Legal
Privacy policy
Draft. This document is a working draft and will be reviewed by a solicitor before LocateMyMechanic launches. Items in [square brackets] will be filled in once the company is registered.
Last updated: [DATE]
Who we are
[COMPANY NAME LTD] (company number [COMPANY NUMBER]) runs LocateMyMechanic and is the controller of your personal information. ICO registration number: [ICO NUMBER]. Contact us about privacy using the contact form or by email at locatemymechanicuk@gmail.com.
What we collect and why
| Information | Why we use it | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|
| Postcode you search with | To find garages near you. We look up its location using postcodes.io; only the postcode is sent. | Legitimate interests (providing the search you asked for) |
| Account details: name, email, phone | To run your account and let garages contact you about your requests | Contract |
| Booking requests: garage, preferred date, vehicle registration, notes | To send your request to the garage you chose, and to show your booking history | Contract |
| Reviews you write | To publish your review (shown with your first name and surname initial) | Contract |
| Contact form messages | To reply to you | Legitimate interests |
| Garage business details and billing information | To list the garage, manage membership and send invoices | Contract; legal obligation (tax records) |
| Technical data: log-in cookies, IP address, device information | To keep you signed in, keep the service secure and prevent misuse | Legitimate interests |
Who we share it with
- The garage you send a request to receives your name, phone number, email (if given), vehicle registration and request details, so they can contact you. Garages can't see your account or your other bookings.
- Service providers who help us run LocateMyMechanic, under contracts that protect your data: Supabase (database and hosting, EU region), [EMAIL PROVIDER], [SMS PROVIDER], [WEBSITE HOSTING PROVIDER], and Stripe (garage payments only — drivers never pay through us).
- When the law requires it.
We never sell your personal information.
Cookies
We use only the cookies needed to keep you signed in and keep the site secure. We don't use advertising or tracking cookies. If that changes, we'll ask for your consent first.
How long we keep it
- Account information: while your account is open, then deleted or anonymised within [X] months.
- Booking and billing records: [6 years] for tax and accounting purposes, anonymised where possible.
- Contact form messages: [24 months].
Your rights
You can ask to see, correct or delete your personal information, object to how we use it, or ask us to restrict its use or transfer it to you. Contact us and we'll respond within one month. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk — but please contact us first so we can try to help.
Keeping it safe
Your data is stored with access controls so that drivers see only their own information, garages see only their own customers' requests, and staff access is limited and logged.
Changes
We'll update the date at the top when this policy changes, and tell account holders about significant changes.