Privacy Policy

PRIVACY POLICY 
This Privacy Policy sets out how we, House Cats Limited, collect, store and use information about you when you use or interact with our website https://houscats.co.uk and where we otherwise obtain or collect information about you. This Privacy Policy is effective from 1st May 2018.

• Our detail

• Information we collect when you visit our website

• Information we collect when you contact us

• Information we collect when you interact with our website

• How we collect or obtain information about you from third parties

• Disclosure and additional uses of your information

• How long we retain your information

• How we secure your information

• Your rights in relation to your information

• Your right to object to the processing of your information for certain purposes

• Sensitive Personal Information

• Changes to our Privacy Policy

Our details

The data controller in respect of our website is House Cats Limited . You can contact the data controller by sending an email to info@housecats.co.uk

Information we collect when you visit our website


We use a third party server to host our website via DigitalOcean the privacy policy of which is available here: https://www.digitalocean.com/legal/privacy/. Our website server automatically logs the IP address you use to access our website as well as other information about your visit such as the pages accessed, information requested, the date and time of the request, the source of your access to our website (e.g. the website or URL (link) which referred you to our website), and your browser version and operating system. Our server is located within the EEA.

Use of website server log information for IT purposes

We and our third party hosting provider collect and store server logs to ensure network and IT security and so that the server and website remain uncompromised. This includes analysing log files to help identify and prevent unauthorised access to our network, the distribution of malicious code, denial of services attacks and other cyber attacks, by detecting unusual or suspicious activity.

Unless we are investigating suspicious or potential criminal activity, we do not make, nor do we allow our hosting provider to make, any attempt to identify you from the information collected via server logs.

Legal basis for processing: compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject (Article 6(1)(c) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legal obligation: we have a legal obligation to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk of our processing of information about individuals. Recording access to our website using server log files is such a measure.

Legal basis for processing: our and [a third party’s] legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legitimate interests: we [and our third party hosting provider] have a legitimate interest in using your information for the purposes of ensuring network and information security.


Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies on our website. You can reject some or all of the cookies we use on or via our website by changing your browser settings but doing so can impair your ability to use our website or some or all of its features. For further information about cookies, including how to change your browser settings, please visit www.allaboutcookies.org or see our cookies policy.

Information we collect when you contact us

We collect and use information from individuals who contact us in accordance with this section.

Electronic MAIL (email)

When you send an email to the email address displayed on our website we collect your email address and any other information you provide in that email (such as your name, telephone number and the information contained in any signature block in your email).

Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legitimate interest(s): responding to enquiries and messages we receive and keeping records of correspondence.

Legal basis for processing: necessary to perform a contract or to take steps at your request to enter into a contract (Article 6(1)(b) of the General Data Protection Regulation).
Reason why necessary to perform a contract: where your message relates to us providing you with goods or services or taking steps at your request prior to providing you with our goods and services (for example, providing you with information about such goods and services), we will process your information in order to do so.

Transfer and storage of your information

Messages you send us via our contact form will be stored within the EEA on our third party hosting servers. We use a third party contact form provider to store messages you send us. Messages you send to us via our contact form will be stored within the European Economic Area.

PHONE

When you contact us by phone, we collect your phone number and any information provide to us during your conversation with us. We do not record phone calls.

Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation)
Legitimate interest(s): responding to enquiries and messages we receive and keeping records of correspondence.

Legal basis for processing: necessary to perform a contract or to take steps at your request to enter into a contract (Article 6(1)(b) of the General Data Protection Regulation).
Reason why necessary to perform a contract: where your message relates to us providing you with goods or services or taking steps at your request prior to providing you with our goods and services (for example, providing you with information about such goods and services), we will process your information in order to do so).

Information we collect when you interact with our website

E-Newsletter

When you sign up for our e-newsletter on our website or opt to receive news and offers from us, we collect your name and email address.

Legal basis for processing: your consent (Article 6(1)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation).
Consent: you give your consent to us sending you our e-newsletter by signing up to receive it using the steps described above.

Disclosure and additional uses of your information

We disclose your information to other third parties in specific circumstances, as set out below.

