BGA Architects is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using our services and website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.
This privacy policy sets out how BGA Architects uses and protects any personal data that you share with us and that we hold about you, including how we collect, process, protect and share that data.
What personal data we collect
We may collect the following information:
• name and job title
• contact information including email address
• demographic information such as post code, preferences and interests
• details of your property and land ownership
• any other information relevant to your project such as the existence of any hidden services, way-leave, easements or covenants which may impact on the design or later construction of the project.
What we do with the information we gather
We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:
• internal record keeping.
• we may use the information to improve our services.
Sharing information
We will keep the information about you confidential and we will only disclose your information with other third parties with your express consent with the exception of the following categories of third parties.
• insurance companies, loss assessors, regulatory authorities and other fraud prevention agencies for the purposes of fraud prevention and to comply with any regulatory issues and disclosures;
• any mailing or printing agents, contractors and consultants that provide a service to us or act as our agents on the understanding that they keep the information confidential;
• anyone to whom we may transfer our rights and duties under any agreement we have with you;
• any legal or crime prevention agencies and/or to satisfy any regulatory request if we have a duty to do so or if the law allows us to do so.
How long do we keep this information about you?
We keep information in line with our retention policy. These retention periods are in line with the length of time we need to keep your personal information in order to manage and administer your project and handle any insurance claims or request for assistance made by our Professional Indemnity insurers. They may also take into account our need to meet any legal, statutory and regulatory obligations. In all cases our need to use your personal data will be reassessed on a regular basis and information which is no longer required will be disposed of.
Security
We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect.
How we use cookies
A cookie is a small file stored on your browser, for example Internet Explorer. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences. We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system. Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us. You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.
Links to other websites
Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question. If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please email us as soon as possible, info@bga-architects.com or write to us at BGA Architect The Gallery The Old Gasworks 43 Progress Road Leigh on Sea Essex SS9 5PR. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.
Data subject rights - Subject access requests
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) grants you (hereinafter referred to as the "data subject") the right to access particular personal data that we hold about you. This is referred to as a subject access request. We shall respond promptly, and certainly within one month from the point of receiving the request and all necessary information from you. Our formal response shall include details of the personal data we hold about you, including the following:
• sources from which we acquired the information;
• the purposes for processing the information; and
• persons or entities with whom we are sharing the information.
Right to rectification
You, the data subject, shall have the right to obtain from us, without undue delay, the rectification of inaccurate personal data we hold concerning you. Taking into account the purposes of the processing, you, the data subject, shall have the right to have incomplete personal data completed, including by means of providing a supplementary statement.
Right to erasure
You, the data subject, shall have the right to obtain from us the erasure of personal data concerning you without undue delay
Right to restriction of processing
Subject to exemptions, you, the data subject, shall have the right to obtain from us restriction of processing where one of the following applies:
a) the accuracy of the personal data is contested by you, the data subject, and is restricted until the accuracy of the data has been verified;
b) the processing is unlawful and you, the data subject, oppose the erasure of the personal data and instead request the restriction on its use;
c) we no longer need the personal data for the purposes of processing, but it is required by you, the data subject, for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims;
d) you, the data subject, have objected to processing of your personal data pending the verification of whether there are legitimate grounds for us to override these objections.
Notification obligation regarding rectification or erasure of personal data or restriction of processing
We shall communicate any rectification or erasure of personal data or restriction of processing as described above to each recipient to whom the personal data has been disclosed, unless this proves impossible or involves disproportionate effort. We shall provide you, the data subject, with information about those recipients if you request it.