Cookie Policy

Last updated: January 1, 2025

1. Introduction

My Local Surveyors Direct Ltd ("we", "our", "us") uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on our website mylocalsurveyorsdirect.co.uk. This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, how we use them, and how you can manage your cookie preferences.

By using our website, you consent to our use of cookies in accordance with this Cookie Policy and our Privacy Policy.

2. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer, smartphone, or other device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently, provide a better user experience, and provide information to website owners.

2.1 First-Party vs Third-Party Cookies

  • First-party cookies: Set by our website directly. We use these to enable essential functionality and analyze how our website is used.
  • Third-party cookies: Set by external services we use (e.g., Google Analytics, HubSpot). These help us understand user behavior and improve our services.

2.2 Session vs Persistent Cookies

  • Session cookies: Temporary cookies that expire when you close your browser. They remember your actions during a single browsing session.
  • Persistent cookies: Remain on your device for a set period or until you delete them. They remember your preferences across multiple visits.

3. How We Use Cookies

We use cookies for the following purposes:

3.1 Essential Cookies (Strictly Necessary)

These cookies are essential for our website to function properly. They enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. You cannot opt out of these cookies as the website would not work correctly without them.

Examples:

  • Session cookies: Maintain your session as you navigate between pages
  • Security cookies: Authenticate users and prevent fraudulent activity
  • Load balancing cookies: Distribute traffic across our servers
  • Form submission cookies: Remember your inputs if you're interrupted while filling out forms

3.2 Performance and Analytics Cookies

These cookies collect information about how visitors use our website, such as which pages are visited most often and if users receive error messages. This helps us understand how our website is performing and identify areas for improvement.

Third-party services we use:

Data collected: Page URLs, time on site, device type, browser type, geographic location (city/region level), traffic source, referral URL.

Retention: Analytics data is anonymized and retained for up to 26 months.

3.3 Functionality Cookies

These cookies allow our website to remember choices you make (such as your language or region) and provide enhanced, personalized features. They may also be used to remember changes you've made to text size, fonts, and other customizable aspects of the website.

Examples:

  • Preference cookies: Remember your settings and choices
  • HubSpot forms: Pre-fill forms if you've previously submitted information
  • Chat widgets: Remember your chat history if you use our live chat feature

3.4 Targeting and Advertising Cookies

These cookies track your browsing habits across websites and are used to deliver advertisements that are relevant to you and your interests. They also limit the number of times you see an advertisement and measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.

Note: We currently do not use third-party advertising cookies for remarketing. If this changes in the future, we will update this policy and seek your consent.

4. Specific Cookies We Use

Below is a detailed list of cookies used on our website:

Cookie Name Provider Purpose Duration
session_id My Local Surveyors Direct Essential - maintains your session Session
_ga Google Analytics Analytics - distinguishes unique users 2 years
_gid Google Analytics Analytics - distinguishes users 24 hours
_gat Google Analytics Analytics - throttles request rate 1 minute
__hstc HubSpot Analytics - tracks visitor sessions 13 months
__hssc HubSpot Analytics - tracks session count 30 minutes
__hssrc HubSpot Analytics - determines if session is new Session
hubspotutk HubSpot Functionality - tracks visitor identity 13 months

5. How to Manage Your Cookie Preferences

5.1 Browser Settings

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can:

  • Block all cookies
  • Block third-party cookies only
  • Delete cookies after each browsing session
  • Accept cookies from specific websites only

Here's how to manage cookies in popular browsers:

  • Google Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
  • Firefox: Options → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
  • Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Cookies and website data
  • Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Cookies and site data

For more detailed guidance, visit www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org.

5.2 Opt-Out of Analytics

You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

5.3 Do Not Track (DNT)

Some browsers have a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that signals to websites that you don't want to be tracked. Currently, there is no industry standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals. Our website does not alter its behavior in response to DNT signals, but you can use the methods above to manage cookies.

5.4 Impact of Blocking Cookies

Please note that blocking or deleting cookies may impact your experience on our website. If you block essential cookies, certain features may not function correctly, such as:

  • Form submissions
  • Remembering your preferences
  • Secure areas of the website

Blocking analytics cookies will not affect website functionality but will prevent us from understanding how visitors use our site and improving it.

6. Other Tracking Technologies

6.1 Web Beacons (Pixels)

We may use web beacons (also known as pixel tags or clear GIFs) in conjunction with cookies to track user activity. These are tiny graphics embedded in web pages or emails that notify us when you view a page or open an email.

6.2 Local Storage

We may use HTML5 local storage to store user preferences and improve website performance. Local storage is similar to cookies but can store larger amounts of data. You can clear local storage through your browser settings.

6.3 Server Logs

Our web servers automatically collect certain information, including IP addresses, browser types, referring URLs, and access times. This information is used for system administration, security monitoring, and analytics.

7. Consent and Updates

7.1 Cookie Consent

When you first visit our website, you will see a cookie consent banner explaining our use of cookies. By clicking "Accept" or continuing to use the website, you consent to our use of cookies as described in this policy.

7.2 Withdrawing Consent

You can withdraw your consent to non-essential cookies at any time by adjusting your browser settings or using our cookie management tool (if available).

7.3 Policy Updates

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our use of cookies or legal requirements. Updated policies will be posted on this page with a new "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

8. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

Cookies may collect personal data (e.g., IP addresses, browsing behavior). Under UK GDPR, you have rights regarding this data, including:

  • Right to access your data
  • Right to rectification or deletion
  • Right to restrict processing
  • Right to object to processing
  • Right to data portability

For more information, see our Privacy Policy or contact us using the details below.

9. Third-Party Privacy Policies

We use third-party services that may set their own cookies. We recommend reviewing their privacy policies:

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions about our use of cookies or this Cookie Policy, please contact us:

My Local Surveyors Direct Ltd

Cookie & Privacy Enquiries: Via our Contact Form

Website: mylocalsurveyorsdirect.co.uk

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