Last Updated: 24 March 2025

1. Introduction

ProtectMyBuild (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy of our website visitors and clients. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website www.protectmybuild.co.uk (the “Website”) and use our services. Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By accessing or using our Website and services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not access or use our Website or services.  

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal information:

• Identity Data: This includes your first name, last name, title, and any other identifying information you provide.
• Contact Data: This includes your email address, postal address, and telephone number.
• Financial Data: This includes your bank account details, payment card details, and other financial information necessary to process payments and manage the escrow account.
• Project Data: This includes details about your construction project, such as plans, specifications, contracts, timelines, and communication related to the project.
• Technical Data: This includes your IP address, browser type, operating system, device information, and other technical data collected automatically when you visit our Website.
• Usage Data: This includes information about how you use our Website and services, such as pages visited, features used, and time spent on the site.  
• Marketing and Communications Data: This includes your preferences in receiving marketing from us and your communication preferences.  
• Identification Data: Including copies of passports and driving licences to comply with our legal obligations under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017.

3. How We Collect Information

We collect information in the following ways:

• Directly from you: When you fill out forms on our Website, contact us, register for an account, use our services, or otherwise communicate with us.  
• Automatically: When you visit our Website, we use cookies and similar technologies to collect Technical Data and Usage Data (see our Cookie Policy for details).
• From third parties: We may receive information about you from third parties, such as your builder, architect, or other professionals involved in your project, but only with your consent or where we have another lawful basis for doing so. We may also receive information from credit reference agencies or fraud prevention agencies.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• To provide our services: To manage your escrow account, process payments, facilitate communication between you and your builder, and provide project management support.
• To communicate with you: To respond to your inquiries, provide updates about your project, send you important notices, and manage our relationship with you.
• To improve our Website and services: To analyse how our Website is used, identify areas for improvement, and develop new features.
• To comply with legal obligations: To comply with applicable laws and regulations, including those related to escrow services, anti-money laundering, and data protection.
• To prevent fraud and protect our rights: To detect and prevent fraudulent activity, and to protect the security of our Website and services.
• For marketing purposes: To send you information about our services that may be of interest to you, but only if you have given your consent.
• To verify your identity. To comply with the Money Laundering Regulations 2017.

5. Sharing Your Information

We may share your personal information with the following categories of recipients:

• Your Builder: We will share relevant Project Data and, where necessary, limited Contact Data with your builder to facilitate the project. This is essential for the performance of our services.
• Payment Processors: We use third-party payment processors to process payments. We will share necessary Financial Data with these processors, who are contractually obligated to protect your information.
• Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Providers: If a dispute arises, we may share relevant information with CEDR or another ADR provider, as outlined in our Terms and Conditions and Escrow Agreement.
• Professional Advisors: We may share information with our legal advisors, accountants, or other professional advisors as necessary.
• Service Providers: We may use third-party service providers to assist us with website hosting, data analysis, email marketing, and other functions. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information.
• Legal Authorities: We may disclose your information to legal authorities if required by law or legal process.
• Business Transfers: If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.  

6. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure.  

7. Data Retention

We will retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. To determine the appropriate retention period, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the personal data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure, the purposes for which we process your data, and applicable legal requirements.

8. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right to Access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information we hold about you.  
• Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”): You have the right to request that we delete your personal information in certain circumstances.  
• Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.  
• Right to Data Portability: You have the right to receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and to transmit it to another controller.  
• Right to Object: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances, including processing for direct marketing purposes.  
• Rights related to automated decision making and profiling: You have rights in relation to automated decision making.  

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the details provided below. We will respond to your request within one month.

9. Cookies

Our Website uses cookies. For detailed information about the cookies we use and how you can manage them, please see our Cookie Policy.

10. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on our Website and updating the “Last Updated” date.  

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

ProtectMyBuild
FORT DUNLOP, FORT PARKWAY, BIRMINGHAM. B24 9FE
INFO@PROTECTMYBUILD.CO.UK
0121-726-9020

Data Protection Officer:

Mrs H Beare
FORT DUNLOP, FORT PARKWAY, BIRMINGHAM. B24 9FE
INFO@PROTECTMYBUILD.CO.UK
0121-726-9020