PRIVACY POLICY
We are Solarport Systems Ltd. We’re a company registered in England and Wales with company number 9377661, whose registered address is at Unit 3, The Core, Gore Cross Business Park, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 3FH. In this privacy notice we will refer to ourselves as ‘we’, ‘us’ or ‘our’.
You can get hold of us in any of the following ways:
(a) by phoning us on +44 (0)1308 800501;
(b) by emailing us at enquiries@solarportsystems.com; or
(c) by writing to us at The Core, Gore Cross, Bridport, England, DT6 3FH.
We take the privacy, including the security, of personal information we hold about you seriously. This privacy notice is designed to inform you about how we collect personal information about you and how we use that personal information. You should read this privacy notice carefully so that you know and can understand why and how we use the personal information we collect and hold about you.
We do not have a Data Protection Officer, but if you have any questions about this privacy notice or issues arising from it then you should contact Lucy Hughes by email on Accounts@SolarportSystems.com, who is responsible for matters relating to data protection at our organisation, including any matters in this privacy notice. You can contact them using the details set out above.
We may update this privacy notice from time to time. This version was last updated on 05/12/2022.
1. Key Definitions
The key terms that we use throughout this privacy notice are defined below, for ease:
Data Controller: under UK data protection law, this is the organisation or person responsible for deciding how personal information is collected and stored and how it is used.
Data Processor: a Data Controller may appoint another organisation or person to carry out certain tasks in relation to the personal information on behalf of, and on the written instructions of, the Data Controller. (This might be the hosting of a site containing personal data, for example, or providing an email marketing service that facilitates mass distribution of
marketing material to a Data Controller’s customer-base.)
Personal Information: in this privacy notice we refer to your personal data as ‘personal information’. ‘Personal information’ means any information from which a living individual can be identified. It does not apply to information which has been anonymised.
Special Information – certain very sensitive personal information requires extra protection under data protection law. Sensitive data includes information relating to health, racial and ethnic origin, political opinions, religious and similar beliefs, trade union membership, sex life and sexual orientation and also includes genetic information and biometric information.
2. Details of personal information which we collect and hold about you
2.1 Set out below are the general categories and details of retention periods in relation to those categories(see section 8 below for more details about retention) and in each case the types of personal information which we collect, use and hold about you:
General Category | Types of Personal Data in that category | Retention Periods |
|---|---|---|
Website, Device and Technical Information | This is information about your use of our website and technical data which we collect (including your IP address, the type of browser you are using and the version, the operating system you are using, details about the time zone and location settings on the device and other information we receive about your device) | Until the deletion is requested by you or on your behalf |
Marketing Information | This is information relating to your marketing and communications preferences.
| Until the deletion is requested by you or on your behalf |
Survey Information | This is information which we have collected from you or which you have provided to us in respect of surveys and feedback.
| Until the deletion is requested by you or on your behalf |
Transaction Information | This is information relating to transactions between us such as details of the goods, services and/or digital content provided to you and any returns details. | Until the deletion is requested by you or on your behalf |
Payment Information | This is information relating to the methods by which you provide payment to us such as [bank account details, credit or debit card details] and details of any payments (including amounts and dates) which are made between us. | Until the deletion is requested by you or on your behalf |
Account Information | This is information relating to your account with us (including username and password) | Until the deletion is requested by you or on your behalf |
Contact Information | This is information relating to your contact details such as e-mail address, addresses, telephone numbers | Until the deletion is requested by you or on your behalf |
Identity Information
| This is information relating to your identity such as your name (including any previous names and any titles which you use), gender, marital status and date of birth | Until the deletion is requested by you or on your behalf |
2.2 The types of personal data we collect about you may differ from person to person, depending on who you are and the relationship between us.
3. Details of special information which we collect and hold about you
3.1 Special information is explained in section 1 above. We do not collect or hold any special information about you.
(a) race;
(b) ethnic origin;
(c) politics;
(d) religion;
(e) trade union membership;
(f) genetics;
(g) biometrics;
(h) health;
(i) sex life;
(j) sexual orientation.
3.2 We do not collect information from you relating to criminal convictions or offences.
4. Details of how and why we use personal information
4.1 We are only able to use your personal information for certain legal reasons set out in data protection law. There are legal reasons under data protection law other than those listed below, but in most cases, we will use your personal information for the following legal reasons:
(a) Contract Reason: this is in order to perform our obligations to you under a contract we have entered into with you;
(b) Legitimate Interests Reason: this is where the use of your personal information is necessary for our (or a third party’s) legitimate interests, so long as that legitimate interest does not override your fundamental rights, freedoms or interests.
(c) Legal Obligation Reason: this is where we have to use your personal information in order to perform a legal obligation by which we are bound; and
(d) Consent Reason: this is where you have given us your consent to use your personal information for a specific reason or specific reasons.
4.2 As explained in section 3 above, there are more sensitive types of personal data which require higher levels of protection. Where we process such sensitive types of personal data we will usually do this in the following circumstances:
(a) We have your explicit consent;
(b) Where it is necessary in relation to legal claims;
(c) Where you have made the personal data public.
