Who we are

This website is operated by The Stump Doctor, a sole trader providing stump grinding services across Canterbury and East Kent. For the purpose of UK GDPR, we are the data controller of any personal information you share with us.

You can reach us by email at hello@thestumpdoctor.co.uk or by phone on 07595 165354.

ICO registration: [pending — to be added once registration is complete with the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk].

What we collect

We only collect the information you give us directly when you use the free quote calculator or contact us:

• Your name — so we know who we're quoting for.
• Your phone number — so we can text or call you back with the quote.
• Your postcode — to confirm you're inside our 15-mile service area and price the travel time.
• Details about the stump — size, wood type, access — so we can quote accurately.
• Photos you send us (optional) — to confirm the quote on tricky jobs.

We don't collect or store payment card details on this website. Payment happens after the job, either by bank transfer or card via a separate payment terminal on the day.

The website also records standard server-side data when you visit — your IP address, browser type, page visited, and timestamp. This is logged by our hosting provider (Vercel) for security and abuse prevention. We don't use it to identify or track individuals.

Why we collect it (legal basis)

We collect your contact details for one reason: to give you a quote and book the work if you decide to go ahead. The lawful basis under UK GDPR is Article 6(1)(b) — performance of a contract (or steps taken at your request before entering into a contract).

We don't use your data for marketing, share it with third parties, or sell it. We don't have a mailing list, and we won't add you to one.

How long we keep it

If you request a quote but don't book the work, we delete your details within 90 days.

If you go ahead with the job, we keep the booking details (your name, phone, address, invoice) for 6 years. This is to comply with HMRC's record-keeping rules for self-employed traders and to handle any post-job queries about the work.

After 6 years, we delete the records permanently.

Who we share your data with

We use the following services to run the business. They process some of your data on our behalf as data processors, and only for the purposes listed:

• Vercel (hosting provider, USA — under UK GDPR adequacy via EU Standard Contractual Clauses) — runs the website you're using right now.
• Google Analytics 4 (analytics, USA — same legal basis) — only if you accept the cookie banner. We use it to see which pages are popular and how people find the site. We don't track individual users.
• Our accountant — sees invoice details for tax filing, bound by professional confidentiality.

We do not share your data with anyone else. We don't pass leads on to other contractors or resell to lead-generation companies.

Cookies and tracking

This site uses two categories of cookies:

• Strictly necessary — these are used to remember the cookie banner choice. They're set automatically; no consent required under UK PECR.
• Analytics (Google Analytics 4) — only loads if you tap "Accept all" on the cookie banner. Sets cookies named _ga and _ga_*. You can revoke consent at any time by clearing your browser's site data for this domain.

We do not use advertising or remarketing cookies.

Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to:

• Access — ask for a copy of any data we hold about you.
• Rectification — ask us to fix anything that's wrong.
• Erasure — ask us to delete your data (subject to the 6-year HMRC retention if you're an active customer).
• Restrict processing — ask us to stop using your data while we resolve a dispute.
• Data portability — ask for your data in a machine-readable format.
• Object — object to any processing we're doing.

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@thestumpdoctor.co.uk with "Data request" in the subject. We'll respond within one month.

If you think we've handled your data badly, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113.

Changes to this policy

If we change anything material — for example, a new service provider, or a different retention period — we'll update this page and refresh the "Last updated" date above. Material changes that affect existing customers will also be emailed where we have contact details.