Privacy Policy 

Effective Date: [05.06.2025]

1. Introduction Master Design Studio (“we,” “us,” “our,” “MDS”), located at 16-17 Caroline Street, Birmingham, B1 3TR, UK, is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of our clients, website visitors, and professional contacts. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, process, and protect your personal information when you visit our website ([MDS to Insert Website URL]), inquire about our services, or engage us as your architectural service provider. We adhere to the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
2. Information We Collect We may collect and process the following types of personal information: * Personal Identification Information: Your name, email address, phone number, postal address, and professional title. * Project-Related Information: Details about your property (including address), project requirements, design aspirations, budget information, site survey data, photographs of your property, and any other information necessary for us to provide our architectural services. * Communications Data: Records of your correspondence and communications with us, whether by email, phone, post, or in person. * Technical & Website Usage Data: When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain information, such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, pages viewed, and the dates/times of your visits. This may be collected using cookies (please see our Cookies section below). * Marketing Preferences: Your preferences for receiving marketing communications from us (e.g., via newsletter sign-ups from our blog or website). * Financial Information: Bank account details or payment card information for processing payments for our services.
3. How We Use Your Information We use your personal information for the following purposes: * To provide and manage our architectural services, including consultations, site visits, design development, preparing drawings and specifications, submitting planning applications and building regulations applications, and contract administration during construction. * To communicate effectively with you regarding your inquiries, projects, appointments, and to provide updates. * To prepare proposals, contracts, and invoices, and to process payments. * To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations (e.g., planning laws, building codes, health and safety requirements, tax and accounting obligations, professional body requirements). * To improve our website, services, and overall client experience. * For our legitimate business interests, such as internal record-keeping, business administration, and professional indemnity insurance purposes. * To send you marketing communications, such as newsletters, insights, or information about our services, only where we have your explicit consent to do so, or where otherwise permitted by law. You can opt-out of these communications at any time.
4. Legal Basis for Processing Your Personal Data Our legal basis for collecting and using the personal information described above will depend on the personal information concerned and the specific context in which we collect it. However, we will normally collect personal information from you only: * Where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with you (e.g., to deliver the architectural services you have engaged us for). * Where processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which MDS is subject. * Where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests (e.g., to respond to your inquiries, manage our business effectively, ensure the security of our systems), and not overridden by your data protection interests or fundamental rights and freedoms. * Where we have your explicit consent to do so (e.g., for sending marketing materials).
5. Data Sharing and Disclosure MDS will not sell your personal information. We may share your personal information with the following categories of third parties only where necessary: * Specialist Consultants & Sub-contractors: Such as structural engineers, mechanical & electrical engineers, quantity surveyors, planning consultants, party wall surveyors, approved inspectors, landscape architects, interior designers, and other consultants engaged to work on your project. * Local Authorities & Regulatory Bodies: Such as Birmingham City Council (or other relevant local planning authorities) for planning permissions, building control bodies for building regulations approval, and other statutory consultees. * Construction Contractors & Suppliers: Involved in the tendering or construction phase of your project. * IT & Software Service Providers: Who provide services such as website hosting, email services, cloud storage, project management software, and data backup. ([MDS to list specific types of providers if possible, e.g., “our CAD software provider,” “our cloud storage provider”]). * Professional Advisors: Such as our accountants, legal advisors, and insurance brokers. * Payment Processors: To securely process payments. * Legal Requirements: If required to do so by law, court order, or other legal process, or if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our clients or others.

We will ensure appropriate contractual safeguards are in place with third parties to protect your personal data.

6. Data Security We have implemented appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information from accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure, or access. These measures include [MDS to briefly describe general measures, e.g., secure data storage, access controls, staff training, encryption where appropriate]. However, please note that no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.
7. Data Retention We will retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy, including for the duration of your project and for a subsequent period as required to satisfy any legal, accounting, professional indemnity, or reporting requirements. Architectural project records are often required to be kept for extended periods (e.g., 6 to 15 years after project completion) to comply with professional obligations and for liability purposes. [MDS to determine and specify their retention periods or the criteria used to determine them, in consultation with legal advice].
8. Your Data Protection Rights Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights regarding your personal information: * The right to be informed: About how we collect and use your personal data. * The right of access: To request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. * The right to rectification: To request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information. * The right to erasure (the “right to be forgotten”): To request that we delete your personal information, in certain circumstances. * The right to restrict processing: To request that we limit the way we use your personal information, in certain circumstances. * The right to data portability: To request that we transfer your personal information to another organization, or to you, in certain circumstances. * The right to object: To our processing of your personal information, in certain circumstances (e.g., for direct marketing). * Rights related to automated decision-making and profiling: (MDS to confirm if any such processing takes place). * The right to withdraw consent: Where we are relying on your consent to process your personal information, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in Section 12.

9. Cookies Our website ([MDS to Insert Website URL]) uses cookies. Cookies are small text files placed on your device to collect standard Internet log information and visitor behavior information. We use cookies to [MDS to specify: e.g., improve website functionality, analyze website traffic, remember your preferences]. You can set your browser not to accept cookies, and the website [MDS to link to a reliable source, e.g., aboutcookies.org] tells you how to remove cookies from your browser. However, some of our website features may not function as a result. [MDS may wish to have a separate, more detailed Cookie Policy, linked here].
10. International Data Transfers Your personal information may be processed in or transferred to countries outside of the UK and the European Economic Area (EEA). If we do transfer your personal information outside the UK/EEA, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with UK GDPR requirements, such as an adequacy decision or Standard Contractual Clauses. [MDS to identify if they use services (e.g., cloud providers) that transfer data internationally and detail safeguards].
11. 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.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will post any changes on this page and update the “Effective Date” at the top of this policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.