4.3 So that we are able to provide you with goods and services, we will need your personal information. If you do not provide us with the required personal information, we may be prevented from supplying the goods and services.
4.4 It is important that you keep your personal information up to date. If any of your personal information changes, please contact us as soon as possible to let us know. If you do not do this then we may be prevented from supplying the goods and services to you (for example, if you move address and do not tell us, then your goods may be delivered to the wrong address).
4.5 Where we rely on consent for a specific purpose as the legal reason for processing your personal information, you have the right under data protection law to withdraw your consent at any time. If you do wish to withdraw your consent, please contact us using the details set out at the beginning of this notice. If we receive a request from you withdrawing your consent to a specific purpose, we will stop processing your personal information for that purpose, unless we have another legal reason for processing your personal information, in which case, we will confirm that reason to you.
4.6 We have explained below the different purposes for which we use your personal information and, in each case, the legal reason(s) allowing us to use your personal information. Please also note the following:
(a) if we use the Legitimate Interests Reason as the legal reason for which we can use your personal information, we have also explained what that legitimate interest is; and
(b) for some of the purposes we may have listed more than one legal reason on which we can use your personal information, because the legal reason may be different in different circumstances. If you need confirmation of the specific legal reason that we are relying on to use your personal data for that purpose, please contact us using the contact details set out at the start of this privacy notice.
Purpose | Legal Reason(s) for using the personal information |
|---|---|
To understand how customers and visitors to our website use the website and interact with it via data analysis | Legitimate Interests Reason (to improve and grow our business, including our website, and to understand our customer’s needs, desires and requirements) |
To ensure the smooth running and correct operation of our website | Legitimate Interests Reason (to ensure our website runs correctly) |
To recommend and send communications to you about goods, services, and/or digital content that you may be interested in. More details about marketing are set out in section 11 below | Legitimate Interests Reason (in order to grow our business)
Consent Reason |
To improve the goods, services, and/or digital content which we supply | Legitimate Interests Reason (in order to improve the goods, services, and/or digital content for future customers and to grow our business) |
For record-keeping, including in relation to any guarantees or warranties provided as part of the sale of goods, services and/or digital content | Contract Reason.
Legal Obligation Reason. |
To comply with audit and accounting matters | Legal Obligation Reason. |
To manage our contract with you and to notify you of any changes | Contract Reason.
Legal Obligation Reason. |
To process your order, which includes taking payment from you, advising you of any updates in relation to your order or any enforcement action against you to recover payment. | Contract Reason.
Legitimate Interests Reason (in order to recover money which you owe us) |
To enrol you as a customer | Contract Reason.
Legitimate Interests Reason (in order to offer you other goods, services and/or digital content which helps us to develop our business) |
4.7 Sometimes we may anonymise personal information so that you can no longer be identified from it and use this for our own purposes. In addition, sometimes we may use some of your personal information together with other people’s personal information to give us statistical information for our own purposes. Because this is grouped together wither other personal information and you are not identifiable from that combined data we are able to use this.
4.8 Under data protection laws we can only use your personal information for the purposes we have told you about, unless we consider that the new purpose is compatible with the purpose(s) which we told you about. If we want to use your
personal information for a different purpose which we do not think is compatible with the purpose(s) which we told you about then we will contact you to explain this and what legal reason is in place to allow us to do this.
5 Details of how we collect personal information and special information
5.1 We usually collect Identity Information, Contact Information, Payment Information, Transaction Information, Survey Information, Marketing Information, Special Information; directly from you when you fill out a form, survey or questionnaire, purchase goods, services and/or digital content from us, contact us by e-mail, telephone, in writing or otherwise. This includes the personal information which you provide to us when you subscribe to our mailing list, enter a competition or survey.
5.2 We may receive some of your personal information from third parties or publicly available sources. This includes:
(a) Identity Information and Contact Information from publicly available sources such as Companies House;
(b) Website, Device and Technical Information from third parties such as analytics providers (like Google);
5.3 We may also receive Website, Device and Technical Information automatically from technologies such as cookies which are installed on our website. To find out more about these please see our cookie policy which is available here.
Details about who personal Information may be shared with
6.1 We may need to share your personal information with other organisations or people. These organisations include:
(a) Third parties that may include:
(i) Suppliers: such as IT support services, payment providers, administration providers, marketing agencies;
(ii) Government bodies and regulatory bodies: such as HMRC, fraud prevention agencies;
(iii) Our advisors: such as lawyers, accountants, auditors, insurance companies;
(iv) Our bankers;
(v) Credit Reference Agencies;
(vi) E-mail platforms;
(b) any organisations which propose to purchase our business and assets in which case we may disclose your personal information to the potential purchaser.
6.2 Depending on the circumstances, the organisations or people who we share your personal information with will be acting as either Data Processors or Data Controllers. Where we share your personal information with a Data Processor we will ensure that we have in place contracts, which set out the responsibilities and obligations of us and them, including in respect of security of personal information.
