Privacy notice

Who is responsible for your information?

Advantec Computing is the data controller for the personal information described in this notice.

Information we may use

• Your name, contact details and preferred way to be contacted.
• Device details, fault descriptions, job notes, quotes, authorisations, repair history and communications about the work.
• Invoice and payment records. Card payments are processed by Stripe; we do not receive your full card number.
• A device login PIN or password where it is reasonably needed to diagnose a software fault or test the agreed repair.
• Information contained in files that must be accessed to provide an agreed service such as data recovery, file transfer or troubleshooting.
• Technical website information such as IP address, browser, device type, pages viewed and server security logs.

How and why we use it

We use personal information to respond to enquiries, provide estimates, carry out agreed work, test repairs, keep customers updated, take payment, provide warranty support, resolve complaints, maintain business and tax records, prevent fraud and keep our website and systems secure.

Our legal bases are normally:

• Contract: to take steps at your request before a booking and to provide the service you have asked us to perform.
• Legitimate interests: to run and protect the business, communicate with customers, improve our services and keep proportionate job and security records.
• Legal obligation: where records or disclosures are required by law, including accounting and tax requirements.
• Consent: where the law requires it. You may withdraw consent at any time, although this will not affect earlier lawful use.

We do not use customer information for automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects.

Device access and login details

We normally need a working device login to diagnose software problems and properly test many hardware repairs. We ask only for the minimum access reasonably required for the agreed work.

• Please create a temporary local account where practical.
• Do not send a PIN or password through a website enquiry form.
• Never provide an Apple, Microsoft, email, banking or other online-account password unless it is specifically needed, explained and agreed.
• Access to personal files is limited to what is reasonably needed for the agreed diagnosis, repair, transfer or recovery. We do not browse unrelated content.
• Tell us before check-in if the device contains especially sensitive material or if any folders must not be accessed.
• For additional reassurance, you may change a supplied login detail after collecting the device.

Login information is protected with the job record, access is restricted to people working on the service, and it is not used for any unrelated purpose. We do not publish detailed internal security arrangements because doing so could weaken them.

Who we may share information with

We share only what is reasonably necessary with trusted service providers that help us operate, including:

• Formspree for website enquiry delivery.
• Stripe for remote-support payments.
• Website hosting, email, communications, security and IT service providers.
• Google Analytics and Google Maps when those services are loaded on the website.
• A specialist repair or data-recovery provider where this is needed for the service and discussed with you.
• Professional advisers, law-enforcement bodies or regulators where disclosure is necessary or legally required.

Some providers may process information outside the UK. Where this happens, we rely on the provider’s lawful transfer safeguards or another transfer mechanism permitted by UK data-protection law.

How long we keep information

We keep information only for as long as it is reasonably needed for the purpose collected. The period depends on whether an enquiry becomes a job, the service performed, warranty and support needs, legal claims, security requirements, and accounting or tax rules.

Enquiries that do not become jobs are retained only while reasonably needed for follow-up and business records. Job and invoice records may be kept longer where needed for warranty, accounting and legal purposes. Device login information is kept only while it remains reasonably necessary for the agreed service and related follow-up, and is reviewed as part of our retention process.

Website analytics, forms and maps

This website uses Google Analytics to understand how the site is used, Formspree to deliver form enquiries, and embedded Google Maps on location pages. These providers may receive technical information such as your IP address and device or browser details. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings; doing so may affect some website features.

Please do not submit confidential device credentials, financial information or unnecessary sensitive personal information through a website form.

Your data-protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to ask for access to your information, correction, deletion, restriction, objection, or transfer to another provider. Some rights have legal exceptions, for example where information must be kept for tax records or a legal claim.

To make a request, contact us using the details above. We may need to confirm your identity before releasing or changing information.

Questions or complaints

Please contact us first so we can try to resolve any concern. You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk.

We may update this notice when our services or legal obligations change. The current version will always be published on this page.