Privacy Policy

Effective date: 30 July 2026

Version: 2026-07-30-v1.1

Privacy and data protection at a glance

TradeKind is designed to help homeowners and independent trade businesses connect while keeping private information away from public profile pages.

• Homeowner contact details, full postcodes and job photographs are not published publicly.
• Private trade email addresses and phone numbers are not displayed on public trade profiles.
• Job photographs and credential evidence are stored privately and made available only to authorised recipients through restricted access.
• Underlying credential evidence documents are not published.
• Approved public profiles contain only information intended for public display.
• TradeKind uses first-party analytics and does not currently use third-party behavioural analytics, advertising-retargeting pixels or fingerprinting.
• TradeKind does not sell personal information.
• TradeKind’s core database, authentication and storage services are hosted in the European Economic Area.
• Users can ask to access, correct, restrict or delete personal information, subject to applicable legal requirements.
• Privacy questions and requests can be sent to hello@tradekind.co.uk.

1. Who controls your personal information

The data controller is:

Neal Drummond, a sole trader trading as TradeKind

Address:

17 Monks Court, Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 9BD

Contact details:

• Email: hello@tradekind.co.uk
• Support: support@tradekind.co.uk
• Telephone: 01273 011350

Neal Drummond trading as TradeKind is the data controller for personal information processed to operate TradeKind, except where another organisation acts as a separate controller for its own purposes.

2. Scope of this policy

This Privacy Policy explains how TradeKind processes personal information when someone:

• visits or browses TradeKind;
• creates or manages an account;
• signs in using email or Google;
• creates or manages a trade profile;
• uploads trade-profile images;
• submits credential evidence;
• posts a homeowner job;
• requests a particular trade business;
• receives or responds to a lead;
• submits or manages a review;
• sends a message or support enquiry;
• joins or manages a Fleet, Team or Partner relationship;
• enables browser or device notifications;
• connects an authorised third-party service;
• enters the TradeKind Share Prize as an approved trade user;
• uses another interactive TradeKind feature.

This policy should be read with TradeKind’s Terms of Use and Cookie Policy.

3. Personal information TradeKind collects

Depending on how TradeKind is used, personal information may include:

Account and authentication information

• name;
• email address;
• internal user and account identifiers;
• account role;
• authentication provider;
• email-confirmation status;
• login, session and account-security information;
• information supplied by Google when a user chooses Google sign-in.

TradeKind does not receive or store a user’s Google password.

Legal acknowledgement information

TradeKind may record:

• the date and time the Terms of Use were accepted;
• the Terms version accepted;
• the date and time the Privacy Policy was acknowledged;
• the Privacy Policy version acknowledged;
• the source of the acknowledgement.

These records help TradeKind operate accounts, demonstrate what information was presented and handle disputes or compliance enquiries.

Homeowner job and request information

This may include:

• name;
• email address;
• phone number;
• town;
• full postcode;
• selected trade category;
• job title and description;
• property, access, parking or safety information;
• job photographs;
• the trade business requested;
• submission, matching and status information;
• communications concerning the request.

Trade-profile information

This may include:

• business and trading name;
• profile owner or account-holder information;
• business description;
• services and categories;
• base town and service areas;
• website;
• business images, logos and gallery photographs;
• availability and profile information;
• public review information;
• profile approval and moderation status;
• private business contact information;
• information used to administer Fleet, Team and Partner relationships.

Credential information

This may include:

• credential, licence, registration or certification type;
• registration or reference number;
• issue and expiry information;
• supporting evidence;
• review status;
• administrator review records;
• reasons for requesting changes or declining evidence.

The supporting document itself is stored privately and is not published.

Review, complaint and moderation information

This may include:

• review text and rating;
• review author and account information;
• relevant job or request linkage;
• confirmation and moderation status;
• reports and challenges;
• business responses;
• supporting correspondence;
• complaint details;
• administrator notes and audit records.

Communications and notification information

This may include:

• support enquiries;
• service emails;
• email-delivery information;
• notification preferences;
• browser-push subscription information;
• device or browser information associated with push delivery;
• unsubscribe or communication-preference records.

