable.
- Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw consent at any time where we rely on it.To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at:[email protected]You also have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).ICO website: https://ico.org.uk

9. How We Protect Your InformationWe take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.These measures include using password-protected accounts, restricting access to customer information and using reputable service providers for website hosting and email communications.Access to customer information is limited to those who reasonably need it for legitimate business purposes.Although we take reasonable precautions, no method of electronic storage or internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

10. Changes to This Privacy PolicyWe may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our business operations, website functionality, legal requirements or how we handle personal information.Any updates will be published on this page, and the date at the top of the policy will be updated accordingly.If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us at:[email protected]

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