Providing information to third parties such as Google Inc. Google collects information through our use of Google Analytics on our website. Google uses this information, including IP addresses and information from cookies, for a number of purposes, such as improving its Google Analytics service. Information is shared with Google on an aggregated and anonymised basis. To find out more about what information Google collects, how it uses this information and how to control the information sent to Google, please see the following page: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/

Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).
Legitimate interest(s): meeting our contractual obligations to Google under our Google Analytics Terms of Service (https://www.google.com/analytics/terms/us.html)

You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the browser plugin here: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

Transfer and storage of your information

Information collected by Google Analytics is stored outside the European Economic Area on Google’s servers in the United States of America.

For further information about the safeguards used when your information is transferred outside the EEA, see the section of this privacy policy below entitled Transfers of your information outside the European Economic Area.

How long we retain your information

This section sets out how long we retain your information. We have set out specific retention periods where possible. Where that has not been possible, we have set out the criteria we use to determine the retention period.

Retention periods[1]

Server log information: we retain information on our server logs for up to five years.

Correspondence and enquiries: when you make an enquiry or correspond with us for any reason we will retain your information for as long as it takes to respond to and resolve your enquiry, and for a further month 2 years after which point we will delete your information.

E-Newsletter: we retain the information you used to sign up for our e-newsletter for as long as you remain subscribed (i.e. you do not unsubscribe) or if we decide to cancel our e-newsletter service, whichever comes earlier. You can unsubscribe by sending us an email to info@housecats.co.uk and declaring your will to unsubscribe in a free written text by including the words “UNSUBSCRIBE”.

Determining retention periods

In any other circumstances, we will retain your information for no longer than necessary, taking into account the following:

• [the purpose(s) and use of your information both now and in the future (such as whether it is necessary to continue to store that information in order to continue to perform our obligations to contact you in the future);
• whether we have any legal obligation to continue to process your information (such as any record-keeping obligations imposed by relevant law or regulation);
• whether we have any legal basis to continue to process your information (such as your consent);
• how valuable your information is (both now and in the future);
• any relevant agreed industry practices on how long information should be retained;
• the levels of risk, cost and liability involved with us continuing to hold the information;
• how hard it is to ensure that the information can be kept up to date and accurate; and
  any relevant surrounding circumstances (such as the nature and status of our relationship with you).

How can we secure your information

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to secure your information and to protect it against unauthorised or unlawful use and accidental loss or destruction, including:

• only sharing and providing access to your information to the minimum extent necessary, subject to confidentiality restrictions where appropriate, and on an anonymised basis wherever possible;
• using secure servers to store your information
• verifying the identity of any individual who requests access to information prior to granting them access to information;
• using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) software to encrypt any information you submit to us via any forms on our website and any payment transactions you make on or via our website
• only transferring your information via closed system or encrypted data transfers
  
  

Transmission of information to us by email

Transmission of information over the internet is not entirely secure, and if you submit any information to us over the web (whether by email, via our website or any other means), you do so entirely at your own risk.

We are not be responsible for any costs, expenses, loss of profits, harm to reputation, damages, liabilities or any other form of loss or damage suffered by you as a result of your decision to transmit information to us by such means.

Criteria for determining retention periods

In any other circumstances, we will retain your information for no longer than necessary, taking into account the following:

• [the purpose(s) and use of your information both now and in the future (such as whether it is necessary to continue to store that information in order to continue to perform our obligations to contact you in the future);
• whether we have any legal obligation to continue to process your information (such as any record-keeping obligations imposed by relevant law or regulation);
• whether we have any legal basis to continue to process your information (such as your consent);
• how valuable your information is (both now and in the future);
• any relevant agreed industry practices on how long information should be retained;

Your rights in relation to your information

Subject to certain limitations on certain rights, you have the following rights in relation to your information, which you can exercise by emailing info@housecats.co.uk

• to request access to your information and information related to our use and processing of your information;
• to request the correction or deletion of your information;
• to request that we restrict our use of your information;
• to receive information which you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format (e.g. a CSV file) and the right to have that information transferred to another data controller (including a third party data controller);
• to object to the processing of your information for certain purposes (for further information, see the section below entitled Your right to object to the processing of your information for certain purposes); and
• to withdraw your consent to our use of your information at any time where we rely on your consent to use or process that information. Please note that if you withdraw your consent, this will not affect the lawfulness of our use and processing of your information on the basis of your consent before the point in time when you withdraw your consent.
• [the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing, including profiling which produces legal affects concerning you or similarly significantly affects you][1]

In accordance with Article 77 of the General Data Protection Regulation, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or of an alleged infringement of the General Data Protection Regulation.

