Privacy & Cookie Policy

1. About this policy

Vanguard Alarms Ltd is responsible for the personal information described in this policy and acts as the data controller where applicable.

We are registered in England and Wales under company number 01350453. Our registered office is 2 Haygate Road, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire, England, TF1 1SG.

This policy applies to vanguardalarms.co.uk and to personal information you provide to us through the website, including through contact or enquiry forms.

2. Information we collect

The information we collect depends on how you use our website and services. It may include:

• Contact information, such as your name, email address, telephone number and postal address.
• Enquiry and service information, including details you provide about the property, premises, security system or service you are interested in.
• Customer and service information, where you become a customer, including records needed to arrange installation, maintenance, monitoring, support or account administration.
• Correspondence, including emails, telephone notes and messages you send to us.
• Website and device information, such as IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, referral information and interaction data where this is collected through server logs, cookies or similar technologies.
• Cookie preferences, including choices you make about optional website technologies.

Please do not send sensitive personal information through a general website enquiry form unless it is necessary for us to deal with your request.

3. How we use your information

We may use personal information to:

• respond to enquiries and requests for quotations;
• arrange surveys, appointments, installations, repairs, maintenance or other requested services;
• manage customer relationships and provide customer support;
• communicate about appointments, services, safety information or changes affecting your account;
• operate, protect, maintain and improve our website and online services;
• understand website usage and performance where permitted by law;
• keep appropriate business, accounting and service records;
• prevent misuse, fraud and security incidents;
• establish, exercise or defend legal claims; and
• meet legal, regulatory and law-enforcement requirements.

4. Legal bases for using personal information

UK data protection law requires us to have a lawful basis for processing personal information. Depending on the circumstances, we may rely on one or more of the following:

5. Cookies and similar technologies

Cookies are small files or pieces of information stored on, or accessed from, your device when you use a website. Similar technologies can include pixels, scripts, tags and local storage.

We use, or may use, these technologies to make the website work, remember choices, understand how the website is used and support optional third-party features.

Strictly necessary technologies

These are needed for core website functions, security, network management or to provide a feature you have specifically requested. Where the relevant legal exception applies, these technologies can be used without consent.

Statistical or analytics technologies

We may use technologies to understand how visitors use the website and to help us improve it. Where a statistical-purpose exception applies, the technology will be used only for the permitted statistical purpose and you will be given clear information and a simple, free way to object. If the exception does not apply, we will obtain consent before using the technology.

Preference and functionality technologies

These may remember choices that affect how the website appears or functions. Some preference technologies may be used without consent where a legal exception applies and the required information and objection mechanism are provided. Otherwise, we will ask for consent.

Marketing, advertising and other non-exempt technologies

We will not use cookies or similar technologies for advertising, behavioural tracking or another non-exempt purpose unless the required consent has been obtained.

Your cookie choices

Where consent is required, you can accept or reject optional technologies using the cookie controls shown on the website. You can also change or withdraw your choices later using the same controls.

Browser settings may allow you to block or delete cookies. Blocking some technologies may affect how parts of the website function.

Third-party technologies

Some website features may be supplied by third parties, for example embedded maps, videos, security tools, social media features or analytics services. Where a third party stores or accesses information on your device, its use will be handled in accordance with the applicable cookie rules and your choices. Third parties may also process personal information under their own privacy terms.

The cookies and similar technologies used on this website may change over time. Where required, information about the technologies currently in use will be kept up to date through our cookie controls.

6. Who we may share information with

We do not sell personal information. We may share information where reasonably necessary with:

• website hosting, IT, communications and technical support providers;
• customer management, email, accounting or other business-service providers;
• engineers, contractors or service partners where needed to provide a requested service;
• professional advisers, insurers, auditors or accountants;
• law-enforcement agencies, regulators, courts or other authorities where disclosure is required or permitted by law; and
• a purchaser, investor or successor organisation where relevant to a genuine business sale, restructuring or transfer.

Where another organisation processes personal information on our behalf, we take appropriate steps to require it to protect that information and use it only for the agreed purpose.

7. International transfers

Some service providers may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where personal information is transferred internationally, we will use an appropriate legal mechanism and safeguards required by UK data protection law. Depending on the destination, this may include UK adequacy regulations or approved contractual safeguards.

8. How long we keep personal information

We keep personal information only for as long as it is reasonably needed for the purpose for which it was collected and for any related legal, accounting, contractual, warranty, security or dispute-resolution requirements.

The appropriate period depends on the type of information and our relationship with you. For example, enquiry information may be kept while we deal with and follow up your request, while records relating to customers and completed services may need to be retained for longer to meet contractual, tax, accounting, warranty or legal requirements.

When information is no longer required, we will delete it, anonymise it or otherwise dispose of it securely where appropriate.

9. How we protect information

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information against accidental loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration or disclosure. Access to personal information is limited to people and service providers who need it for legitimate business purposes.

No internet transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If you believe information you have provided to us may have been compromised, please contact us promptly.

10. Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances and the legal basis for processing, you may have rights to:

• be informed about how your personal information is used;
• request access to personal information we hold about you;
• ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
• ask us to erase information in certain circumstances;
• ask us to restrict processing in certain circumstances;
• object to certain processing, including direct marketing;
• request data portability where the legal conditions apply; and
• withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent.

These rights are not absolute and exemptions may apply. We may need to confirm your identity before acting on a request. You will not normally be charged for making a data protection rights request.

To exercise a right, contact us using the details at the end of this policy.

11. Marketing communications

If we send direct marketing, we will do so only where we are permitted by law. Where consent is required, we will ask for it before sending the relevant marketing.

You can ask us to stop sending direct marketing at any time by using an unsubscribe option provided in the message, where available, or by contacting us. We may keep a minimal suppression record so that we can respect an opt-out request.

12. Data protection complaints

If you are concerned about the way we have handled your personal information, please contact us first so that we can investigate. We will handle data protection complaints fairly and in accordance with our legal obligations.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK regulator for data protection. Further information is available at ico.org.uk.

13. Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to websites or services operated by other organisations. We are not responsible for their privacy practices. Please read the privacy information provided by the relevant third party before providing personal information to it.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy & Cookie Policy when our website, services, suppliers or legal obligations change. The latest version will be published on this page and the date at the top will be updated.

15. Contact us