1. Who We Are

Auto Mechanix is an independent car garage based in Stoke-on-Trent. We are the data controller for the personal information we collect through our website and booking system.

• Business name: Auto Mechanix
• Address: Unit 2 Melville House, Melville Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST3 4PZ
• Phone: 07491 155581
• Email: info@automechanix.co.uk
• Website: automechanix.co.uk

For any questions about this privacy policy or your personal data, please contact us using the details above.

2. What Personal Data We Collect

We collect the following personal data when you use our online booking system or contact us:

Information you provide directly

• Your full name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Vehicle registration number (number plate)
• Any additional notes or requests you include when booking

Information obtained automatically

• Vehicle details retrieved from the DVLA database based on your registration number (make, model, colour, year of manufacture, fuel type, MOT expiry date)
• Booking reference number generated by our system
• Date and time of your booking

Technical information

• We do not currently use analytics or tracking cookies on our website. Our site uses only essential session cookies required for the website to function correctly.

3. Why We Collect Your Data (Lawful Basis)

We collect and process your personal data for the following purposes, under the lawful bases permitted by UK GDPR:

Performance of a contract (Article 6(1)(b))

• To process and confirm your booking for MOT testing, servicing, repairs or other garage services
• To send you a booking confirmation by email
• To contact you about your appointment (for example, if we need to reschedule or discuss your vehicle)
• To look up your vehicle details using your registration number so we can prepare for your appointment

Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f))

• To maintain accurate booking records for our garage operations
• To improve our services and customer experience
• To respond to enquiries you send us by phone, email or through the website

Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c))

• To keep records of transactions for tax and accounting purposes as required by HMRC
• To comply with MOT testing record-keeping requirements set by the DVSA

4. How We Use Your Data

When you book an appointment through our website, your data is used in the following ways:

• Google Calendar: Your booking details (name, vehicle, service type, date and time) are stored as a calendar event in our Google Calendar system. This is how our team manages the workshop schedule and knows which vehicles are booked in each day.
• Email confirmation: We send you a confirmation email to the address you provide, containing your booking details, our address and contact information. A copy of this email is also sent to our bookings inbox so our team has a record.
• Notifications to our team: When a booking is made, our garage team receives a notification via WhatsApp or Telegram so they can prepare for your arrival. This notification contains your booking details but is only visible to our staff.
• Vehicle lookup: Your registration number is sent to the DVLA API to retrieve basic vehicle information. This helps us confirm your vehicle details and check your MOT expiry date. We do not store any data from the DVLA beyond what is shown to you during the booking process and saved in your appointment record.

5. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate our booking system. These services may process your data as described below:

• Google Calendar API (Google LLC): Used to store and manage booking appointments. Google acts as a data processor on our behalf. Google's privacy policy applies to their handling of data: policies.google.com/privacy
• Twilio (Twilio Inc.): Used to send WhatsApp and SMS notifications to our garage team when a booking is made. Twilio processes limited booking data (name, vehicle, service, date/time) to deliver these messages. Twilio's privacy policy: twilio.com/legal/privacy
• DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service: Used to look up basic vehicle information from a registration number. The DVLA API is a UK government service. Only the registration number is sent; no personal data is transmitted to the DVLA.
• Gmail SMTP (Google LLC): Used to send booking confirmation emails to customers. Google acts as a data processor for email delivery.
• Vercel Inc.: Our website is hosted on Vercel. Vercel may process technical data (such as IP addresses) as part of delivering web pages. Vercel's privacy policy: vercel.com/legal/privacy-policy

We do not sell, rent or share your personal data with any third parties for marketing purposes.

6. How Long We Keep Your Data

• Booking records: We retain booking records (including your name, contact details, vehicle information and service history) for up to 6 years. This is necessary for tax and accounting purposes as required by HMRC, and to maintain service history records for your vehicle.
• Email correspondence: Emails relating to bookings and customer enquiries are retained for up to 6 years.
• Google Calendar events: Booking events remain in our calendar system for operational purposes and are reviewed periodically.

After the retention period, your data will be securely deleted or anonymised.

7. How We Protect Your Data

We take reasonable measures to protect your personal data, including:

• Our website uses HTTPS encryption to protect data transmitted between your browser and our servers
• Access to booking data and customer records is restricted to authorised staff only
• Third-party services we use (Google, Twilio, Vercel) maintain their own security measures and certifications
• We do not store payment card information — all payments are taken in person at our garage

8. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to rectification: You can ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete data we hold about you.
• Right to erasure: You can ask us to delete your personal data, subject to any legal obligations we have to retain certain records (such as tax records).
• Right to restrict processing: You can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
• Right to data portability: You can request that we provide your data in a commonly used, machine-readable format.
• Right to object: You can object to us processing your personal data where we are relying on legitimate interests as the lawful basis.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@automechanix.co.uk or call us on 07491 155581. We will respond to your request within one month, as required by law.

If you are not satisfied with how we handle your data or your request, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

• Website: ico.org.uk
• Phone: 0303 123 1113

9. Cookies

Our website uses only essential cookies that are necessary for the site to function. We do not currently use any analytics, advertising or tracking cookies.

Essential cookies may include:

• Session cookies: Temporary cookies that are deleted when you close your browser. These are used to maintain your session as you navigate the site (for example, during the booking process).

Because we only use strictly necessary cookies, we do not require your consent to set them. If we introduce any non-essential cookies in the future, we will update this policy and provide you with the option to accept or decline them.

10. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed at individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services or legal requirements. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy, your personal data, or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us:

• Email: info@automechanix.co.uk
• Phone: 07491 155581
• Address: Auto Mechanix, Unit 2 Melville House, Melville Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST3 4PZ