Technical, security and analytics information

This may include:

• first-party page and feature events;
• session identifiers;
• device and browser information;
• timestamps;
• security and audit records;
• rate-limiting information;
• error or delivery records;
• information needed to investigate misuse or protect accounts.

TradeKind’s first-party analytics do not store email addresses, phone numbers, postal addresses, message content, passwords, authentication tokens or raw IP addresses.

4. Where personal information comes from

TradeKind normally receives personal information directly from the person using the platform.

Information may also come from:

• Google, where a user chooses Google sign-in;
• a homeowner submitting a request involving a particular trade business;
• a trade business adding authorised Team or Partner information;
• another user referring to a person or business in a review, report or complaint;
• a connected service that the relevant user has authorised;
• service providers supplying delivery, authentication, security or technical records.

Where someone provides information about another person, they must have a lawful reason and appropriate authority to do so.

5. Public and private information

Information that may be public

Approved public profile information may include:

• business name;
• public business description;
• services and categories;
• base town and service areas;
• public website;
• approved logos, cover images and gallery photographs;
• public Fleet, Team or Partner information;
• published review content;
• appropriate credential type, review status, review date or recorded expiry information.

Information kept private

TradeKind does not publish:

• homeowner contact details;
• full homeowner postcodes;
• homeowner job photographs;
• private trade email addresses or phone numbers;
• private leads and direct requests;
• underlying credential evidence;
• private dashboards;
• authentication records;
• legal-acknowledgement records;
• private messages and support records;
• administrator notes;
• internal security and audit records.

Private information may still be disclosed to authorised recipients where necessary to provide the requested service, investigate a concern, protect the platform or comply with law.

6. How TradeKind uses personal information

TradeKind may use personal information to:

• create, authenticate and secure accounts;
• provide dashboards and account features;
• create, review and publish trade profiles;
• review credential evidence;
• receive and process homeowner jobs;
• send direct requests to a selected trade business;
• identify potentially relevant trade businesses;
• provide leads and service notifications;
• enable communication between users;
• publish and moderate reviews;
• investigate reports and complaints;
• prevent fake accounts, spam, fraud and platform abuse;
• protect users, TradeKind and third parties;
• maintain records of legal acknowledgements;
• operate authorised integrations and connected services;
• administer Share Prize entries, entry reviews, winner records, complaints and prize fulfilment;
• provide customer support;
• send essential service communications;
• send optional marketing where permitted;
• operate first-party analytics and understand how TradeKind is used;
• improve platform quality, accessibility, reliability and security;
• establish, exercise or defend legal claims;
• comply with legal and regulatory obligations.

TradeKind does not sell personal information.

TradeKind does not currently use personal information to create third-party behavioural-advertising or cross-site advertising profiles.

7. Lawful bases

TradeKind relies on different lawful bases depending on the processing involved.

Contract and steps requested before a contract

This may apply where processing is necessary to:

• create and operate an account;
• receive a homeowner job or direct request;
• provide a trade profile;
• provide leads, dashboards and requested platform features;
• deliver an authorised connected service.

Legitimate interests

TradeKind may rely on legitimate interests where processing is necessary and proportionate to:

• operate a useful Sussex trade marketplace;
• publish and maintain accurate trade profiles;
• match relevant jobs and trade businesses;
• protect users and private information;
• prevent fraud, spam and platform abuse;
• review credentials and profile information;
• moderate reviews and investigate complaints;
• maintain audit and legal-acknowledgement records;
• understand platform performance through limited first-party analytics;
• establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

TradeKind considers the effect on the people concerned and does not rely on legitimate interests where their rights and interests override TradeKind’s interests.

Consent

Consent may be used for:

• optional marketing;
• browser or device push notifications;
• particular optional integrations or features where consent is appropriate.

Consent can be withdrawn at any time. Withdrawal does not make earlier lawful processing unlawful.

Legal obligations

TradeKind may process information where necessary to comply with legal, tax, accounting, regulatory, court or law-enforcement requirements.

8. Accounts, authentication and legal acknowledgements

Account information is used to provide and secure the requested account.

Where Google sign-in is selected, Google supplies the account information needed for authentication. Google processes information under its own privacy terms.

TradeKind records relevant Terms and Privacy acknowledgement information to maintain reliable legal and compliance records.

