Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

AV Xpert Limited is the controller of the personal information described in this policy.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us at info@avxpert.co.uk.

2. What this policy covers

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information when you contact us, request a quotation, place an order, create or use an online account, use our website or otherwise interact with us.

We are committed to handling personal information fairly, lawfully and transparently.

If you apply for a job with us, our Candidate Privacy Notice explains how we handle your application.

3. The personal information we collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect personal information such as your name, company name, job title, email address, telephone number, billing address, delivery address and details relating to your enquiry, quotation, project, event or account.

If you create an account on our hire shop, we may also store account-related information needed to allow you to log in, view past quotations, orders and related account history.

We may also collect technical information such as IP address, browser type, device information, pages viewed and interactions with our website, where this is permitted through our cookie and consent controls. Where you have accepted non-essential cookies, this may include advertising and measurement identifiers assigned to your browser by the analytics and advertising services described below.

We also keep signatures and records of your acceptance of quotations, terms and safety documents, with the date, time and IP address; photographs you send us, or that we take of venues and access routes to plan and deliver our services; and the conversation, IP address and browser details when you use the live chat on our website. For hires to individuals, we may ask to see photographic identification and proof of address before equipment is released; we look at these documents but do not copy or keep them.

Our premises are covered by CCTV, which may record images of visitors, for the security of our premises, equipment and staff.

4. How we collect your information

We collect information directly from you when you contact us by phone, email, contact form, in person or by any other method of communication.

When you submit a contact form or enquiry, we store the details you provide in our systems so that we can respond, create quotations, manage customer records and provide our services effectively.

We may also collect limited technical and usage information through cookies, analytics tools and similar website technologies.

We may also receive information about you from people who book our services on your behalf, such as event agencies or colleagues, and from public sources such as Companies House, company websites and the postcode register, to check names and addresses and to plan deliveries.

When you use the live chat on our website, an automated assistant may answer first, and a member of our team can join the conversation.

5. Why we use your information

We use personal information to respond to enquiries, prepare quotations, supply products and services, manage bookings, projects and customer accounts, process payments, maintain business records, provide customer support and improve our website and services.

Where you choose to receive marketing communications, or where we are otherwise permitted to contact you in accordance with applicable law, we may also use your information to send updates about relevant services, news, blog content or offers.

We use automated tools, including AI, to filter spam and to help us read, organise and prioritise enquiries and correspondence. Every decision about your enquiry, booking or account is made by a member of our team.

6. Our lawful bases for processing

We process personal information using one or more lawful bases under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), depending on the circumstances.

These may include taking steps at your request before entering into a contract, performing a contract with you, complying with legal obligations, pursuing our legitimate interests in running and improving our business, and consent where consent is required, for example for certain marketing or non-essential cookies.

Our use of analytics, advertising and remarketing technologies on this website relies on your consent. We do not rely on legitimate interests for those purposes.

7. Marketing communications

If you choose to subscribe to marketing communications, updates or blog content from us, we may use your contact details to send relevant emails using Mailchimp or a similar email communication platform.

You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by using the unsubscribe link in the email or by contacting us at marketing@avxpert.co.uk.

8. Cookies, analytics and advertising

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to help the site function, remember preferences, understand performance and, where you have given consent, support analytics and advertising activity.

We use Google Analytics 4, typically deployed through Google Tag Manager, to help us understand how visitors use our website. We may also use Google Ads remarketing technologies to show relevant follow-up advertising.

We use the Meta pixel, a technology provided by Meta Platforms Ireland Limited. Where you have accepted non-essential cookies, the pixel loads in your browser and sends Meta information about your visit, such as the page address, the referring page, your IP address, your browser and device details, and an identifier stored in your browser. We use this to measure how our advertising performs and to show relevant advertising to people who have visited our website. The pixel does not load at all, and no information is sent to Meta, unless and until you accept non-essential cookies.

For the collection and transmission of that information, AV Xpert Limited and Meta Platforms Ireland Limited act as joint controllers. Meta has taken primary responsibility for meeting transparency obligations and for handling data subject rights requests relating to that stage. Meta’s privacy policy explains how it subsequently uses the information.

You can change or withdraw your cookie choice at any time using the Cookie preferences link in the footer of any page on this website. Withdrawing consent stops these technologies from running on future visits and removes the related cookies from your browser. It does not undo processing that already took place while your consent was in force.

You can find more information about the cookies and similar technologies we use, and how to manage your preferences, in our Cookie Policy.

