BACKGROUND:

Credit Security Limited (CSL) understands that your privacy is important to you and that you care about how your personal data is used and shared online. We respect and value the privacy of everyone who visits this website, www.creditsecurity.co.uk (“our site”) and will only collect and use personal data in ways that are described here, and in a manner that is consistent with our obligations and your rights under the law.

Please read this Website Privacy Policy carefully and ensure that you understand it. Your acceptance of our Website Privacy Policy is deemed to occur upon your first use of our site.

If you do not accept and agree with this Website Privacy Policy, you must stop using our site immediately.

    1. Definitions and Interpretation
      In this Policy the following terms shall have the following meanings:

      “Account” means an account required to access and/or use certain areas and features of our site
      “Cookie” means a small text file placed on your computer or device by our site when you visit certain parts of our site and/or when you use certain features of our site. Details of the Cookies used by our site are set out in Part 12;
      “Cookie Law” means the relevant parts of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003
      “personal data” Personal data is defined by the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 (collectively, “the Data Protection Legislation”) as ‘any information relating to an identifiable person who can be directly or indirectly identified in particular by reference to an identifier’. Personal data is, in simpler terms, any information about you that enables you to be identified. Personal data covers obvious information such as your name and contact details, but it also covers less obvious information such as identification numbers, electronic location data, and other online identifiers
      “We/us/our” means Credit Security Limited, a limited company registered in England under company number 0922180, whose registered and main trading address is The Old Court House, High Street, Whitchurch, Bucks, HP22 4JS.
    2. Information About Us
      We own and operate our site.

      Our VAT number is GB 806 6246 32

      Our Data Protection Officer is Lance Slade, and can be contacted by email at DPO@credsec.com , by telephone on 01296 642100, or post at The Old Court House, High Street, Whitchurch, Aylesbury, Bucks., HP22 4JS.

      We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and a member of the Credit Services Association.

      We are also registered with the Information Commissioner (reg no. Z552636).

    3. What Does This Policy Cover?
      This Website Privacy Policy applies only to your use of our site.

      Our site may contain links to other websites. Please note that we have no control over how your data is collected, stored, or used by other websites and we advise you to check the privacy policies of any such websites before providing any data to them.

    4. Your Rights
      Under the Data Protection Legislation, you have the following rights, which we will always work to uphold:

      a) The right to be informed about our collection and use of your personal data. This Website Privacy Policy should tell you everything you need to know.
      b) The right to access the personal data we hold about you. Part 11 will tell you how to do this.
      c) The right to have your personal data rectified if any of your personal data held by us is inaccurate or incomplete. Please contact us using the details in Part 13 to find out more.
      d) The right to be forgotten, i.e. the right to ask us to delete or otherwise dispose of any of your personal data that we have. Please contact us using the details in Part 13 to find out more.
      e) The right to restrict (i.e. prevent) the processing of your personal data.
      f) The right to object to us using your personal data for a particular purpose or purposes.
      g) The right to withdraw consent. This means that, if we are relying on your consent as the legal basis for using your personal data, you are free to withdrawn that consent at any time.
      h) The right to data portability. This means that, if you have provided personal data to us directly and we are using it with your consent or for the performance of a contract, you can ask us for a copy of that personal data to re-use with another service or business in many cases.
      i) Rights relating to automated decision-making and profiling. We do not use your personal data in this way.

      For more information about our use of your personal data or exercising your rights as outlined above, please contact us using the details provided in Part 13.

      It is important that your personal data is kept accurate and up-to-date. If any of the personal data we hold about you changes, please keep us informed as long as we have that data.

      Further information about your rights can also be obtained from the Information Commissioner’s Office or your local Citizens Advice Bureau.

      If you have any cause for complaint about our use of your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

    5. What Data Do We Collect?
      Depending upon your use of our site, we may collect some or all of the following personal and non-personal data (please also see Part 12 on our use of Cookies and similar technologies):

      • Name;
      • Date of birth;
      • Gender;
      • Demographic information such as address and postcode;
      • Contact information such as Email address and telephone number;
      • Business name;
      • Job title;
      • Profession;
      • Payment information;
      • Financial Information; and
      • IP address

      Some information is classed as sensitive under the law, for example information about your mental or physical health. Collecting this information helps us to treat you fairly and make adjustments according to your needs. If you do disclose sensitive information, we will ask your consent to record this information and share it with our client (the creditor).

    6. How Do You Use My Personal Data?
      Under the Data Protection Legislation, we must always have a lawful basis for using personal data.

      This may be because the data is necessary for our performance of a contract with you, because you have consented to our use of your personal data, or because it is in our legitimate business interests to use it.

      Your personal data may be used for the following purposes:

      • To provide and manage your access to our site
      • To provide and manager your account
      • To establish repayment of a debt or arrears
      • To locate or verify new address or contact details
      • To personalise and tailor your experience on our website
      • To process your payments
      • To communicate with you. This may include replying to emails
      • To analyse the use of our site/gather feedback to enable us to continually improve our site and your user experience

      We will only use your personal data for the purpose(s) for which it was originally collected unless we reasonably believe that another purpose is compatible with that or those original purpose(s) and need to use your personal data for that purpose. If we do use your personal data in this way and you wish us to explain how the new purpose is compatible with the original, please contact us using the details in Part 13.

      If we need to use your personal data for a purpose that is unrelated to, or incompatible with, the purpose(s) for which it was originally collected, we will inform you and explain the legal basis which allows us to do so.

      In some circumstances, where permitted or required by law, we may process your personal data without your knowledge or consent. This will only be done within the bounds of the Data Protection Legislation and your legal rights.