7. Details about transfers to countries outside of the EEA
7.1 If any transfer of personal information by us will mean that your personal information is transferred outside of the EEA then we will ensure that safeguards are in place to ensure that a similar degree of protection is given to your personal information, as is given to it within the EEA and that the transfer is made in compliance with data protection laws (including where relevant any exceptions to the general rules on transferring personal information outside of the EEA which are available to us – these are known as ‘derogations’ under data protection laws).
7.2 The safeguards set out in data protection laws for transferring personal information outside of the EEA include:
(a) where the transfer is to a country or territory which the EU Commission has approved as ensuring an adequate level of protection;
(b) where personal information is transferred to another organisation within our group, under an agreement covering this situation which is known as “binding corporate rules”;
(c) having in place a standard set of clauses which have been approved by the EU Commission;
(d) compliance with an approved code of conduct by a relevant data protection supervisory authority (in the UK, this is the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO);
(e) certification with an approved certification mechanism;
(f) where the EU Commission has approved specific arrangements in respect of certain countries, such as the US Privacy Shield, in relation to organisations
which have signed up to it in the USA.
8. Details about how long we will hold your personal information
8.1 We will only hold your personal data for as long as is necessary. How long is necessary will depend upon the purposes for which we collected the personal information (see section 4 above) and whether we are under any legal obligation to keep the personal information (such as in relation to accounting or auditing records or for tax reasons). We may also need to keep personal information in case of any legal claims, including in relation to any guarantees or warranties which we have provided with the goods, services and digital content.
8.2 We have set out above the details of our retention periods for different types of data. You can find them in section 2
9. Automated decision making
9.1 ‘Automated decision making’ is where a decision is automatically made without any human involvement. Under data protection laws, this includes profiling. ‘Profiling’ is the automated processing of personal data to evaluate or analyse certain personal aspects of a person (such as their behaviour, characteristics, interests and preferences).
9.2 Data protection laws place restrictions upon us if we carry out automated decision making (including profiling) which produces a legal effect or similarly significant effect on you.
9.3 We do carry out automated decision making (including profiling) which produces a legal effect or similarly significant effect on you. If we do decide to do this then we will notify you and we will inform you of the legal reason we are able to do this.
10. Your rights under Data Protection Law
10.1 Under data protection laws you have certain rights in relation to your personal information, as follows:
(a) Right to request access: (this is often called ‘subject access’). This is the right to obtain from us a copy of the personal information which we hold about you. We must also provide you with certain other information in response
to these requests to help you understand how your personal information is being used.
(b) Right to correction: this is the right to request that any incorrect personal data is corrected and that any incomplete personal data is completed.
(c) Right to erasure: (this is often called the “right to be forgotten”). This right only applies in certain circumstances. Where it does apply, you have the right to request us to erase all of your personal information.
(d) Right to restrict processing: this right only applies in certain circumstances. Where it does apply, you have the right to request us to restrict the processing of your personal information.
(e) Right to data portability: this right allows you to request us to transfer your personal information to someone else.
(f) Right to object: you have the right to object to us processing your personal information for direct marketing purposes. You also have the right to object to us processing personal information where our legal reason for doing so is the Legitimate Interests Reason (see section 4 above) and there is something about your particular situation which means that you want to object to us processing your personal information. In certain circumstances you have
the right to object to processing where such processing consists of profiling (including profiling for direct marketing).
10.2 In addition to the rights set out in section 10.1, where we rely on consent as the legal reason for using your personal information, you have the right to withdraw your consent. Further details about this are set out in section 4.5.
10.3 If you want to exercise any of the above rights in relation to your personal information, please contact us using the details set out at the beginning of this notice. If you do make a request then please note:
(a) we may need certain information from you so that we can verify your identity;
(b) we do not charge a fee for exercising your rights unless your request is unfounded or excessive; and
(c) if your request is unfounded or excessive then we may refuse to deal with your request.
11. Marketing
11.1 You may receive marketing from us about similar goods and services, where either you have consented to this, or we have another legal reason by which we can contact you for marketing purposes.
11.2 However, we will give you the opportunity to manage how or if we market to you. In any e-mail which we send to you, we provide a link to either unsubscribe or opt-out, or to change your marketing preferences. To change your marketing preferences, and/or to request that we stop processing your personal information for marketing purposes , you can always contact us on the details set out at the beginning of this notice.
11.3 If you do request that we stop marketing to you, this will not prevent us from sending communications to you which are not to do with marketing (for example in relation to goods, services and digital content which you have purchased from us).
11.4 We do not pass your personal information on to any third parties for marketing purposes.
12. Complaints
If you are unhappy about the way that we have handled or used your personal information, you have the right to complain to the UK supervisory authority for data protection, which is the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Please do contact us in the first instance if you wish to raise any queries or make a complaint in respect of our handling or use of your personal information, so that we have the opportunity to discuss this with you and to take steps to resolve the position. You can contact us using the details set out at the beginning of this privacy notice.
13. Third Party Websites
Our website may contain links to third party websites. If you click and follow those links then these will take you to the third party website. Those third party websites may collect personal information from you and you will need to check their privacy notices to understand how your personal information is collected and used by them.