Privacy Policy

Essential Checks ("we", "us", "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you visit our website or use our services.

We comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) under registration number ZC002222.

We collect only the information necessary to provide our services effectively. This may include:

• Full name and contact details (email address, phone number)
• Property address(es) for inspection or reporting
• Company details (if applicable)
• Payment and billing information (processed securely via Stripe – we never store card details)
• Communications, enquiries, or feedback sent to us
• Inspection reports and certificates relating to your property

We do not collect or process sensitive personal data (e.g. ethnicity, religion, health, etc.).

We use your personal data to:

• Manage bookings, payments, and communications
• Deliver inspections, assessments, and certification services
• Send reports, invoices, and documentation
• Respond to enquiries and provide customer support
• Maintain business and accounting records as required by law
• Improve our services and website experience

We will never sell or rent your data to third parties.

We may share limited personal information with trusted third parties only when necessary to deliver our services, such as:

• Approved subcontractors or partner engineers who carry out inspections on our behalf
• Payment processors (e.g. Stripe) for secure transaction handling
• Professional advisors (e.g. accountants or legal consultants) for compliance purposes
• Regulatory authorities if required by law

All subcontractors and partners are required to handle data securely and comply with UK GDPR regulations.

We retain your data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy, including:

• 6 years for tax, accounting, and compliance records
• Until the expiry or renewal of certificates or reports we issue
• Shorter retention for general enquiries and non-client communications

After these periods, data will be securely deleted or anonymised.

Under the UK GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Request deletion of your personal data ("Right to be forgotten")
• Object to or restrict data processing in certain circumstances
• Request a copy of your data in a portable format

To exercise your rights, please contact us at info@essentialchecks.com.

We will respond to all valid requests within 30 days.

If you are dissatisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

We take data security seriously and have implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your information, including:

• Encrypted data storage and communication
• Secure password-protected systems
• Limited staff access to customer information
• Use of GDPR-compliant third-party tools (such as Stripe, Google Workspace, and Zoho Mail)

All online transactions are encrypted using SSL technology.

Our website may use cookies to:

• Improve website functionality and user experience
• Analyse site traffic anonymously
• Remember user preferences (e.g. booking information)

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings at any time. For detailed cookie information, please refer to our [Cookie Policy] (if applicable).

Our website may contain links to third-party websites or payment systems (e.g. Stripe). We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites.

We encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any personal data.

We may occasionally update this Privacy Policy to reflect legal, operational, or technical changes.

The most recent version will always be available at www.essentialchecks.com/privacy.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact: