Privacy Notice
Privacy Notice
This notice explains what personal information Ember Harbour collects, why it is used, how it is protected and the choices you have.
Information Ember Harbour may collect
The information collected depends on how you contact Ember Harbour and whether you become a client. It may include:
- Your name, business name and general working area
- Your email address, telephone number and preferred contact method
- Details included in an enquiry or conversation
- Correspondence, meeting notes, decisions and agreed actions
- Proposal, agreed-work plan, contract, invoice, payment and project records
- Information needed to work on approved websites, profiles or accounts
- Public information about a business, such as its website or Google Business Profile
- Essential technical and security information created when the website is used
- Search-performance information from Google Search Console and optional analytics or advertising-measurement information only if later approved
Google Search Console may be configured using site ownership or DNS verification. It does not use visitor-side analytics. Google Analytics, Meta Pixel and other visitor analytics or advertising pixels are not active at launch.
Do not send passwords, verification codes, payment-card details or sensitive personal information through an ordinary form, email or WhatsApp message.
How information is collected
- Directly from you when you enquire, book an introductory conversation, request a Snapshot or become a client
- From someone authorised to act for your business
- From public business sources when reviewing an online presence
- From essential website and security logs
- From optional analytics or advertising measurement only where it has been approved and the required consent has been given
Information provided for an enquiry or Snapshot will not be reused for unrelated marketing without an appropriate reason and any required permission.
Why personal information is used
UK data-protection law requires a valid reason, known as a lawful basis, for each use of personal information.
| Purpose | Lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Answering an enquiry or preparing a quote | Steps before a contract, performance of a contract, or legitimate interests where appropriate |
| Arranging an introductory conversation | Steps before a contract where requested, or legitimate interests in responding to the enquiry |
| Reviewing a Snapshot request | Steps before a contract where requested, or legitimate interests after an appropriate assessment |
| Delivering agreed work and support | Performance of a contract |
| Invoices, payments and tax records | Legal obligation and performance of a contract |
| Protecting the website, accounts and business | Legitimate interests |
| Keeping records and handling complaints or disputes | Legal obligation or legitimate interests |
| Optional analytics or advertising measurement | Consent |
Snapshots and public business information
A Local Visibility Snapshot reviews a limited amount of information that a business has already made public, such as its website, Google Business Profile and other relevant public listings.
A requested Snapshot may use the information supplied in the request and public information needed for the review. A private local Snapshot prepared before a face-to-face conversation will be completed only after the legitimate-interests assessment and working privacy process have been approved.
Public availability does not remove privacy responsibilities. Information will be limited to what is relevant, kept only as long as needed and not used for unsolicited bulk marketing.
Who information may be shared with
Information will be shared only where it is needed to run the business, deliver agreed work, meet a legal obligation or protect legitimate interests. Service providers used by Ember Harbour may include:
- Hostinger for website hosting and managed website backups
- Google Workspace for business email and Google Calendar appointment scheduling
- A restricted Google Drive account for independent website backup copies
- WhatsApp Business if you choose the WhatsApp contact route
- Accounting, payment and professional advisers
- Platforms used to complete client-authorised work
- Regulators, law-enforcement bodies or courts where required
Ember Harbour does not sell personal information.
Providers and international transfers
The website is hosted by Hostinger on servers in the United Kingdom. Hostinger’s website backup copies are stored in Germany.
Contact-form emails are sent to the Ember Harbour Google Workspace inbox. WordPress does not store form records. WP Mail SMTP email logging, attachment logging, open and click tracking and usage tracking are off.
Independent website backup copies are stored in a separate restricted Google Drive account. This account is used for Ember Harbour backups and is protected by two-step verification.
Google Calendar appointment scheduling is used to offer and administer introductory conversations. Google receives the information entered on its booking page and uses it to create the calendar event and invitation.
Germany is within the EEA and is covered by UK adequacy regulations. Google Workspace and WhatsApp Business may process information internationally. Google’s Cloud Data Processing Addendum has been accepted for the Workspace services. The separate Google Drive backup account is governed by Google’s consumer terms. If you choose to contact Ember Harbour through WhatsApp, WhatsApp’s own privacy information also applies.
How long information is kept
Ember Harbour applies the following retention periods and records reviews and deletion where appropriate:
| Record | Working period |
|---|---|
| General enquiry where no client relationship begins | Up to 12 months after the last meaningful contact. The retention register records the review and deletion confirmation. |
| Snapshot request where no client relationship begins | Up to three months after the last meaningful contact. The retention register records the review and deletion confirmation. |
| Client and project records | Reviewed at project closure and retained where needed for the contract, legal claims or continuing support |
| Tax and accounting records | Normally at least 5 years after the relevant 31 January filing deadline |
| Website backups | Hostinger-managed copies are retained under the active hosting arrangements. Independent backup sets are retained under Ember Harbour’s working rotation of eight weekly and three monthly sets, after which older copies are replaced or deleted. |
| Optional analytics or advertising-measurement information | Not active at launch. A retention period will be recorded before any tool is enabled. |
These periods are reviewed when the systems or the way Ember Harbour works change.
How information is protected
Ember Harbour uses proportionate technical and organisational safeguards. These include limiting access, using strong authentication where available, keeping software updated, protecting devices and accounts, maintaining appropriate backups and using secure routes for sensitive access information.
No online service can guarantee absolute security. Any suspected loss, misuse or unauthorised access will be assessed promptly and reported where the law requires it.
Your data-protection rights
Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:
- Ask for a copy of your personal information
- Ask for inaccurate or incomplete information to be corrected
- Ask for information to be deleted
- Ask for use of your information to be restricted
- Object to use based on legitimate interests
- Ask for information you supplied to be transferred where data portability applies
- Withdraw consent at any time where consent is the lawful basis
- Complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office
Some rights have legal limits. Ember Harbour may need to confirm your identity before acting on a request. A response will be provided without undue delay and normally within one calendar month. If the law allows more time, you will be told within that first month.
Your right to object
You can object when personal information is being used on the basis of legitimate interests. Explain what you object to and why. Ember Harbour will stop that use unless there is a compelling lawful reason to continue or the information is needed for a legal claim.
Email info@emberharbour.com or use the Contact page to make a request.
Questions and complaints
Please contact Ember Harbour first if you have a privacy question or concern. Email info@emberharbour.com, call 07544 832570 or use the Contact page.
You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. Visit ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or call 0303 123 1113.
Cookies and similar technology
Google Search Console may be used through site ownership or DNS verification. It does not need visitor-side analytics code.
No visitor analytics, advertising pixels or other non-essential tracking is active at launch. If this changes, Ember Harbour will update this notice and put the required consent controls in place first.
Testing of the completed staging site found no cookies or local storage set by Ember Harbour for ordinary visitors. No visitor analytics, advertising pixels or other non-essential tracking is active at launch. If this changes, this notice will be updated and any required consent controls will be introduced first.
Changes to this notice
This notice will be reviewed when the website, services, providers or legal requirements change. The published page will show the date of the latest update.
Who is responsible for your information
David McBride, trading as Ember Harbour, is the sole trader responsible for deciding how personal information is used.
- Email: info@emberharbour.com
- Telephone: 07544 832570
- Business correspondence address: Ember Harbour
- 24 Killycarn Road
- Ballymena
- BT42 4LY
Ember Harbour is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
You can use the Contact page if you have a question about this notice or your information.