Privacy Notice
1. Website Privacy Notice
This notice applies to visitors to michaelswift.co.uk. The site is operated by James Swift trading as Michael Swift Horologist ("we", "us").
What the website does
The website is purely informational. It describes the clock repair services offered. There are no contact forms, no account registration, no online ordering, no analytics scripts set by us, and no marketing cookies set by the site itself.
Data we process when you visit
Server logs: Our web server (Nginx on Ubuntu) records IP addresses and basic request information in access and error logs. These logs are rotated daily and retained for approximately 14 days by default, after which they are automatically deleted.
Cloudflare: The site is proxied through Cloudflare. Cloudflare sets a small number of strictly necessary cookies (principally __cf_bm for bot management). These are short-lived and used only for security and network operation. Cloudflare classifies them as necessary for the service. See our cookie policy for further details.
We do not set any cookies ourselves and do not use the data for profiling, advertising or marketing.
Lawful basis
Legitimate interests (security and operation of the website) and, where applicable, performance of a contract if you later instruct work.
Your rights and contact
You have the usual UK GDPR rights (access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection, portability where applicable). To exercise them, contact us by the usual business channels (email: [email protected]). You may also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.
This notice may be updated from time to time. The current version is available on the website.
2. Customer Privacy Notice
This notice explains how Michael Swift Horologist collects, uses and protects personal data when providing clock and watch repair services.
Who we are
James Swift trading as Michael Swift Horologist, Isle of Bute, Scotland. Sole trader. Data controller.
What data we collect
- Identity and contact details: name, address, telephone, email.
- Job and transaction details: item description, job numbers, invoices, payment records, repair notes and history.
- Photographs: technical images of the case, movement and related detail linked to a job. Images containing personal correspondence ("document private") are stored separately and never exposed via public or semi-public URLs.
We do not collect special category data in the ordinary course of business.
Why we process your data
- Performance of a contract — to take instructions, carry out repairs, invoice and communicate about the work.
- Legal obligation — to retain financial and transactional records for HMRC (self-employed record-keeping).
- Legitimate interests — to retain technical repair history (after personal identifiers have been anonymised) so that efficient continuity of service can be provided if the same item returns; and to maintain business continuity arrangements.
How long we keep data
Active customer records are retained while you remain a customer and for the full HMRC retention period relating to the last tax year in which an invoice was raised (at least five years from 31 January following the end of that tax year).
After the HMRC period, personal identifiers (name, address, telephone, email) are anonymised. Technical job history and non-identifying photographs remain linked to an anonymised ID so continuity of service is still possible.
Technical history will be deleted or fully anonymised on request after the HMRC period has expired, or if you object to its continued retention.
If you return after anonymisation and instruct further work, current contact details are entered against the existing customer ID. This creates a new accurate record linked to historical technical data; it is not a re-identification of deleted personal data.
When an item changes ownership
If a clock or watch previously repaired is brought in by a new owner, the technical repair history linked to the item may be made available for the new job. Previous invoices and any commercial details belonging to the earlier customer remain under the previous (anonymised) record and are not treated as belonging to the new customer. They would not be disclosed to the new owner in response to a subject access request.
Your rights
Access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection, and portability (where applicable).
Erasure of personal data that we are legally obliged to keep for HMRC cannot be granted until the statutory period ends. After that period we will anonymise or delete as requested.
You may object to continued retention of technical history; we will delete or fully anonymise it on valid objection.
To exercise your rights, contact us at [email protected].
Effective: 15 August 2026
