Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

BlueFlame Plumbing and Heating Ltd (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share your personal data when you use our website, contact us, or use our services.We are the data controller for the personal data described in this policy. This means we decide how and why your data is processed.This policy applies to all visitors to our website, customers, prospective customers, and anyone who contacts us by phone, email, WhatsApp, or through our website forms.

2. What Data We Collect

2.1 Data you provide directly

When you fill in a form on our website, call us, email us, or message us on WhatsApp, we may collect:

• Your name
• Phone number
• Email address
• Postal address or postcode
• Details of the service you need
• Any other information you choose to share about your property or requirements

2.2 Data we collect automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain technical data:

• Your IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device type (mobile, desktop, tablet)
• Pages you visit on our site and how long you spend on each page
• The website you came from (referrer URL)
• Google Ads click identifier (gclid) if you arrived via a Google advertisement
• UTM campaign parameters (utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign) that tell us which advertisement or link brought you to our site

This data is collected using cookies and similar technologies (see Section 7).

2.3 Data from third parties

We may receive information about you from Google Ads (advertising performance data) and Google Analytics (website usage data). This data is used in anonymised or aggregated form to understand how our advertising and website perform.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

Purpose	Legal Basis (GDPR)
To respond to your enquiry and arrange an appointment	Performance of a contract / taking steps at your request before entering a contract (Article 6(1)(b))
To provide our plumbing and heating services	Performance of a contract (Article 6(1)(b))
To send you a quote, invoice, or receipt	Performance of a contract (Article 6(1)(b))
To send you appointment reminders and job updates	Legitimate interest — ensuring you are informed about booked work (Article 6(1)(f))
To send you an annual boiler service reminder	Legitimate interest — safety and warranty compliance (Article 6(1)(f)). You can opt out at any time.
To issue Gas Safety Certificates and compliance documents	Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c)) — Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998
To measure the effectiveness of our advertising (Google Ads)	Legitimate interest — understanding which advertisements lead to enquiries (Article 6(1)(f))
To improve our website and services	Legitimate interest (Article 6(1)(f))
To comply with legal and regulatory requirements	Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c))

We will never sell your personal data to third parties. We will never use your data for purposes unrelated to our plumbing and heating services without your explicit consent.

4. Who We Share Your Data With

We may share your personal data with the following parties, only to the extent necessary:

• ServiceM8 — our job management software, hosted in Australia. Your name, contact details, address, and job details are stored here so we can manage appointments, quotes, and invoices.
• Xero — our accounting software. Your name, address, and invoice details are stored here for accounting and tax purposes.
• Google — we use Google Analytics and Google Ads to understand how people find and use our website. Data shared with Google is anonymised or aggregated where possible.
• WhatsApp (Meta) — if you contact us via WhatsApp, your messages and phone number are processed by Meta in accordance with WhatsApp’s privacy policy.
• Gas Safe Register — we are required to notify gas work to Gas Safe Register, which may include your name and property address.
• Local Authority Building Control — certain notifiable work (such as unvented cylinder installations or boiler replacements) must be registered with your local authority, which includes your property address.
• Manufacturers — if we register a warranty on your behalf (for example, for a new boiler), we share your name, address, and installation details with the manufacturer.
• Our accountant — for tax and financial reporting purposes.

We do not share your data with marketing agencies, data brokers, or any other third parties for their own marketing purposes.

5. How Long We Keep Your Data

Data Type	Retention Period	Reason
Enquiry form data (no job booked)	12 months	In case you return to book at a later date
Customer job records	6 years after completion	Legal and contractual obligations, warranty period
Gas Safety Certificates	6 years minimum	Gas Safety regulations and landlord compliance
Invoices and financial records	6 years	HMRC requirements
Website analytics data	26 months	Google Analytics default retention period
Advertising click data (gclid)	90 days	Google Ads conversion attribution window

After the retention period expires, we delete or anonymise your data. You can request early deletion at any time (see Section 8).

6. International Data Transfers

Some of our service providers store data outside the UK:

• ServiceM8 — data stored in Australia. Protected by adequacy decision and ServiceM8’s data processing agreements.
• Google — data may be processed in the US. Protected by Google’s data processing terms and Standard Contractual Clauses.
• Xero — data stored in accordance with Xero’s global data protection standards.

We ensure that any international transfers of your data are protected by appropriate safeguards as required by UK GDPR.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

7.1 What cookies we use

Cookie / Technology	Purpose	Type	Duration
Google Analytics (_ga, _gid)	Website usage statistics — which pages are visited, how long for, what device	Analytics	Up to 2 years
Google Ads (gclid via localStorage)	Tracks which advertisement led to your visit so we can measure advertising effectiveness	Marketing	90 days
Google Tag Manager	Manages the loading of analytics and advertising scripts	Functional	Session
UTM parameters (localStorage)	Records which marketing campaign, source, or link brought you to the site	Marketing	90 days

7.2 Managing cookies

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. However, blocking cookies may affect the functionality of our website and our ability to measure advertising performance.To opt out of Google Analytics specifically, you can install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

8. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights:

• Right of access — you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to rectification — you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to erasure — you can ask us to delete your data (subject to legal retention requirements).
• Right to restriction — you can ask us to temporarily stop processing your data in certain circumstances.
• Right to data portability — you can request your data in a commonly used electronic format.
• Right to object — you can object to processing based on legitimate interest, including direct marketing.
• Right to withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at:

• Email: enquiries@blueflameplumbingandheating.co.uk
• Post: BlueFlame Plumbing and Heating Ltd, Flat 18, Hermes House, 59a Josephine Avenue, London SW2 2JG

We will respond to your request within 30 days. There is no charge for most requests. If a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, we may charge a reasonable fee or refuse the request, giving reasons.

9. Children’s Privacy

Our services are not directed at children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has submitted personal data through our website, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

10. Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal data, including:

• Secure (HTTPS) website connection
• Password-protected access to our job management and accounting systems
• Limited access — only authorised personnel can view customer data
• Regular review of our data processing and security practices

No system is completely secure. If you become aware of any security issue relating to our services, please contact us immediately.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites (for example, manufacturer websites, Gas Safe Register, or review platforms). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any personal data.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The current version will always be available on our website. If we make significant changes, we will note the date of the update at the top of this page.

13. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, please contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue.You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

• Website: ico.org.uk
• Phone: 0303 123 1113
• Post: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF

14. Contact Us

For any questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your data:

• Email: enquiries@blueflameplumbingandheating.co.uk
• Phone: 020 8059 2307
• Post: BlueFlame Plumbing and Heating Ltd, Flat 18, Hermes House, 59a Josephine Avenue, London SW2 2JG