Updating this Privacy Policy does not automatically mean every existing user must provide a new acknowledgement. TradeKind will request a new action where required by law or where a material new use genuinely requires it.

9. Homeowner jobs and direct requests

A homeowner may:

• post a job for potentially relevant approved trade businesses; or
• request a particular trade business.

TradeKind uses information such as category, job description, town and service area to identify or notify potentially relevant businesses.

Private homeowner contact information may be made available to:

• the specifically requested trade business;
• relevant approved trade businesses receiving the lead;
• authorised TradeKind administrators;
• contracted providers acting for TradeKind where technically necessary.

Job photographs remain private and are made available only through restricted access to authorised recipients.

A homeowner should not upload identity documents, bank details, payment-card information or unnecessary images of identifiable people.

10. Trade profiles

TradeKind uses submitted business information to:

• create and manage profiles;
• review profiles before publication;
• display approved public information;
• operate category, location and directory pages;
• provide leads and direct requests;
• investigate profile concerns;
• maintain platform quality.

Public profile information may be seen, indexed, cached or analysed by search engines, social platforms, directories and AI-powered services.

Private trade contact details remain separate from public profile information.

10A. Business profiles created from public information

TradeKind may prepare an unclaimed business profile using information that a business has made publicly available, so that homeowners can find local trades and so the business can review, correct, claim or ask us to remove its profile.

What this may include

• business or trading name;
• services and trade categories;
• general service areas or towns covered;
• public website;
• publicly stated qualifications or business information;
• public business email or telephone details, stored privately for verification.

Where the information may come from

• the business's own website;
• public business directories;
• public professional listings;
• other public sources TradeKind reasonably believes relate to that business.

Why TradeKind does this

• to help homeowners find local trades;
• to improve the usefulness and accuracy of the Sussex directory;
• to allow the business to review, correct, claim or request removal of its profile;
• to prevent fraudulent or unauthorised claims.

How contact details are handled

• Stored business email addresses and telephone numbers are not displayed publicly.
• They may be used privately for limited claim verification, correction, removal or security communications.
• Unclaimed profiles are labelled as unclaimed.
• Under current TradeKind rules, unclaimed profiles are not search-indexed.
• Claim attempts and limited security records may be processed to confirm control of a stored contact route, enforce rate limits, prevent misuse and maintain an audit trail.

Lawful basis

TradeKind relies on legitimate interests (see section 7) in operating an accurate and safe local trade directory and in protecting the platform from fraudulent or unauthorised claims. TradeKind balances this against the rights and reasonable expectations of the business and the individuals involved, and does not rely on legitimate interests where those rights and interests override TradeKind's.

Information relating to unclaimed profiles, claim attempts and claim security records is kept in line with section 21 (How long information is kept).

What verification does and does not prove

A successful email claim confirms control of the contact route already held on the profile. It does not verify professional competence, identity documents, insurance, qualifications or regulatory approval, and TradeKind does not independently verify every business, qualification or statement.

Your choices

A business, or a person affected by a profile, may ask TradeKind to:

• provide access to the information held;
• correct inaccurate information;
• claim the profile;
• restrict or object to the processing, where applicable;
• remove the profile.

Use the contact page or email hello@tradekind.co.uk.

11. Credential evidence

Trade businesses may submit evidence relating to a credential, licence, registration or certification.

TradeKind uses that information to:

• review the particular credential;
• request clarification or replacement evidence;
• record review and expiry information;
• display appropriate reviewed-status information;
• investigate inaccurate or fraudulent claims;
• maintain relevant moderation and audit records.

Credential evidence is stored privately.

The underlying document is not published.

Where appropriate, a public profile may display limited information such as:

• credential type;
• reviewed status;
• date reviewed;
• recorded expiry date.

Trade businesses should upload only the evidence reasonably needed to support the credential and should avoid uploading unrelated documents or information.

12. Reviews, complaints and moderation

TradeKind processes review information to:

• publish genuine customer feedback;
• distinguish confirmed TradeKind reviews from additional customer feedback;
• investigate suspicious or manipulated reviews;
• moderate unlawful, abusive or misleading content;
• allow reports and challenges;
• respond to complaints;
• protect users and maintain reliable review information.