For the purposes of the UK, the supervisory authority is the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the contact details of which are available here: https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/

Further information on your rights in relation to your personal data as an individual

The above rights are provided in summary form only and certain limitations apply to many of these rights. For further information about your rights in relation to your information, including any limitations which apply, please visit the following pages on the ICO’s website:

• https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/individual-rights/; and
• https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/is-my-information-being-handled-correctly/

You can also find out further information about your rights, as well as information on any limitations which apply to those rights, by reading the underlying legislation contained in Articles 12 to 22 and 34 of the General Data Protection Regulation, which is available here: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/reform/files/regulation_oj_en.pdf

Verifying your identity where you request access to your information

Where you request access to your information, we are required by law to use all reasonable measures to verify your identity before doing so.

These measures are designed to protect your information and to reduce the risk of identity fraud, identity theft or general unauthorised access to your information.

How we verify your identity

Where we possess appropriate information about you on file, we will attempt to verify your identity using that information.

If it is not possible to identity you from such information, or if we have insufficient information about you, we may require original or certified copies of certain documentation in order to be able to verify your identity before we are able to provide you with access to your information.

We will be able to confirm the precise information we require to verify your identity in your specific circumstances if and when you make such a request.

Your right to object to the processing of your information for certain purposes

You have the following rights in relation to your information, which you may exercise in the same way as you may exercise by writing to info@housecats.co.uk

• to object to us using or processing your information where we use or process it in order to carry out a task in the public interest or for our legitimate interests, including ‘profiling’ (i.e. analysing or predicting your behaviour based on your information) based on any of these purposes; and
• to object to us using or processing your information for direct marketing purposes (including any profiling we engage in that is related to such direct marketing).

You may also exercise your right to object to us using or processing your information for direct marketing purposes by:

• sending an email to info@housecats.co.uk, asking that we stop sending you marketing communications or by including the words “UNSUBSCRIBE”.
  

Sensitive Personal Information

‘Sensitive personal information’ is information about an individual that reveals their racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, genetic information, biometric information for the purpose of uniquely identifying an individual, information concerning health or information concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation.

We do not knowingly or intentionally collect sensitive personal information from individuals, and you must not submit sensitive personal information to us.

If, however, you inadvertently or intentionally transmit sensitive personal information to us, you will be considered to have explicitly consented to us processing that sensitive personal information under Article 9(2)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation. We will use and process your sensitive personal information for the purposes of deleting it.

Changes to our Privacy Policy

We update and amend our Privacy Policy from time to time.

Minor changes to our Privacy Policy

Where we make minor changes to our Privacy Policy, we will update our Privacy Policy with a new effective date stated at the beginning of it. Our processing of your information will be governed by the practices set out in that new version of the Privacy Policy from its effective date onwards.

Major changes to our Privacy Policy or the purposes for which we process your information

Where we make major changes to our Privacy Policy or intend to use your information for a new purpose or a different purpose than the purposes for which we originally collected it, we will notify you by email (where possible) or by posting a notice on our website.

We will provide you with the information about the change in question and the purpose and any other relevant information before we use your information for that new purpose.

Wherever required, we will obtain your prior consent before using your information for a purpose that is different from the purposes for which we originally collected it.

HOW THE INFORMATION IS USED
The information is used to enhance the vistior’s experience when using the website to display personalised content and possibly advertising. E-mail addresses will not be sold, rented or leased to 3rd parties. E-mail may be sent to inform you of news of our services or offers by us.

VISITOR OPTIONS
If you have subscribed to one of our services, you may unsubscribe by following the instructions which are included in e-mail that you receive. You may be able to block cookies via your browser settings but this may prevent you from access to certain features of the website.

COOKIES
Cookies are small digital signature files that are stored by your web browser that allow your preferences to be recorded when visiting the website. Also they may be used to track your return visits to the website. 3rd party advertising companies may also use cookies for tracking purposes.

GOOGLE ADS
Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads. Google’s use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to visitors based on their visit to sites they visit on the Internet. Website visitors may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy.