Privacy & cookies

Computer Fixer Dumfries is run by me, James, from 88 Shakespeare Street, Dumfries, DG1 2JJ. I’m responsible for any personal information you give me (the “data controller”, in legal terms).

If you have a question about your information, call me on 07375 227793 or pop into the shop.

Only what I need to fix your computer and keep you updated:

• your name, phone number, email address and, for collections or visits, your address
• details about your computer and the problem you’re having
• notes on the work I’ve done, quotes and payments
• messages you send me by phone, text, email or Facebook Messenger

I don’t sell, rent or share your information for marketing, and I don’t use it for anything other than looking after you as a customer.

To repair a computer I sometimes need to sign in to it and look at its files, for example to check something works or to recover lost data. I only look at what the job needs. Your files are treated as confidential.

Before major work I may take a backup so nothing is lost. Backups are only kept for as long as the job needs them and are securely deleted once you have your computer back and everything’s working. If you share your Windows password or PIN, it’s only used for your repair.

With remote support, I only connect when you’ve started the session and given permission, and you can watch everything I do and end the session at any time.

• To do the work you’ve asked for: booking you in, repairing your computer, keeping you updated and taking payment.
• To keep proper business records, as the law requires for tax and accounts.
• To run the business sensibly, for example looking back at a past job if the same computer comes in again.

A few trusted services help me run things. Each only gets what it needs:

• Google Calendar for online appointment bookings. When you book, Google handles the details you enter under its own privacy policy.
• My online job system (for logging a job and checking its progress), which runs on my own website hosting.
• Cloudflare, which sits in front of this website to keep it fast and secure.
• Facebook Messenger, if you choose to message me there. Meta handles those messages under its own privacy policy.

Job and payment records are kept for as long as the law requires for business and tax records (normally up to six years), then deleted. Backups of your files are deleted once your job is finished, as explained above.

Under UK data protection law you can ask me to:

• tell you what information I hold about you and give you a copy
• correct anything that’s wrong
• delete your information, unless I have to keep it for legal reasons
• stop or limit how I use it

Just get in touch and I’ll sort it, free of charge. If you’re not happy with how I’ve handled your information, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk.

This website doesn’t use tracking, advertising or analytics cookies, which is why you won’t see a cookie banner.

The only cookie is set by the online job system when you log a job or check on one. It’s called OSTSESSID. It keeps the form working while you fill it in and expires after 24 minutes. Because the job system needs it to work, the law doesn’t require your consent for it.

Links to Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Google take you to those sites, which have their own cookie policies.

If anything changes, for example if I add a new service, I’ll update this page and the date at the top.