Published review content is public.

Private complaint correspondence, investigation records and administrator notes are not published unless disclosure is required by law or necessary to deal fairly with the issue.

Users should not include private contact details, financial information or unnecessary personal information about other people in reviews.

13. Fleets, Team members and Partner trades

A trade business may submit information about Team members or Partner trades.

The person submitting that information must:

• have authority to provide it;
• describe the relationship accurately;
• obtain any permission needed for public display;
• keep the information current;
• remove or update information that is no longer accurate.

TradeKind may contact an affected person or business where a relationship is disputed.

14. Service communications, marketing and push notifications

TradeKind may send service communications relating to:

• account security;
• profile status;
• jobs and leads;
• direct requests;
• credential review;
• moderation;
• support;
• legal or policy changes;
• platform operation.

These messages are not optional where they are necessary to provide or protect the service.

Optional marketing is handled separately and can be stopped using the available unsubscribe method.

Browser or device push notifications are only sent where the user enables them. Push delivery may involve the browser, operating-system or device provider. Push permission can be withdrawn through the browser, device or TradeKind settings where available.

15. Cookies, local storage and first-party analytics

TradeKind uses cookies and browser storage for purposes including:

• authentication and session security;
• maintaining the requested login or OAuth flow;
• remembering interface preferences;
• supporting the Progressive Web App;
• preventing repeated events within a session;
• measuring first-party platform usage;
• remembering optional sharing or installation choices.

TradeKind currently operates first-party analytics without Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, Microsoft Clarity, Hotjar, third-party behavioural analytics, advertising-retargeting pixels or fingerprinting.

Further information is available in the Cookie Policy.

15A. TradeKind Share Prize

TradeKind may operate a monthly Share Prize for approved trade businesses.

When a business enters, TradeKind may collect and use:

• business ID
• owner user ID
• draw month
• sharing method
• public social-media post URL where applicable
• private Instagram Story evidence where applicable
• entry status
• review status and timestamps
• concise internal moderation or rejection information
• terms version and agreement timestamp
• winner status
• prize-notification and fulfilment records

For WhatsApp and text-message entries, TradeKind records the entrant’s declaration that a genuine qualifying share occurred.

TradeKind does not require or retain:

• the recipient’s name
• the recipient’s telephone number
• contact-list information
• WhatsApp conversation content
• text-message content
• screenshots of private conversations

Private Instagram Story evidence is available only to authorised TradeKind administrators and is not published on the business profile.

TradeKind uses this information to:

• administer entries
• enforce monthly entry limits
• review public social-media evidence
• prevent duplicate or fraudulent entries
• maintain fair promotion records
• record the externally selected winner
• contact and verify the winner
• arrange and document prize payment
• handle complaints
• demonstrate that the promotion was administered fairly
• meet legal, tax and accounting obligations

TradeKind may rely on:

Contract

To administer the Share Prize in accordance with the terms accepted by the entrant.

Legitimate interests

To operate the promotion, review entries, prevent abuse, maintain fair records and protect TradeKind and participating businesses.

Legal obligation

To retain records where required for tax, accounting, regulatory or legal purposes.

TradeKind intends to:

• delete private non-winning Instagram Story evidence 90 days after the relevant result is published
• retain non-winning entry metadata for up to 24 months
• retain winner, prize-payment and accounting records for up to six years
• retain relevant records for longer where reasonably required for a complaint, dispute, fraud investigation or legal obligation

The full promotion rules are available in the TradeKind Share Prize terms.

16. Connected services, automation and authorised integrations

TradeKind uses contracted providers and authorised integrations to operate the platform.

These may include:

• Supabase and Lovable Cloud for database, authentication and private or public storage;
• Lovable and its infrastructure providers for platform operation;
• Resend for email delivery;
• Google for optional sign-in;
• browser and device providers for push notifications;
• Make.com for authorised content automation;
• authorised SEO partner integrations;
• third-party AI, agent or MCP services connected by the relevant user.

Where a user chooses to connect an external service, TradeKind may disclose information and permit actions within the permissions authorised for that connection.

The external service may process information under its own terms and privacy notice. Users should review those terms before connecting it.

