Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 25 April 2026

1. Who we are

Smart Start IT Ltd ("Smart Start IT", "we", "our", "us") is a company registered in England & Wales under company number 15622995, with its registered office at 46 Picton Street, Montpelier, Bristol HQ, United Kingdom.

For the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation ("UK GDPR") and the Data Protection Act 2018, Smart Start IT Ltd is the data controller of personal information collected via this website (smartstartit.co.uk) and through our services.

2. What information we collect

We collect personal information when you choose to provide it, and a small amount automatically when you use the website:

  • Information you give us, name, business name, email address, phone number, message content, and any other details you submit through our contact form, by email, by phone, or during the course of an engagement.
  • Information collected automatically, IP address, browser type and version, device type, operating system, pages visited, time spent on pages, and approximate location (country/city level), collected via standard server logs and analytics tools.
  • Cookies, small text files stored on your device. See section 8 below.

We do not knowingly collect special category data (health, religion, etc.). We do not collect information from children under 16.

3. Why we use it & lawful basis

  • To respond to enquiries, lawful basis: your consent when you contact us, or legitimate interests in conducting our business.
  • To deliver services to clients, lawful basis: performance of a contract.
  • To send relevant business updates (occasional, no marketing spam), lawful basis: your consent (you can withdraw at any time).
  • To improve our website via analytics, lawful basis: your consent (via the cookie banner) or legitimate interests.
  • To meet legal, tax and regulatory obligations, lawful basis: legal obligation.

4. Who we share it with

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only with:

  • Service providers we rely on to operate our business, for example our hosting provider (Hostinger), email provider, analytics provider (Google), and CRM/billing software. Each is contractually required to protect your data.
  • Authorities or regulators where we are legally required to do so.
  • Professional advisers (lawyers, accountants) where strictly necessary.

Some providers may process data outside the UK/EEA. Where they do, we rely on UK adequacy regulations or the International Data Transfer Agreement / Addendum.

5. How long we keep it

  • Enquiry data, kept for up to 24 months after last contact, then deleted.
  • Client data, kept for the duration of the engagement plus 6 years thereafter (for tax / contract evidence).
  • Marketing list, kept until you unsubscribe.
  • Server logs, typically 30–90 days.

6. Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you (a "Subject Access Request").
  • Rectify inaccurate data.
  • Erase your data ("right to be forgotten") in certain circumstances.
  • Restrict processing or object to it.
  • Data portability, receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
  • Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent.
  • Lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or 0303 123 1113.

To exercise any of these rights, email privacy@smartstartit.co.uk. We will respond within one calendar month.

7. How we keep it safe

We follow industry-standard security practices appropriate to the data we hold: encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS), encryption at rest where applicable, access controls, regular software updates, multi-factor authentication on internal systems, and a documented incident response plan. Despite our efforts, no system is 100% secure; if we ever become aware of a breach affecting your data, we will notify you and the ICO as required by law.

8. Cookies

This website uses cookies for: site functionality (always on), analytics (Google Site Kit, only with your consent), and to remember your cookie preferences. You can control cookie behaviour in your browser at any time. We will display a cookie banner on first visit so you can choose what to allow.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be flagged on this page and dated above. Continued use of our services after changes means you accept the updated policy.

10. Contact us

Smart Start IT Ltd
46 Picton Street, Montpelier
Bristol HQ
United Kingdom
Email: privacy@smartstartit.co.uk
Company number: 15622995