Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy & Data Protection Statement

Darrington Architects Ltd (we, our or us) are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This policy (together with our terms of appointment document and any other subsequent appointment documents) explains how we will collect, store and use any personal information about you, so please read the following carefully.

Data protection principles

For the purposes of this policy, data protection law means: (i) until 25 May 2018 the Data Protection Act 1998 and then (ii) from 25 May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation ((EU) 2016/679) (GDPR) and any nationally implemented laws, regulations and secondary legalisation, as amended or updated in the UK and then (iii) any successor legislation to the GDPR or the Data Protection Act 1998. Darrington Architects will comply with data protection law.

Personal information we hold about you will be:

  • Used lawfully, fairly and in a transparent way;
  • Collected only for valid purposes that we have clearly explained to you and not used in any way that is incompatible with those purposes;
  • Relevant to the purposes of the scheme / project / development or that we have told you about and limited only to those purposes;
  • Accurate and kept up to date in line with the information made available to us;
  • Kept only for as long as necessary for the purposes of the scheme / project / development or that we have told you about;
  • Kept securely.

What information we hold about you

Personal data, or personal information, means any information about an individual from which that person can be identified. It does not include data where the identity has been removed (anonymous data). There are ‘special categories’ of more sensitive personal data which require a higher level of protection. We may collect, store and use the following information about you:

  • Information you give to Darrington Architects – You may give us information when you contact us, meet with us initially and / or throughout the duration of a scheme / project / development, during the appointment of Darrington Architects, for the purpose of us making applications on your behalf to Statutory Bodies (such as the planning department) or if you provide a testimonial. This information could include your name, address, email address, phone number, personal information on the arrangement of your home / business / land, personal information of your personal space and photographs.
  • Information we collect about you – We will gather information relevant for the purpose of undertaking the tasks associated with our appointment for your scheme / project / development and for no other purposes. This information will be stored as part of your ‘job file’ digitally or physically, depending on the nature of the gathered information.
  • Information we retrieve from other sources – We may gather historic information relating to previous planning permissions or works to your property / land through the relevant local authority websites, if required as part of the progression of your scheme / project / development.

How will we use your personal information?

Darrington Architects will use your information:

  • To communicate with you throughout the progression of our appointment for your scheme / project / development;
  • To progress your scheme / project / development and undertake our tasks in forming and realising your ambitions in our appointment;
  • For the completion and submission of applications to Statutory Bodies (such as the planning department) for your scheme / project / development only;
  • To contact you about a testimonial at an appropriate time of the scheme / project / development;
  • If or where we have a legal right or duty to use or disclose your information (for example in relation to an investigation by a public authority or in a legal dispute).

Sharing data with third parties

We do not transfer, sell or disclose your information to anyone for marketing purposes without your consent. However, during the progression of your scheme / project / development it may be necessary for us to share your contact details with third parties in the following circumstances:

  • Statutory Bodies (the local authority planning department, building control companies (private or local authority) and national planning appeal body;
  • Chosen tendering builders or contractors as part of the tender process and with your permission for the arrangement of access to the property / land and proposal drawings provided to enable a tender to be returned;
  • Chosen additional consultants (such as Structural Engineers, Drainage Surveyor, Asbestos Surveyor, Party Wall Surveyor etc.) as part of the progression of your scheme / project / development and with your permission for the arrangement of access to the property / land and proposal drawings provided to enable an assessment or professional report to be undertaken as required;
  • Chosen specialist consultant (e.g. Heating and Cooling Engineer, Technology Engineer, off-site Timber Frame Company, Stained Glass Artist or Log Burning Stove installer for example) as part of the progression of your scheme / project / development and with your permission for the arrangement of access to the property / land and proposal drawings provided to enable assessment or professional information to be provided as required.

Other third parties:

  • If we have to disclose information in order to comply with a legal obligation;
  • In order to enforce or apply the terms of our appointment with you;
  • To protect the rights, property or safety of Darrington Architects, our clients or others.

How long will we keep your information?

We will retain your personal information no longer than is necessary for the purpose we obtained it and at the completion or resolve of your scheme / project / development it will be archived and retained in accordance with RIBA recommendations, all drawings, information, data and correspondence will be retained from the initial contact with a client through to the end of the limitation period (6 or 12 years post contract / practical completion) and any limitation extension.

What are the consequences of failing to provide personal information or withdrawing consent?

If you fail to provide certain information when requested for the progression of a scheme / project / development:

  • We may not be able to fulfil our appointment or ambitions for your scheme / project / development as some information is critical for the purpose of submissions to Statutory Bodies;
  • We may be prevented from complying with our professional ARB Code of Conduct 2017 obligations;
  • You may not be able to achieve your envisaged scheme / project / development.

Informing us of changes

It is important that the personal information we hold about you is accurate and current. Please keep us informed if your personal information changes during our appointment.

Change of purpose

We will only use your personal information for the purposes for which we collected it, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another reason and that reason is compatible with the original purpose. If we need to use your personal information for an unrelated purpose, we will notify you and we will explain the legal basis which allows us to do so.

Marketing

We may contact you regarding the provision of a testimonial, if you are willing, and / or regarding the use of possible drawings and / or photographs of your scheme / project / development for our website or marketing information. We will ensure we have consent before any information is used.

What are your rights?

You have a right to obtain confirmation that your data is being used and access to your data. You can make a request to Darrington Architects directly for this information and this would include:

  • Confirm what personal data we hold about you;
  • Provide a copy of the data in commonly used electronic form; and
  • Provide any supporting explanatory information.

You may ask us to correct or remove information you think is inaccurate.

Right to withdraw consent

For marketing – You may object, or change your mind, to the processing of information about your scheme / project / development for marketing or website purposes.

For third parties – You can object to the processing of your information to third parties (as outlined in suggested legitimate groups above under ‘Sharing data with third parties’) and we will outline the consequences of not being able to do this in the context of the progression of your scheme / project / development.

Right to complain

If you have any concerns with how Darrington Architects keep and use your information, please contact us directly.

How we keep your information secure

We use a secure server at Darrington Architects and automated back up system to ensure electronic information remains secure and private and password protected. Hard copy / physical data such as survey information is stored within current job files for each client and kept securely at Darrington Architects. Once these are completed, the hard and electronic information is moved to archive folders, in both hard and electronic formats respectively at Darrington Architects.

We will maintain appropriate safeguards to ensure the security, integrity and privacy of your information and will take reasonable steps to try and ensure that third parties to whom we transfer any of your information for the purpose of progression of your scheme / project / development will provide sufficient protection of that information and / or provide means or information for you to ascertain their privacy policy and data protection information.

Changes to our privacy policy

We will regularly review this Privacy Policy and Data Protection Statement, taking into account any changes to the law and updating it as necessary to reflect any changes in our collection and use of personal data. Any changes we may make in the future will be available on this page and where appropriate notified to our clients.

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