TradeKind does not provide unrestricted access to private user information merely because an integration exists.

17. Who receives personal information

Personal information may be disclosed to:

• the trade business selected by a homeowner;
• approved trade businesses matched to a relevant job;
• authorised TradeKind administrators;
• contracted hosting, database, authentication, storage and email providers;
• providers supporting browser or device notifications;
• services connected or authorised by the relevant user;
• professional advisers where genuinely necessary;
• courts, regulators, law-enforcement authorities or public bodies where disclosure is lawful and necessary;
• another organisation involved in a lawful business transfer, subject to appropriate protections.

TradeKind requires service providers acting on its behalf to process information only for the relevant contracted purpose and in accordance with applicable data-protection requirements.

18. Independent trade businesses

Trade businesses using TradeKind are independent businesses.

Once a trade business lawfully receives homeowner information to consider, quote for or perform requested work, it may become independently responsible for how it uses that information for its own business purposes.

This may include:

• responding to the request;
• arranging an appointment;
• preparing a quote;
• providing the agreed service;
• maintaining lawful business and tax records;
• handling a complaint or legal claim.

TradeKind does not control every later use made by an independent trade business.

Trade businesses must comply with applicable data-protection law and TradeKind’s platform rules.

19. International processing and transfers

TradeKind’s core database, authentication and storage services are currently hosted in the European Economic Area, in Germany.

Some other service providers, browser providers, connected services or support systems may process information in the United Kingdom, European Economic Area, United States or other countries.

Where personal information is processed outside the United Kingdom, the processing remains subject to applicable UK data-protection requirements.

Information about the location and safeguards relevant to a particular provider can be requested from:

hello@tradekind.co.uk

20. How TradeKind protects personal information

TradeKind uses proportionate technical and organisational safeguards designed to reduce the risk of unauthorised access, loss, alteration, disclosure or misuse.

Safeguards include:

• account authentication;
• role-based access controls;
• restricted administrative access;
• database access controls;
• private storage for homeowner job photographs and credential evidence;
• time-limited links for authorised access to private files;
• server-side checks and validation;
• audit and security records;
• rate-limiting and abuse-prevention controls;
• separation of public profile information from private account information.

Access is limited according to the person’s role and the feature being used.

These safeguards reduce risk, although no online service can guarantee that every security incident will be prevented.

Users should protect login details and report suspected unauthorised access promptly.

21. How long information is kept

TradeKind keeps personal information only for as long as it is reasonably needed for the purpose for which it was collected and for appropriate legal, security and operational reasons.

Factors used to decide retention include:

• whether an account or profile remains active;
• whether a job, request, lead or review remains active or relevant;
• whether information is needed to provide the service;
• whether a complaint, dispute, moderation issue or legal claim exists;
• fraud and abuse-prevention needs;
• account and platform security;
• legal, tax, accounting and regulatory obligations;
• the sensitivity and volume of the information;
• whether the information can be deleted or anonymised safely.

TradeKind periodically reviews retained information and may delete, anonymise or restrict information that is no longer needed.

Closing an account or removing a public profile does not necessarily require immediate deletion of every associated record.

TradeKind may retain limited information where necessary for:

• legal compliance;
• fraud prevention;
• security;
• complaints and disputes;
• enforcement of the Terms of Use;
• establishing, exercising or defending legal claims;
• maintaining reliable audit and legal-acknowledgement records.

Where information is removed from live systems, temporary copies may remain in service-provider backup, security or delivery systems until the relevant provider’s normal cycle completes.

22. Data-protection rights

Depending on the circumstances and lawful basis, a person may have the right to:

• ask for access to personal information;
• ask for inaccurate information to be corrected;
• ask for incomplete information to be completed;
• ask for personal information to be erased;
• ask for processing to be restricted;
• object to particular processing;
• receive certain information in a portable format;
• withdraw consent where consent is relied upon;
• complain about how personal information is used.

Rights are subject to legal conditions and exceptions.

A request can be made by emailing:

hello@tradekind.co.uk

TradeKind may request proportionate information to confirm identity and protect personal information from unauthorised disclosure or alteration.

TradeKind will normally respond without undue delay and within one month. A longer period may apply where permitted for a complex request, in which case the requester will be informed.

