We only keep what helps the service work.

Who is responsible

Free Builder Leads is the controller for the personal information described in this notice. This notice applies when you browse the site, create an account, shortlist planning applications, save a search or receive an alert.

Questions or requests about privacy can be sent to privacy@freebuilderleads.co.uk. Please use the email address connected to your account where possible, so we can verify a request safely.

Public planning information

We collect and organise planning application information supplied by London planning authorities and the Planning London Datahub. It can include application descriptions, locations, references, dates, statuses and, where the public source provides them, applicant or agent details.

Public planning information in our lead database may be shown to visitors to help them research potential building work. We do not publish account email addresses, private shortlists or saved searches. We do not claim to identify a property owner, and you should check the original council record before contacting anyone.

These records come from public planning sources. They can be incomplete, amended or wrong. We use the source authority and the Planning London Datahub as the source of this information, rather than collecting it directly from the people named in a record.

Information we collect from you and your device

• Account information: your email address and account identifiers. We use email links rather than passwords, so we do not ask for or store a password.
• Shortlists, saved searches and alerts: selected leads, search settings, alert choices and delivery or unsubscribe records. These let us provide the account features you choose and avoid repeat emails.
• Security and technical information: session information, IP address, browser or device information and request logs, where supplied by your browser or our security and hosting providers. We use this to secure the service, prevent misuse and diagnose faults.
• Browser storage: before you sign in, your shortlist and your card/grid preference are stored in your browser's local storage. They are not sent to our server unless you choose to sign in and sync your shortlist.

Cookies and analytics

A signed-in account uses an essential, secure session cookie so the site can remember that you are signed in. It is not an advertising cookie. You can end that session by signing out or clearing browser data, but the account features cannot work while the essential session cookie is blocked.

We use our self-hosted Umami analytics to understand whether the product is useful. It records page use and a small set of high-level product actions, such as submitting a search or adding a lead to a shortlist. The browser tracker is configured not to send search terms, postcodes, planning references, addresses or email addresses. It respects a browser's Do Not Track preference and does not use analytics cookies.

We do not use advertising cookies, sell advertising audiences or knowingly allow third-party advertising trackers on the site.

Why we use information and our legal bases

• To provide an account, shortlist sync and requested alerts: this is necessary to provide the service you ask us for.
• To organise public planning information into a useful research service: our legitimate interest is operating and improving a planning-information service for trades, while giving people a clear way to object.
• To keep the service secure, reliable and useful: our legitimate interests are preventing misuse, fixing faults and measuring high-level product use without collecting search content.

We do not use automated decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects on people. Lead categories, likely trades and fit labels are automated guidance about a planning record, not decisions about an individual.

Who receives information

Public planning information in the lead database can be seen by visitors using the site. Account data is not displayed publicly.

We use service providers to run the site: Hetzner for hosting and databases, AWS SES for email delivery, Cloudflare for security and HTTPS, and our self-hosted Umami installation for analytics. They process information only as needed to provide those services. We do not sell personal information or share it with advertising networks.

International processing

Our core hosting, database, email and analytics services are operated in European locations. Cloudflare may process technical request data through its global network. Where information is processed outside the UK, we use the safeguards required for that transfer, such as an adequacy decision or contractual protections.

How long we keep information

We retain public planning records while they are useful for providing planning history and running the service, and review that need regularly. Account information, synced shortlists and saved searches are retained while an account is active and then only as long as needed for security, record-keeping, resolving a request or legal obligations.

Alert delivery and unsubscribe records are retained only for as long as needed to avoid unwanted repeat emails, deal with complaints and keep a reliable email service. Routine backups can retain a limited historical copy for a short operational recovery period before they are overwritten or removed.

Your rights and choices

• You can browse without an account and use browser privacy controls, including Do Not Track.
• You can pause alerts, delete saved searches and use the unsubscribe link in any alert email to stop alert emails immediately.
• You can ask for access to, correction of, deletion of or restriction on your personal information.
• You can object to processing based on legitimate interests, including any use of your personal information for direct marketing.
• You can ask for a portable copy of information you provided to us where that right applies.

You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office. Please contact us first if you can, so we have a chance to help.

Changes to this notice

If the way the service handles information materially changes, we will update this page and its “last updated” date. The Terms of Use explain the rules for using the service.