Privacy Policy

Last updated: 6 February 2026

1. Introduction

Blacktide IT Solutions & Support ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting the privacy of our clients, website visitors, and partners. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This policy applies to all personal data processed through our website (blacktideit.com), our managed IT services, and any related communications.

2. Data Controller

Blacktide IT Solutions & Support is the data controller for the personal data described in this policy. If you have questions about how your data is handled, please contact us at support@blacktideit.com.

3. Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

  • Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, and company name provided through our contact form or quote builder.
  • Technical Data: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, and device information collected automatically when you visit our website.
  • Usage Data: Information about how you interact with our website, including pages visited, time spent, and navigation patterns.
  • Service Data: Information related to the IT services we provide, including service preferences indicated in our quote builder.

4. How We Use Your Data

We process your personal data for the following purposes:

  • To respond to your enquiries and provide requested information about our services
  • To generate and deliver customised service quotes
  • To provide, maintain, and improve our IT services
  • To communicate important updates about our services
  • To comply with legal obligations and protect our legitimate business interests
  • To ensure the security and proper functioning of our website

5. Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal data based on the following legal grounds under UK GDPR:

  • Consent: Where you have provided clear consent for us to process your data (e.g., submitting a contact form).
  • Contractual Necessity: Where processing is necessary to fulfil a contract or take pre-contractual steps at your request.
  • Legitimate Interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided these do not override your rights and freedoms.
  • Legal Obligation: Where processing is required to comply with applicable laws and regulations.

6. Data Sharing and Third Parties

We do not sell your personal data. We may share data with the following categories of third-party service providers who assist in delivering our services:

  • Cloud hosting and infrastructure providers (data storage and processing)
  • Communication and email service providers
  • Analytics providers (anonymised usage data only)

All third-party providers are contractually required to process data in accordance with UK GDPR and maintain appropriate security measures.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected. Contact form submissions and quote requests are retained for up to 24 months unless you request earlier deletion. Technical and usage data is retained for up to 12 months in anonymised form.

8. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

  • Right of Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
  • Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data where there is no compelling reason for continued processing.
  • Right to Restrict Processing: Request that we limit how we use your data.
  • Right to Data Portability: Request a machine-readable copy of data you have provided to us.
  • Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at support@blacktideit.com. We will respond within 30 days.

9. Cookies

Our website uses essential cookies required for the site to function properly. We may also use analytics cookies to understand how visitors interact with our website. You can manage your cookie preferences through the cookie consent banner displayed when you first visit our site. For more details on the cookies we use, please refer to the cookie consent settings.

10. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption in transit and at rest, access controls, regular security assessments, and employee training on data protection.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable legislation. Any significant changes will be communicated through our website. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

12. Contact and Complaints

If you have questions or concerns about this policy or our data practices, please contact us at support@blacktideit.com.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection. Visit ico.org.uk for more information.