Requests are normally free, although the law permits a reasonable fee or refusal in limited circumstances involving manifestly unfounded or excessive requests.

Account and profile deletion is currently handled through an admin-assisted request rather than an automatic self-service deletion button.

23. Right to object

A person has the right to object where TradeKind relies on legitimate interests to process their personal information.

An objection can be sent to:

hello@tradekind.co.uk

TradeKind will consider the objection and stop the relevant processing unless there are compelling legitimate grounds to continue or the information is needed to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim.

A person can object to direct marketing at any time. TradeKind will stop using their information for that direct-marketing purpose.

24. Children

TradeKind accounts, homeowner job submissions, direct requests and trade profiles are intended for people aged 18 or over.

TradeKind does not require a date of birth or identity document merely to confirm age.

TradeKind does not knowingly invite children to create accounts or submit homeowner jobs.

Where TradeKind learns that personal information was submitted by or about a child without an appropriate reason or authority, TradeKind may remove, restrict or investigate the information.

Users should not upload unnecessary images or information relating to children.

25. Sensitive information and information about other people

TradeKind does not normally ask users to provide health, disability, ethnicity, religion, biometric information, criminal-offence information or other special-category information.

Free-text descriptions, photographs, credentials, reviews or complaints may nevertheless contain sensitive information.

Users should not provide sensitive information unless it is genuinely necessary and lawful.

Users must not upload:

• payment-card details;
• bank-account information;
• unrelated identity documents;
• unnecessary medical information;
• unnecessary images of identifiable people;
• information about another person without an appropriate reason or authority.

Where sensitive information is received, TradeKind will restrict its use to what is necessary and permitted by law.

26. Matching and automated processing

TradeKind may use categories, job descriptions, towns, postcodes and service-area information to help identify potentially relevant trade businesses.

A match does not guarantee that:

• a business will respond;
• a business will quote;
• a homeowner will appoint the business;
• work will be completed;
• a particular outcome will result.

Automated checks may also flag activity for administrator review.

TradeKind does not currently make decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects for users.

Final profile approval, credential review, review moderation and account-sanction decisions are made or reviewed by authorised people.

27. Personal-data incidents

Where TradeKind becomes aware of a suspected personal-data incident, TradeKind will:

• investigate what happened;
• take proportionate steps to contain the issue;
• assess the information and people affected;
• preserve relevant records;
• reduce continuing risk;
• notify service providers where appropriate;
• notify the Information Commissioner’s Office where required;
• inform affected people where required by law.

Where a report to the Information Commissioner’s Office is legally required, TradeKind will make it without undue delay and, where feasible, within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach.

Where a breach is likely to create a high risk to an affected person’s rights and freedoms, TradeKind will inform that person without undue delay where required.

28. Public pages, search engines and AI services

Approved trade profiles and other public TradeKind pages may be:

• indexed by search engines;
• cached by third-party services;
• shown in social previews;
• analysed by AI-powered search or answer services;
• included in public directories or archives.

TradeKind does not publish private dashboards, homeowner contact information, full homeowner postcodes, private job photographs or underlying credential evidence as public web pages.

Removing information from TradeKind may not immediately remove copies already cached or indexed by an independent third-party service.

29. Changes to this policy

TradeKind may update this policy to reflect:

• changes to TradeKind;
• changes in law or regulatory guidance;
• new or changed service providers;
• security and operational improvements;
• clearer explanations of existing processing;
• new features that use personal information.

The current version and effective date will be displayed on this page.

Where a material change affects registered users, TradeKind will provide appropriate notice.

TradeKind will explain a materially new use before beginning that use where required.

30. Complaints and the Information Commissioner’s Office

Privacy concerns should first be sent to:

hello@tradekind.co.uk

TradeKind will review the concern and may request further information where needed.

A person who remains dissatisfied may complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Information Commissioner’s Office Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

Website: ico.org.uk

31. Contact

TradeKind

Operated by:

Neal Drummond, a sole trader trading as TradeKind

Address:

17 Monks Court, Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 9BD

For privacy questions or requests, email hello@tradekind.co.uk.

• Support: support@tradekind.co.uk
• Telephone: 01273 011350