    7. How Long Will You Keep My Personal Data?
      We will not keep your personal data for any longer than is necessary in light of the reason(s) for which it was first collected.

      The criteria used to determine the storage period will include the legal limitation of liability period, performance of a contract for which we are party to, applicable regulatory requirements and industry standards.

    8. How and Where Do You Store or Transfer My Personal Data?
      We will only store or transfer your personal data within the European Economic Area (the “EEA”). The EEA consists of all EU member states, plus Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.

      This means that your personal data will be fully protected under the EU GDPR and/or to equivalent standards by law. Transfers of personal data to the EEA from the UK are permitted without additional safeguards.

    9. Do You Share My Personal Data?
      In some limited circumstances, we may be legally required to share certain personal data, which might include yours, for example, if we are involved in legal proceedings or complying with legal obligations, a court order, or the instructions of a government authority.

      We use third parties to supply our data validation, tracing and mailing services. Those third parties may require access to some of your personal data that we hold.

      We will only ever share the minimum amount of your information which is necessary the third party to supply is with them to provide us the services we need.

    10. Can I Withhold Information?
      You may access certain areas of our site without providing any personal data at all. However, to use all features and functions available on our site you may be required to submit or allow for the collection of certain data.

      You may restrict our use of Cookies. For more information, see Part 12.

    11. How Can I Access My Personal Data?
      If you want to know what personal data we have about you, you can ask us for details of that personal data and for a copy of it (where any such personal data is held). This is known as a “subject access request”.

      All subject access requests should be made in writing and sent to the email or postal addresses shown in Part 13.

      There is not normally any charge for a subject access request. If your request is ‘manifestly unfounded or excessive’ (for example, if you make repetitive requests) a fee may be charged to cover our administrative costs in responding.

      We will aim to provide the information you have requested within 30 days. However, if your request is more complex, more time may be required up to a maximum of three months from the date we receive your request. You will be kept fully informed of our progress.

    12. Our Use of Cookies
      Our site may place and access certain first-party Cookies on your computer or device. First-party Cookies are those placed directly us and are used only by us. We use Cookies to facilitate and improve your experience of our site and to provide and improve our services. We have carefully chosen these Cookies and have taken steps to ensure that your privacy and personal data is protected and respected at all times.

      All Cookies used by and on our site are used in accordance with current Cookie Law.

      Before Cookies are placed on your computer or device, you will be shown a pop up requesting your consent to set those Cookies. By giving your consent to the placing of Cookies you are enabling us to provide the best possible experience and service to you. You may, if you wish, deny consent to the placing of Cookies; however certain features of our site may not function fully or as intended.

      Certain features of our site depend on Cookies to function. Cookie Law deems these Cookies to be “strictly necessary”. These Cookies are shown in the table below. Your consent will not be sought to place these Cookies, but it is still important that you are aware of them. You may still block these Cookies by changing your internet browser’s settings as detailed below, but please be aware that our site may not work properly if you do so. We have taken great care to ensure that your privacy is not at risk by allowing them.

      The following first-party Cookies may be placed on your computer or device:

      Name Purpose Strictly Necessary
      cookiesDirective This cookie is used to remember a user’s choice about cookies on the website. This cookie is, by default, set on arrival to the site with a value of ‘1’. Yes
      PHPSESSID This is used to allow the site to keep track of a visit session. It is used when completing online payments. Yes

      Our site uses analytics services provided by Google. Website analytics refers to a set of tools used to collect and analyse anonymous usage information, enabling us to better understand how our site is used. This, in turn, enables us to improve our site and the services offered through it. You do not have to allow us to use these Cookies, however whilst our use of them does not pose any risk to your privacy or your safe use of our site, it does enable us to continually improve our site, making it a better and more useful experience for you.

      The analytics service(s) used by Our site use(s) the following Cookies:

      Name of Cookie First / Third Party Provider Purpose
      _utma
      _utmb
      _utmc
      _utmz      		 Third Google These cookies are used to collect information about how visitors use our site. We use the information to compile reports and to help us improve the site. The cookies collect information in an anonymous form, including the number of visitors to the site, where visitors have come to the site from and the pages they have visited.
      Click here for an overview of privacy at Google

      In addition to the controls that we provide, you can choose to enable or disable Cookies in your internet browser. Most internet browsers also enable you to choose whether you wish to disable all Cookies or only third-party Cookies. By default, most internet browsers accept Cookies, but this can be changed. For further details, please consult the help menu in your internet browser or the documentation that came with your device.

      You can choose to delete Cookies on your computer or device at any time, however you may lose any information that enables you to access Our Site more quickly and efficiently including, but not limited to, login and personalisation settings.

      It is recommended that you keep your internet browser and operating system up-to-date and that you consult the help and guidance provided by the developer of your internet browser and manufacturer of your computer or device if you are unsure about adjusting your privacy settings.

    13. What if I have a Complaint?
      To contact us about anything to do with your personal data and data protection, including to make a subject access request, please contact our Data Protection Officer:

      In writing to: 
      The Data Protection Officer
The Old Court House, 
High Street
Whitchurch
Bucks
HP22 4JS
      Or by email to: DPO@credsec.com

      If you are not happy with the way we have handled your complaint or are still concerned about the handling of your personal information, you have a right to take your complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at: Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF and www.ico.org.uk.

    14. Changes to this Website Privacy Policy

      We may change this Website Privacy Policy from time to time. This may be necessary, for example, if the law changes, or if we change our business in a way that affects personal data protection.

      Any changes will be immediately posted on our site and you will be deemed to have accepted the terms of the Website Privacy Policy on your first use of our site following the alterations.

      We recommend that you check this page regularly to keep up-to-date.

    This Website Privacy Policy was last updated on 29 August 2023.