Privacy policy

What we do with your personal data when you enquire, book a test drive, apply for finance or buy a car from us.

Who we are

The EV Collection Ltd, Unit 6, Viking Business Centre, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE11 7EH. We are the data controller for the personal data described on this page.

Marketing is opt-in

We only send marketing by email or SMS if you have actively opted in. You can withdraw consent at any time and we will stop immediately.

Kept secure

Data is held in access-controlled systems, with documents and identity records stored in private storage that requires an authorised, time-limited link.

Analytics only with consent

Analytics scripts load only after you accept them. Essential cookies needed to sign in and keep the site working are always on.

What we collect

Contact details: name, email address, phone number and postcode.
Enquiry details: the vehicle you are interested in, your message and appointment preferences.
Part-exchange details: registration, mileage, condition and any supporting photos you send.
Driving licence details where you book a test drive, so we can meet our insurance obligations.
Transaction records: order, invoice, deposit and payment information.
Finance application data, where you ask us to introduce you to a lender.
Technical data: IP address, device and browser information, and pages viewed.

Why we use it, and our lawful basis

To answer enquiries and hold vehicles for you — necessary for a contract, or our legitimate interest in responding to you.
To sell, prepare and deliver a vehicle, and to handle aftersales or warranty claims — performance of a contract.
To verify identity, run provenance checks and meet anti-money-laundering duties — legal obligation.
To introduce you to finance lenders and pass on the information they require — performance of a contract at your request.
To keep VAT, stock book and sales records — legal obligation.
To send marketing about stock and offers — your consent.
To measure site performance — your consent for non-essential analytics.

Who we share it with

We share only what is needed, and only with: finance lenders and brokers where you ask for finance; payment processors for deposits and balances; vehicle data and provenance providers; our email and SMS providers for transactional messages and reminders; warranty administrators; our accountants and auditors; and HMRC, the DVLA or law enforcement where we are legally required to. We do not sell your data.

How long we keep it

Sales, invoice and VAT records: 6 years after the end of the relevant accounting period, as required by HMRC.
Enquiries that do not lead to a purchase: up to 24 months, then deleted.
Finance application data: as long as required by the lender.
Marketing consent records: for as long as you are subscribed, plus a record of withdrawal.
Driving licence checks: deleted shortly after the test drive is complete.

If you ask us to erase your data and we still hold a statutory record, we anonymise your personal details and retain only the financial record we are legally required to keep.

Your rights

Access a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Have inaccurate data corrected.
Ask for erasure, subject to the legal retention rules above.
Restrict or object to processing, including profiling for marketing.
Withdraw marketing consent at any time.
Receive your data in a portable format where it was provided by you.

To exercise any of these, email hello@theevcollection.com or call 01332 480869. We respond within one month. If you are unhappy with our response you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.

See our terms and consumer rights pages for the rules that apply when you buy from us.