Privacy Policy

Version: 1.2.0

Last Updated: 30/01/2025

Thank you for choosing to be part of our community at Livedin Custom Build (“we,” “us,” or “our”). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy aims to explain how we collect, use, share, and safeguard your personal information when you use our website (the “Service”).

By using or accessing the Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any of the terms in this Privacy Policy, please discontinue use of our Service.

1. Who We Are

Data Controller: Livedin Custom Build is the “Data Controller” (i.e., the organization responsible for deciding how and why your personal data is processed).

Data Protection Officer (DPO) and Contact: Tomas Millar, Livedin Custom Build
St Marys Mill, Stroud, GL6 8NX
Phone: 01453 733 913

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our practices, you may contact us at:
Email: info@livedin.co.uk (example)

2. What Information We Collect

We collect personal data and non-personal data from users in order to provide and improve our Service. Below is an overview of the categories of data we collect:

1. Account Data: When you sign up for an account, we may collect:
   • Name, email address, and contact details.
   • Username and password.
   • Any additional information you choose to provide in your profile.
2. Content Submissions: Users can post their own content, such as:
   • Completed self-build projects.
   • Events.
   • Land or property details for assessment.
   • Supporting images, documents, and any other materials you upload.
   User Responsibility: You are responsible for ensuring you have the rights and permissions to upload any content you provide.
3. Site Interest Registrations: When you register interest in a site or project, we collect your details to:
   • Communicate relevant updates.
   • Provide anonymized data to show the level of public interest.
4. Payment and Transaction Data (via Stripe): If you make or receive payments via our Service, we may collect the data necessary to process the transaction (e.g., payment card details). These details are processed through Stripe and governed by Stripe’s Privacy Policy.
5. Cookie Data: We use cookies and similar technologies to ensure the site functions properly, enhance user experience, and (with your consent) perform analytics.
   • Essential Cookies for core functionality such as user session management (Supabase), payment processing (Stripe), email dispatch (Resend), and embedded videos (YouTube).
   • Optional Analytics Cookies (PostHog) to help us understand user engagement with our Service. You can accept or reject these via our Cookie Notice.
6. Communications: If you contact us (e.g., via email), we collect any information you provide in your message so that we can respond.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

1. Service Provision and Operation:
   • To create and maintain your user account.
   • To enable you to post content, review self-build projects, and participate in events.
   • To process and track payments and donations via Stripe.
   • To store and manage data securely via Supabase.
2. Assessment of Land/Property Submissions: When a landowner or a member of the public submits details of a property, we use the provided information to assess suitability for self-build housing. We do not share submitted land or property details with any third parties without the landowner’s explicit consent.
3. Communications:
   • To send you administrative or service-related emails (e.g., technical and security notices, updates regarding sites you follow, or events you have signed up for).
   • Marketing material is only sent:
     • If you follow a self-build site that is in planning or in the pipeline.
     • If you have signed up for an event.
4. Analytics and Improvement: We use PostHog (optional analytics) to analyze usage trends and improve our Service. This is only activated with your consent if you allow non-essential cookies.
5. Publicly Shared, Anonymized Data: If you register interest in a site, we may share aggregated and anonymized interest data publicly (e.g., “Number of people interested”). Such data does not identify you personally.
6. Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal obligations; to respond to legal requests (e.g., court orders or government demands) where we are legally required to do so.

4. Legal Bases for Processing

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), we rely on the following legal bases for processing your personal data:

• Contractual Necessity: To provide you with our Service and related support.
• Consent: For optional analytics or marketing communications, where you have given explicit consent.
• Legitimate Interests: For improving and securing our Service, and for administrative purposes (unless overridden by your data protection interests or fundamental rights).
• Legal Obligations: Where processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect and use personal information about you, including to serve interest-based advertising and to store content. You can control the use of cookies at the individual browser level or via our Cookie Notice. If you choose to disable cookies, it may limit your use of certain features or functions on our Service.

• Essential Cookies: Required for the Service to operate (e.g., session cookies, payment cookies).
• Analytics Cookies: (e.g., PostHog) Only activated with your explicit consent.

For more information, please review our Cookie Notice.

6. Sharing Your Information

We only share or disclose your personal data in the following situations:

1. Service Providers: We use third-party services to operate and improve the Service:
   • Stripe for payment processing.
   • Supabase for database management.
   • Resend for sending emails.
   • YouTube for embedding videos.
   • PostHog (optional) for analytics.
2. With Your Consent: We may share your personal data if you have specifically granted us permission to do so.
3. Land/Property Assessment: We do not share details of land/property submissions with any third party unless we have the landowner’s consent to promote or discuss the site.
4. Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or other business transaction, we may transfer or share your information, subject to standard confidentiality agreements.
5. Compliance with Laws: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Factors we consider in determining appropriate retention periods include:

• Legal and regulatory requirements.
• Ongoing user relationships.
• Requests from users to delete personal data.

Where data is no longer needed, we will anonymize or securely delete it.

8. Your Rights Under GDPR

Under the GDPR, you have certain rights regarding your personal data, including:

• Right to Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You can request to correct or update any inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”): You can request the deletion of your personal data where there is no compelling reason for us to keep using it.
  Landowners: Personal data can be deleted at the landowner’s request.
• Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to request limited use of your data.
• Right to Data Portability: You can request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format.
• Right to Object: You can object to certain data processing (e.g., direct marketing).
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on your consent, you can withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our DPO, Tomas Millar, at info@livedin.co.uk. We may ask for verification of your identity to ensure that personal data is not disclosed to anyone who does not have the right to receive it.

If you believe we have infringed upon your rights, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.

9. Security Measures

We take appropriate security measures to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. Our measures include:

• Secure database storage (Supabase).
• Encrypted connections (HTTPS/SSL).
• Secure payment processing via Stripe.
• Access controls and authentication mechanisms.

However, no internet or email transmission is ever fully secure or error-free. Please keep this in mind when disclosing personal information to us.

10. International Data Transfers

Our Service and the third-party providers we use may process data outside of the European Economic Area (“EEA”). Where we transfer personal data outside of the EEA, we ensure adequate protection by using recognized lawful data transfer mechanisms (such as Standard Contractual Clauses).

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, plugins, or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies to understand how they collect and use your personal data.

12. Children’s Privacy

Our Service is not intended for individuals under the age of 16 (or 18 where applicable). We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child, we will delete it as soon as possible.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. If we make changes, we will notify you by updating the “Last Updated” date at the top of this Policy. In some cases, we may provide additional notice, such as by sending an email or posting an announcement on our Service.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, or if you wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact us at:

Livedin Custom Build
St Marys Mill, Stroud, GL6 8NX
Phone: 01453 733 913
Email: info@livedin.co.uk

By using our Service, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

Thank you for trusting us with your personal information. We take privacy seriously and work hard to earn and keep your trust.