We only ask for information that is reasonably needed to respond to you, manage your booking, provide the requested service, maintain appropriate records and meet our legal responsibilities.
Who we are
The business responsible for your information.
This Privacy Policy applies to personal information handled by Ethan Sims, trading as Ethan's Auto Care (“Ethan's Auto Care”, “we”, “us” or “our”).
For the purposes of UK data protection law, Ethan's Auto Care is the controller of the personal information described in this policy. This means we decide why and how that information is used.
This policy applies when you visit our website, submit a booking request, contact us by telephone, email, form or message, receive a service from us, make a complaint or otherwise interact with Ethan's Auto Care.
Information we collect
The details we may receive about you.
The personal information we collect depends on how you interact with us and what is needed to deal with your enquiry or provide the service you request.
Your identity and how we reach you
Your name, telephone number, email address and any preferred method of contact you provide.
Information about your appointment
Your requested date and time, selected service, booking history, service address and access instructions.
Information needed to assess the work
Vehicle make, model, size, registration number, condition, areas of concern and relevant photographs.
Messages and customer support
Enquiries, text messages, emails, form submissions, appointment notes, feedback and complaint correspondence.
Information you provide directly
- Your name and contact details when you make an enquiry or booking.
- The address or location where the mobile service will be carried out.
- Vehicle details, including make, model, approximate size, registration and condition.
- Information about stains, pet hair, damage, contamination, access restrictions or other circumstances relevant to the requested service.
- Messages, comments, appointment instructions, complaints, reviews and other information you choose to send us.
- Photographs supplied by you to help us understand vehicle condition, provide a quotation or resolve a concern.
- Payment and transaction records where these are required for accounting, proof of payment or resolving a payment issue.
Information created during a service
We may create booking notes and take photographs before, during or after an appointment. These may be used to record the vehicle's condition, document work completed, support quality control or respond to a complaint or damage allegation.
We do not intentionally collect special category information, such as information about health, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Please avoid including unnecessary sensitive information in booking notes or messages.
If you provide personal information about someone else, you should make sure you are authorised to do so and that the person understands how their information may be used.
How we use your information
Why customer information is needed.
We use personal information only for appropriate business, customer service, safety, record-keeping and legal purposes.
- To receive, review, accept, decline and manage booking requests.
- To provide quotations and explain how a price may be calculated.
- To arrange access to the vehicle and travel to the agreed service location.
- To provide mobile interior or exterior vehicle cleaning services.
- To contact you about appointment confirmations, reminders, changes, delays, cancellations or access issues.
- To respond to questions, messages, feedback, complaints, requests and data protection enquiries.
- To keep accurate booking, service, payment, complaint and accounting records.
- To prevent misuse, protect customers, manage safety risks and establish, exercise or defend legal claims.
- To comply with legal, tax, accounting, insurance and regulatory responsibilities.
- To improve our website, booking process, communications and customer service.
Before the appointment
We use your details to understand the requested work, confirm availability, assess the vehicle and provide relevant booking information.
During the appointment
We use location, access, vehicle and contact information to carry out the service safely and communicate where needed.
After the appointment
We may retain appropriate service records to manage enquiries, complaints, accounting and future bookings.
Marketing and promotional use
We will not sell your information. We will not send unrelated electronic marketing unless we have a lawful basis to do so and, where required, your consent.
Vehicle photographs that identify you, your address, your registration number or another person will not be used for advertising or social media without appropriate permission. Where permission is given, it may be withdrawn for future use by contacting us.
Our lawful basis
The legal reasons for using your information.
UK data protection law requires us to have a lawful basis for processing personal information. The basis used depends on the information and the reason it is needed.
Providing the service you request
We process information where it is necessary to take steps at your request before a contract is made or to perform our contract with you.
- Reviewing and confirming bookings.
- Providing quotations.
- Carrying out the booked service.
- Managing appointment communications.
Meeting responsibilities imposed by law
We may process and retain information where this is required for tax, accounting, consumer protection or other legal obligations.
- Maintaining financial records.
- Responding to lawful authority requests.
- Complying with applicable business law.
Operating and protecting the business
We may use information where reasonably necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights.
- Improving services and communications.
- Keeping appropriate service records.
- Preventing misuse and managing disputes.
- Establishing or defending legal claims.
Where you make a genuine choice
We may rely on consent for optional uses, such as publishing identifiable photographs or sending certain marketing communications.
- Consent may be withdrawn at any time.
- Withdrawal does not affect earlier lawful use.
- Refusing optional consent will not prevent a booking.
In some situations, more than one lawful basis may apply. We will only use information for a new purpose where that purpose is compatible with the original reason for collection or where another lawful basis applies.
