Privacy Policy

Privacy notice

This privacy notice tells you what to expect when we collect personal information.

Who are we?

In this notice, whenever you see the words ‘we’, ‘us’ or ‘our’, it refers to Alpaca Encounters.

Your acceptance of this notice

When using our website or providing us with your information we will collect and use the information in the ways set out in this policy. If you do not agree to this notice, please do not use our website or our services.

What is personal data?

‘Personal data’ means any information that identifies a living person. This can include name, address, phone number or any email address that identifies you, whether at home or at work. It also covers our use of any personal information you provide to us. This may be by phone, text message, email, letter, other correspondence, or in person. It can include IP addresses and other technical identifying information.

What is data processing?

‘Data processing’ is any activity that involves use of personal data. It includes obtaining, recording or holding the data, organising, amending, retrieving, using, disclosing, erasing or destroying it. Processing also includes transferring personal data to third parties. Alpaca Encounters falls under the definition of a ‘data controller’ because we are an organisation that processes data on our own behalf, for our own purposes.

Contents:

• People we collect information about
• Why we hold your data
• How we collect data
• Processing and protecting your data
• Communication preferences
• Providing your data to others
• Use of media and consent
• Your data on our website
• Website hosting
• Accessing your information
• Asking for your data to be deleted
• The remit of this notice
• Updating this notice
• How to contact us

People we collect information about

We need to collect and use your personal data if you connect or correspond with us for any reason, including if you are a:

• Client or prospective client
• Visitor to our website
• Supplier or prospective supplier

Why we hold your data

We may hold your details to:

• Communicate with you as a client
• Communicate with you as a professional contact
• Respond to your enquiry or request for information
• Provide you with the service you have instructed us to carry out
• Provide a personalised service on our website, including the use of cookies
• Analyse and improve the business function of our website
• Keep a record of any contact we have with you

How we collect data

We may collect and store information about you whenever you interact with us, for example, when you make an enquiry of any sort. Other examples include if you enter into a contract for our services or otherwise provide us with personal information.

We may also receive information about you from third parties for a specific purpose such a verification of certification or medical history. This is usually to give us necessary information relating to the matter on which you have instructed us. We may also share information with third parties for a specific purpose relating to the matter on which you have instructed us. However, this will only happen if you give us permission to share your information.

Processing and protecting your data

Data Protection Act and General Data Protection Regulation principles require us to process personal data fairly and lawfully. To comply, we will be clear about how we will use your information and ensure that our reason for collecting information is lawful.

We only hold data about you that is enough for our purpose, nothing more.

We work to make sure the data we hold is accurate and up to date.

We only hold personal data as long as necessary.

Following the conclusion of the services we are retained to do, we will either electronically scan or retain both our papers on the matter and any documents that have been provided by you or others in relation to the matter. We will hold these in safekeeping or electronically for six years for the purpose of continuity should you require further assistance on the matter, after which they may be securely destroyed or deleted. We have systems in place to safeguard your personal data. Access to written and electronic personal data is restricted and has a level of security depending on the sensitivity of the data. All information and correspondence relating to clients is kept in locked offices accessible by staff only, and is password protected where stored digitally.

Communication preferences

We may contact you by email or phone to remind you when your booking or appointment is due, or if there are any changes to a booking, or if there is a change to a service which may affect you.

Providing your data to others

We will hold your personal information in the strictest confidence and in full compliance with the data protection legislation.

Your data on our website

If you use any email, gift voucher, purchase facilities, or any other forms on our website to make an enquiry, we will capture your name, email address and any other information you choose to provide. This enables us to respond to your enquiry or request. Although we will temporarily retain any contact and other data that you provide in order to respond to you, if you subsequently choose not to engage us, we will not use it to contact you again.

Information is automatically provided about your browsing behaviour through the use of cookies on our website. This information does not enable us to identify you personally. However, it does allow us to track usage of our site so that we can improve it.

We may use standard third-party web services such as Google Analytics to collect anonymous information about your computer, including your IP address, operating system and browser type. This includes for example the number of users viewing pages on the site, but it does not identify you individually. This means we can monitor and report on the effectiveness of the website and it help us improve it. We will never disclose or sell this information to third parties.

Website hosting

We use third-party services to host our website. The site is hosted by www.hostpapa.co.uk

Accessing your information

Alpaca Encounters will assist you if you want to see the information we hold about you. A request should be made in writing, either by letter or by email. The request will be subject to the supply of reasonable evidence of your identity. In most cases, we will reply to a request within a month. We may need to extend this period for particularly complex requests. Incorrect data can be amended or destroyed.

If you have already requested and received information we hold about you, there will need to be a reasonable period of time before you can request the information again.

Asking for your data to be deleted ‘The right to be forgotten’

You can ask us to stop using your personal data at any time. A request should be made in writing, either by letter or by email. We will comply without delay and within a month at the latest.

The remit of this notice

This privacy notice does not cover information gathered by others outside of our control.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with the way that we have collected or processed your data, you can write to us on the address below. If you are still not satisfied, then you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office by contacting their telephone helpline on 0303 123 1113 or reporting your concern using their online form via https://ico.org.uk/concerns/

Updating this notice

This privacy notice may be reviewed and updated from time to time. When this happens, we will post the updated version on our website. You should check this page occasionally to ensure you are happy with any changes. We may also notify you of changes to our privacy policy by email.

How to contact us

Requests for further information about our privacy notice should be made to info@alpacaencounters.co.uk and by writing to:
Alpaca Encounters, Hillfield, Allendale Road, Hexham, Northumberland, NE46 2NJ