1. Who I Am
JW Card Machines is operated by Jake Wells as a sole trader ("I", "me", "my"), based in the UK and trading at jwcardmachines.co.uk.
I help small businesses and tradespeople get set up taking card payments, personally, through an established payment platform. This policy explains how I collect, use, store and protect your personal data when you visit this website, request a quote or comparison, or go on to become a client.
2. What Data I Collect
Data you give me directly: your name, email and phone number when you request a quote; details about your business, such as roughly how many card payments you take and how; if you're comparing against an existing provider, your current provider's name and approximate rate; and, if you go ahead, the further business and identity information needed for the payment platform's onboarding checks (Section 4).
Collected automatically via the website: your IP address and browser type, which pages you visit (if analytics are ever introduced — see Section 8), and anything submitted through the quote form, which is processed by Formspree.
3. How I Use Your Data
Your data is only used for specific, legitimate purposes: preparing your free quote or comparison, helping you apply to and get set up with the payment platform, responding to enquiries, keeping basic financial records for HMRC where you pay me directly for anything, and understanding feedback to run the business well.
4. Lawful Basis for Processing
Under UK GDPR, I rely on: Contract (preparing a quote at your request, or helping you get set up once you've agreed to go ahead); Legitimate interest (replying to an enquiry, or preparing a comparison against your current provider); Legal obligation (passing on the business and identity information required for the payment platform's own know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering checks, and keeping financial records for HMRC); and Consent (for anything else, such as using a testimonial with your name attached — which you can withdraw at any time).
5. Who I Share Your Data With
Personal and business data is shared only where necessary: with Formspree (processes quote form submissions); with the payment platform your application is made to, once you decide to go ahead — this includes the business and identity details needed for their standard onboarding checks, and they become the data controller for that information from that point on; and with HMRC or UK regulators where legally required. If you're comparing against an existing provider, the name of that provider and your approximate rate are used only to prepare your comparison and are never passed to anyone else.
6. How Long I Keep Your Data
Quote and comparison requests that don't lead to a setup are kept for 12 months. Client and business details for anyone who goes ahead are kept for the duration of my involvement plus two years. Financial records relating to anything paid to me directly are kept for six years, as required by HMRC for sole traders. When data is no longer needed, it's securely deleted — you can ask for earlier deletion at any time (Section 11). Data held by the payment platform once you're set up is governed by its own retention policy, not this one.
7. Your Rights
Under UK GDPR you have the right to: access a copy of the data I hold about you; have inaccurate data corrected; have data erased where it's no longer needed or you withdraw consent; restrict processing while you contest its accuracy; receive your data in a portable format; object to processing based on legitimate interest; withdraw consent at any time; and complain to the ICO if you believe your data has been mishandled (ico.org.uk, 0303 123 1113). There's never a charge to exercise any of these, and I'll always respond well within a month — see Section 11 to get in touch. For data already passed to and held by the payment platform, you may also need to contact them directly.
8. Cookies & Website Usage
This website uses only what's strictly necessary to function, plus the quote form. No advertising or tracking cookies are used, and nothing follows you across other websites. If analytics tools are introduced in future, this policy will be updated and any non-essential cookies will only be set with your consent. Full detail is in the Cookie Policy.
The quote form is provided by Formspree, a third-party service that processes submissions so they reach me by email — see their own privacy policy for how they handle data in transit.
9. How I Keep Your Data Secure
This website uses HTTPS encryption throughout. Personal and business data you send me before setup is only accessible to me — there's no team or subcontractor with access to client records. I never see or store your customers' full card details; those are handled directly and securely by the payment platform once you're live.
10. Children's Data
This website and service are not directed at children, and I don't knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18. If you believe a child has provided personal data through this site, please get in touch and it will be removed promptly.
11. Contact Me About Your Data
If you have any questions about this policy, want to exercise your rights, or have any concern about how your data is handled, get in touch: 07452 752398 or jake@jwcardmachines.co.uk.
You also have the right to complain to the UK's regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office: ico.org.uk, 0303 123 1113, or by post to Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. I'd always appreciate the chance to sort out any concern directly first.
12. Changes to This Policy
This policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in how the business runs, or in the law. The "Last updated" date above will change when that happens, and existing clients will be told directly if a change materially affects how their data is used. Continuing to use the website or service after a change means you accept the updated policy.
JW Card Machines is operated by Jake Wells as a sole trader.