Legal
Privacy Policy
Last updated: 7 October 2026
This policy explains what personal information Devon Drainage Services Ltd collects when you visit our website, call or email us, or book a job with us, how we use it, and the choices you have.
1. Who we are
Devon Drainage Services Ltd is the data controller for the personal information described in this policy. That means we decide how and why it's used, and we're responsible for looking after it.
- Company number 17453183, registered in England and Wales
- Registered office: Office 6, 8 Broad Street, Ottery Saint Mary, United Kingdom, EX11 1BZ
- Email: info@devondrainageservices.co.uk
- Phone: 0330 912 4668
If you have any questions about this policy or your information, email us and we'll get back to you.
2. What we collect
When you phone us
The phone numbers on our website are provided by our call tracking provider. When you call, it logs your phone number, the date, time and length of the call, and which advert or web page led you to call. Calls are recorded, so we also hold a recording of the conversation. We also keep a note of what you tell us about the job.
When you email us
Your email address, your name if you give it, and whatever you include in your message.
When we quote for or carry out a job
Your name, the address of the property, your contact details, details of the drainage problem, photos and CCTV survey footage of the drains, and the information we need to invoice you and take payment.
When you visit our website
Information about your visit, such as how you found us (for example, the Google advert you clicked), the pages you viewed and the type of device and browser you used. Some of this is collected using cookies and similar technology — see Cookies and call tracking.
3. How we use it and why
Data protection law requires us to have a lawful basis for each way we use your information. These are ours:
| What we use it for | Lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Answering your call or email, giving you a quote and arranging a visit | Taking steps at your request before entering into a contract |
| Carrying out the work, sending reports and survey footage, invoicing and taking payment | Performing our contract with you |
| Keeping financial and tax records | Legal obligation |
| Recording phone calls, so we have an accurate record of what was discussed and agreed, can resolve complaints or disputes, and can train our team | Legitimate interests — keeping accurate records and maintaining the quality of our service |
| Recording which advert or web page led to a call, so we know which advertising works | Legitimate interests — understanding and improving our advertising |
| Telling Google Ads when an enquiry from one of our adverts turns into a job, by sending Google a scrambled (hashed) copy of your phone number or email address along with the ad click ID | Legitimate interests — measuring and improving our advertising |
| Google Ads and Google Analytics cookies that measure our advertising and how the website is used | Your consent, which you can give or refuse on our cookie banner |
| Dealing with complaints, warranty claims and legal claims | Legitimate interests — protecting our business |
Where we rely on legitimate interests, we've weighed our interests against yours, and you have the right to object (see Your rights). We don't sell your information, and we don't send you marketing.
Sending information to Google Ads
If you contact us after clicking one of our Google adverts, our call tracking provider may tell Google Ads that the enquiry turned into a job. It sends a hashed (scrambled, one-way) version of your phone number or email address, the ad click ID and the job value. Google uses it only to match the enquiry to the ad click so it can report how our adverts perform. Google never receives your name, address or the content of your call. The information is sent with consent signals that tell Google what it's allowed to use it for.
4. Cookies and call tracking
Cookies are small files saved by your browser. Some websites also use your browser's local storage, which works in a similar way. We use the following:
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Lasts | When it's set |
|---|---|---|---|---|
dds_consent (local storage) | Us | Remembers whether you accepted or rejected cookies | 12 months | When you choose on the cookie banner — strictly necessary |
_ct_attr_… (cookie and local storage), _ct_session_… (local storage) | Our call tracking provider | Records how you found us (for example, the Google Ads click ID and campaign) and shows you a tracking phone number, so we know which advert led to your call | Up to 30 days | When the page loads |
_gcl_au | Google Ads | Measures whether visits from our adverts lead to enquiries | 90 days | Only if you accept |
_ga, _ga_… | Google Analytics | Counts visits and shows how the website is used | Up to 2 years | Only if you accept |
If you reject cookies, Google's tag still sends limited signals that don't use cookies or identify you (for example, that a page was viewed). Google uses these to estimate how many enquiries our adverts produce overall.
The map on our homepage is provided by Google Maps and loads from Google when you scroll down to it. Google may set its own cookies when the map loads; see how Google uses cookies.
You can change your choice at any time: . You can also clear or block cookies in your browser settings.
5. Who we share it with
We only share your information with organisations that help us run the business, and only what they need:
- Our call tracking provider — provides our phone numbers, connects and records calls, and helps us manage enquiries
- Google — Google Ads, Google Analytics and Google Maps
- Cloudflare — hosts our website and protects it from attacks
- Our email provider — to send and receive email
- Our accountants and payment providers — to manage invoices, payments and tax
We may also share information if the law requires it, for example with HMRC, or to protect our legal rights.
6. Transfers outside the UK
Some of these providers, including Google and Cloudflare, may process information outside the UK. Where they do, the transfer is protected by safeguards recognised under UK data protection law, such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement, the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, or the UK Extension to the EU–US Data Privacy Framework.
7. How long we keep it
- Enquiries that don't become a job: up to 12 months, so we can follow up if you get back in touch
- Job records, invoices and payment records: 6 years after the job, as required for tax and accounting
- Call recordings: up to 12 months, or longer if we need a recording to deal with a complaint or dispute
- Call tracking records: for as long as our call tracking provider keeps them for us, and no longer than 6 years
- Cookies: for the periods shown in the cookie table
8. Your rights
Under UK data protection law you have the right to:
- ask for a copy of the information we hold about you
- ask us to correct information that's wrong or incomplete
- ask us to delete your information
- ask us to limit how we use your information
- object to us using your information where we rely on legitimate interests
- ask us to transfer your information to another organisation
- withdraw your consent to cookies at any time, using
To use any of these rights, email info@devondrainageservices.co.uk. We'll respond within one month. There's no charge in most cases.
If you're unhappy with how we've handled your information, please tell us first so we can put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.
9. Changes to this policy
We'll update this page if the way we use your information changes. The date at the top shows when it was last updated.