Sharing your information
When information may be provided to others.
We do not sell, rent or trade customer personal information. Information is shared only where reasonably necessary to operate the business, deliver the requested service, protect legal rights or comply with the law.
Where another organisation processes personal information on our behalf, we expect it to protect that information and use it only for the agreed purpose.
International transfers
Some technology providers may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where this occurs, we will take reasonable steps to ensure an appropriate safeguard or lawful transfer mechanism applies.
We may disclose information where reasonably necessary to comply with law, protect someone's safety, investigate fraud or misuse, enforce an agreement, respond to a legal claim or protect our rights and property.
How long we keep your information
Retention based on purpose and legal need.
We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably needed for the purpose for which it was collected, including customer service, legal, accounting, insurance and dispute resolution purposes.
Unconfirmed booking requests
General enquiries and booking requests that do not proceed are normally kept only for a reasonable period needed to respond and maintain appropriate correspondence records.
Completed appointments
Booking details, service notes and communications may be kept for a reasonable period to support customer service, complaints, repeat bookings and possible legal claims.
Accounting and tax information
Records required for tax, accounting or legal purposes may be retained for the period required by applicable law.
Condition and service evidence
Photographs may be retained where reasonably necessary to document work, vehicle condition, a complaint, damage concern or insurance matter.
The exact retention period may vary according to the nature of the information, the reason it is held, the risk of harm from unauthorised use and any applicable legal requirement.
When personal information is no longer needed, it will be securely deleted, destroyed or anonymised where reasonably possible.
Keeping your information secure
Reasonable safeguards for customer data.
We use reasonable technical and organisational measures intended to protect personal information against accidental loss, unauthorised access, alteration, misuse or disclosure.
Limited access
Personal information is accessed only where it is needed for an appropriate business purpose.
Trusted services
We aim to use reputable providers for website, email, booking and related business services.
Appropriate deletion
Information that is no longer reasonably required is deleted, destroyed or anonymised where possible.
Incident response
Suspected data security incidents will be assessed and handled appropriately, including notification where legally required.
No method of electronic transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You should take care when sending information online and avoid including unnecessary confidential details in ordinary messages.
If you believe information sent to Ethan's Auto Care may have been accessed, lost or used without permission, please contact us as soon as possible.
Your rights
Your choices under UK data protection law.
Depending on the circumstances and any legal exceptions, you may have the following rights in relation to your personal information.
Right of access
Ask whether we hold your personal information and request a copy of it.
Right to correction
Ask us to correct personal information that is inaccurate or complete information that is incomplete.
Right to erasure
Ask us to delete personal information where there is no lawful reason for it to continue being used.
Right to restriction
Ask us to limit how information is used in certain circumstances.
Right to object
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or to direct marketing.
Right to data portability
Request certain information in a structured, commonly-used and machine-readable format where the right applies.
Right to withdraw consent
Withdraw consent at any time where consent is the lawful basis for processing.
Right to complain
Raise a concern with us or complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.
How to make a request
To exercise a data protection right, contact us using the details at the end of this policy. Please explain which right you wish to exercise and provide enough information for us to identify the relevant records.
We may need to confirm your identity before completing a request. This is intended to protect personal information from being disclosed to the wrong person.
We will normally respond within one month after receiving a valid request. The response period may be extended where a request is particularly complex or numerous, as permitted by law.
Independent regulator
Information Commissioner's Office
You have the right to complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how your personal information has been handled. We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concern first.
Cookies
How this website may store information.
Cookies are small text files placed on a device when a website is visited. They may be used to make a website function, remember preferences, improve performance or understand how visitors use a website.
Where consent is legally required for a non-essential cookie, it should not be placed until the visitor has made an appropriate choice. Essential cookies may be used without consent where they are strictly necessary to provide a requested service.
You can usually block or delete cookies through your browser settings. Blocking some cookies may affect website or booking functionality.
If this website introduces new analytics, advertising, tracking, booking or embedded technologies, this policy and any cookie controls should be updated to explain their use.
Contact us
Questions, concerns and privacy requests.
Contact Ethan's Auto Care if you have a question about this Privacy Policy, believe your information is inaccurate, want to exercise a data protection right or have a concern about how your information has been used.
Privacy contact
Ethan's Auto Care
Mobile vehicle cleaning in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire and agreed nearby areas.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this policy where our services, website, technology, providers or legal responsibilities change. The most recent version will be published on this page with an updated effective date.
The version in force when information is used will normally apply. Significant changes may also be brought to your attention through the website or another appropriate communication.
Related information
Read our Terms & Conditions.
Find out how bookings, services, prices, cancellations, customer responsibilities and complaints are handled.