9. Who we share personal information with

We may share personal information with trusted service providers and professional advisers where necessary for the operation of our business and the delivery of our services. This may include providers of website hosting, cloud systems, customer databases, email systems, analytics tools, marketing platforms, payment processing and professional advice.

Examples of third-party services we use include Google services, Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Anthropic PBC, Mailchimp and our payment processing provider.

We use AI services provided by Anthropic PBC within our own business systems to help us manage enquiries, correspondence and quotations efficiently. Anthropic processes the relevant information on our behalf as our data processor, does not use it to train its models, and deletes it within 30 days, unless it needs to keep it longer to investigate misuse of its services. Every decision about your enquiry or booking is made by a member of our team.

We may also disclose information where required to do so by law, regulation, court order or other legal process.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

The main service providers who process personal information on our behalf include Microsoft (email and calendars), Xero (accounting and invoicing) and Worldpay (card payments).

10. Live streaming on YouTube

Where you book a live stream with us, for example of a funeral or memorial service, we use the YouTube API Services to set up the broadcast on AV Xpert Limited’s own YouTube channel. The details you give us on the booking form, such as the title and description of the video, the date and time of the service and any holding image you provide, are sent to YouTube to create the broadcast. The stream is unlisted, so only people with the link can view it, and we keep the link with your booking.

Our dashboard connects only to our own YouTube channel, with our authorisation. It does not access the YouTube or Google account of any customer or viewer, and we do not receive personal information about the people who watch a stream beyond the general viewing figures YouTube gives every channel owner.

The recording remains on our channel as an unlisted video after the service. If you would like it removed, please contact us at info@avxpert.co.uk.

Watching a stream means using YouTube, which is governed by the YouTube Terms of Service, and Google’s handling of personal information is described in the Google Privacy Policy. Our access to our own channel can be withdrawn at any time through the Google security settings page.

11. Transfers of personal information outside the UK

Some of the service providers described in this policy are based outside the United Kingdom, or store and process information on systems located outside the United Kingdom. This includes providers based in, or transferring information to, the United States and the wider European Economic Area.

Where personal information is transferred outside the UK, we take steps to ensure an appropriate level of protection. Depending on the provider and the destination, this may rely on UK adequacy regulations, the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, the International Data Transfer Agreement, or the International Data Transfer Addendum to the European Commission’s standard contractual clauses, together with any additional safeguards that are appropriate in the circumstances.

Where you accept non-essential cookies, information collected by our analytics and advertising technologies, including the Meta pixel, may be transferred to the United States on this basis.

Information processed by our AI service provider, Anthropic PBC, is transferred to the United States on the same basis.

If you would like more information about the safeguards applied to a particular transfer, please contact us at info@avxpert.co.uk.

12. How long we keep personal information

We keep personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to manage ongoing customer relationships, maintain account access, preserve quotation and order history, meet legal, accounting, tax, insurance and operational requirements, and resolve disputes where necessary.

Where you have an account with us, or where records are needed to allow continued access to historic quotations, orders or related account information, we may retain relevant account and transaction data on a long-term basis.

Where information is no longer required, we will delete it or anonymise it where appropriate.

CCTV recordings are kept for a short period, usually between 60 and 90 days, after which they are automatically overwritten, unless a recording is needed to investigate an incident. Live chat conversations are kept with your customer records as a record of the support we have given.

13. Your rights

Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to request access to your personal information, ask for inaccurate information to be corrected, request erasure, request restriction of processing, object to processing, and request transfer of certain information to you or another organisation.

You also have the right to withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent, although this will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before that consent was withdrawn. For cookies and similar technologies, you can withdraw consent yourself at any time using the Cookie preferences link in the footer of any page.

If you would like to exercise any of your rights, please contact us at info@avxpert.co.uk and we will respond in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

Where we act as joint controller with Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, as described above, you may also exercise your rights directly with Meta. If you contact us first, we will help you as far as we are able and will pass your request on where appropriate.

14. How we protect personal information

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised or unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction or damage.

These measures may include access controls, password protection, secure systems, trained staff and the use of reputable service providers.

15. Third-party websites and services

Our website may contain links to other websites or include content or services delivered by third parties. If you follow a link to another website, interact with embedded content or use a third-party service, that third party may collect information from you in accordance with its own privacy practices.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party websites or services you use.

16. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information, we would appreciate the opportunity to address them first. Please contact us at info@avxpert.co.uk.

You also have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection, if you believe your data protection rights have been breached.

17. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our services, website, legal obligations or the way we handle personal information. Any updates will be published on this page, and the date at the top of the page will be revised.