Exeter Auto Keys

Available Now — 24/7 01392 925673 info@exeterautokeys.co.uk
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Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 2025

This Privacy Policy explains how Exeter Auto Keys collects, uses, stores and protects your personal data when you use our website at exeterautokeys.co.uk or contact us to use our services.

We take your privacy seriously. We only collect the data we need, we do not sell it, and we handle it in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Trading name: Exeter Auto Keys
Website: exeterautokeys.co.uk
Telephone: 01392 925673
Email: info@exeterautokeys.co.uk
Area of operation: Exeter, Devon and Somerset

For the purposes of UK data protection law, Exeter Auto Keys is the data controller responsible for your personal data.

2. What Data We Collect

2.1 Data You Give Us Directly

When you contact us by phone, email or via our contact form, we may collect:

  • Your name
  • Your telephone number
  • Your email address
  • Your location (address, postcode or nearest landmark — needed to attend your vehicle)
  • Your vehicle details (make, model, year and registration plate)
  • Details of the service you require
  • Any other information you choose to share with us in your message

2.2 Data Collected Automatically via Our Website

When you visit exeterautokeys.co.uk, certain data is collected automatically by our website and third-party tools we use. This may include:

  • Your IP address
  • Browser type and version
  • Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)
  • Pages visited and time spent on each page
  • The website or search engine that referred you to us
  • Date and time of your visit

This data is collected through cookies and analytics tools. See Section 7 for more detail on cookies.

2.3 Data Collected During Service Delivery

When we attend your vehicle to carry out a service, we may collect and record:

  • Proof of vehicle ownership or authorised use (driving licence, V5C, insurance certificate)
  • Your vehicle’s VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) where required for programming
  • Details of the work carried out
  • Payment information (we do not store card details — see Section 5)

3. How We Use Your Data

We use the personal data we collect for the following purposes:

3.1 Providing Our Services

  • To respond to your enquiry and confirm your booking
  • To travel to your location and carry out the requested work
  • To verify vehicle ownership before carrying out key programming or vehicle entry services
  • To process payment for services provided
  • To contact you regarding your booking, including any delays or changes

3.2 Legal Obligations

  • To comply with our legal obligations, including ownership verification requirements for automotive security work
  • To maintain records for tax and accounting purposes
  • To respond to lawful requests from law enforcement or regulatory authorities

3.3 Legitimate Business Interests

  • To improve our website and services based on how visitors use them
  • To monitor and protect the security of our website
  • To resolve any complaints or disputes

3.4 What We Do Not Do With Your Data

  • We do not sell your personal data to any third party
  • We do not share your data with other businesses for marketing purposes
  • We do not use your data for automated decision-making or profiling
  • We do not send you unsolicited marketing emails or texts

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a valid legal basis for processing your personal data. The legal bases we rely on are:

  • Contract: Processing is necessary to fulfil a service you have requested — for example, attending your vehicle to replace a car key.
  • Legal obligation: We are required to verify vehicle ownership before carrying out automotive security work. We may also be required to share data with law enforcement in certain circumstances.
  • Legitimate interests: We have a legitimate interest in running our business effectively, improving our services and protecting our website from misuse, provided this does not override your rights.
  • Consent: Where we rely on consent — for example, for optional cookies — you can withdraw that consent at any time.

5. Payment Data

We accept payment by cash and card. Card payments are processed securely through a third-party payment provider. We do not store, record or have access to your full card number, CVV or other sensitive payment details. All card transactions are encrypted and handled in accordance with PCI DSS standards by our payment processor.

6. Who We Share Your Data With

We do not sell or rent your personal data. We may share it in the following limited circumstances:

  • DVLA: We may check vehicle registration details against the DVLA vehicle information service to verify ownership before carrying out all-keys-lost or vehicle entry work. This is a one-way lookup and does not involve sharing your personal data with the DVLA.
  • Law enforcement: If we are legally required to do so, or if we have a good-faith belief that disclosure is necessary to prevent fraud, protect our rights, or comply with a judicial or government request.
  • Website and analytics providers: Our website uses third-party tools including Google Analytics. These tools may collect anonymised data about how visitors use our website. See Section 7 for details.
  • Business successors: If our business is sold or transferred, your data may transfer to the new owner, who will be required to handle it in accordance with this policy.

7. Cookies

7.1 What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They help websites remember your preferences and collect information about how the site is used.

7.2 Cookies We Use

Essential cookies — these are required for the website to function correctly. They cannot be disabled.

Analytics cookies — we use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website (pages visited, time spent, device used). This data is anonymised and aggregated. Google Analytics sets cookies including _ga, _gid and _gat. You can opt out of Google Analytics at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

Functional cookies — these remember your preferences and improve your experience on the site. They are not used to track you across other websites.

7.3 Managing Cookies

You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website. Most browsers allow you to:

  • View cookies stored on your device
  • Delete some or all cookies
  • Block cookies from specific websites
  • Block all cookies

For guidance on managing cookies in your specific browser, visit allaboutcookies.org.

8. How Long We Keep Your Data

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this policy, or as required by law.

  • Enquiry and booking data (name, phone, email, vehicle details) — retained for up to 12 months after the last contact, in case of follow-up queries or disputes.
  • Job completion records (work carried out, vehicle details, date) — retained for up to 6 years for tax and accounting purposes, in line with HMRC requirements.
  • Ownership verification records — retained for up to 6 months after the service is provided.
  • Website analytics data — retained by Google Analytics for up to 26 months by default. This data is anonymised.

After the applicable retention period, data is securely deleted or anonymised.

9. Keeping Your Data Secure

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, destruction or alteration. These measures include:

  • Secure HTTPS encryption on our website
  • Password-protected access to business devices and systems
  • Limited access to personal data — only accessible to those who need it to provide the service
  • Secure deletion of data when it is no longer needed

No method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure. While we do our best to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If you have concerns about sharing data electronically, you are welcome to contact us by phone on 01392 925673.

10. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

  • Right of access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you (a Subject Access Request).
  • Right to rectification: You can ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete data we hold about you.
  • Right to erasure: You can ask us to delete your personal data where it is no longer necessary for us to hold it, subject to our legal obligations.
  • Right to restrict processing: You can ask us to pause processing of your data in certain circumstances.
  • Right to data portability: Where processing is based on your consent or a contract, you can ask us to provide your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
  • Right to object: You can object to processing based on our legitimate interests. We will stop unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds that override your interests.
  • Rights related to automated decision-making: We do not carry out automated decision-making or profiling, so this right is unlikely to apply.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@exeterautokeys.co.uk or by telephone on 01392 925673. We will respond within one calendar month. We may ask you to verify your identity before processing your request.

11. Right to Complain to the ICO

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK’s data protection regulator:

Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Website: ico.org.uk
Helpline: 0303 123 1113

We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns directly before you contact the ICO, so please get in touch with us first.

12. Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including the AA, RAC, DVLA and IMI. This Privacy Policy applies only to exeterautokeys.co.uk. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any third-party websites and encourage you to read their privacy policies before sharing any personal data with them.

13. Children’s Privacy

Our services and website are not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 16. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, please contact us immediately and we will delete it promptly.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or in applicable law. The date of the most recent update is shown at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our website or services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, how we handle your data, or wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact us:

Exeter Auto Keys — Mobile Auto Locksmith, Exeter & Devon.