1. Who we are

This Privacy Policy explains how personal data is collected, used, stored, and protected when you use the FixNear website and related services (together, the “Platform”). The data controller responsible for your personal data is the legal entity operating FixNear (referred to in this policy as “FixNear”, “we”, “us”, or “our”). For data protection enquiries, please use the contact details in section 12.

2. Scope

This policy applies to visitors, registered members, tradespeople, and business accounts that use the Platform in the United Kingdom. If you do not agree with this policy, you should not use the Platform.

3. Personal data we collect

We may collect and process the following categories of information, depending on how you use the Platform:

Identity and account details: name, account type (for example member, tradesperson, or business representative), and profile information you choose to add.
Contact details: email address and telephone number.
Location information: city, district or area, postcode where you provide it, and similar fields used to match service requests with local professionals.
Communications: messages, job descriptions, quotes, offers, support tickets, and other content you submit through the Platform (including attachments such as photographs where you upload them).
Transaction-related data: records relating to subscriptions or platform fees where applicable (we do not store full payment card numbers on our own servers when payments are handled by payment processors).
Technical and usage data: IP address, device and browser type, approximate location derived from IP, log and security records, cookies and similar technologies (see our Cookie Policy).
Verification and safety: information we need to operate the Platform safely, including moderation outcomes, reports, and fraud-prevention signals where relevant.

4. How and why we use personal data

We use personal data only where we have a lawful basis under UK data protection law. Depending on the activity, we rely on one or more of the following:

Performance of a contract — to register and maintain your account, provide Platform features, and deliver services you request from us as platform operator.
Legitimate interests — to operate, secure, and improve the Platform; to help match members with tradespeople and businesses; to communicate about the service; to prevent abuse; and to analyse aggregated usage, where those interests are not overridden by your rights.
Legal obligation — to comply with applicable law, regulation, or competent authority requests.
Consent — where we ask for consent (for example for certain cookies or optional marketing communications), you may withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

Typical uses include:

displaying profiles, listings, and search results relevant to your preferences and location;
enabling messaging, quotes, and notifications between users;
customer support, safety reviews, and dispute triage at a platform level;
maintaining network and information security;
complying with legal and regulatory requirements.

5. Automated decisions

We may use automated tools (including risk scoring or content checks) to help keep the Platform safe. These tools support human decision-making and do not produce legal or similarly significant effects solely by automated means without human oversight, except where permitted by law and explained to you separately.

6. Sharing and recipients

We do not sell your personal data. We may share it with:

Other users — where you post public profile or listing information, or send messages through the Platform, the recipient can see the content you choose to share.
Service providers — hosting, email delivery, analytics (where consented or strictly necessary), payment processing, customer support tooling, and security vendors, under written terms that require them to protect personal data and use it only for agreed purposes.
Professional advisers — lawyers, accountants, or insurers where necessary.
Authorities — when required by law or to protect rights, safety, and integrity of users and the Platform.

7. International transfers

We primarily store and process data within the United Kingdom and the European Economic Area. If we transfer personal data to countries that do not have an adequacy decision under UK law, we will ensure appropriate safeguards (such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum, or standard contractual clauses) are in place.

8. Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. Retention periods vary by data type; for example, account data is kept while your account is active and for a reasonable period afterwards to resolve disputes and enforce our terms. Message and listing content may be retained for a period consistent with platform safety and legal obligations, then deleted or anonymised where appropriate.

9. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure; we encourage you to use strong passwords and protect your login credentials.

10. Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have rights including, subject to conditions and exemptions:

Access — to obtain confirmation of processing and a copy of your personal data.
Rectification — to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Erasure — to request deletion in certain circumstances.
Restriction — to limit processing in certain circumstances.
Objection — to object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing.
Data portability — to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format where processing is based on consent or contract and is carried out by automated means.
Withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent.
Lodge a complaint — with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority (ico.org.uk).

To exercise your rights, contact us using the details in section 12. We may need to verify your identity before responding. You will not usually have to pay a fee; if a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive we may charge a reasonable fee or refuse the request as permitted by law.

11. Children

The Platform is not directed at individuals under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe we have collected data from a child, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it.

12. Contact for data protection requests

For privacy-related questions, requests to exercise your rights, or correspondence with our data protection contact, please email us via the address shown on our Support page or use the contact details published in the footer of the Platform. Please mark your message “Data protection request” and describe your request clearly so we can assist promptly.

13. Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies as described in our Cookie Policy, including essential cookies required for security and account access, and optional cookies where you provide consent.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top will change when we do. Material changes may be notified through the Platform or by email where appropriate. Continued use after changes take effect constitutes notice of the updated policy, where permitted by law.