Website basics and UK rules for tradespeople: privacy, cookies and what to show

What goes in a privacy notice

A privacy notice for a small trade site can be short and plain. It should say, in ordinary language:

• Who you are and how to contact you
• What personal details you collect, for example name, phone number, email and what someone writes in a form
• Why you collect them: to reply to enquiries and to carry out the work
• Who else sees them, such as a form service or email provider that handles messages for you
• How long you keep them, and how someone can ask to see or delete theirs
• That people can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office

How long to keep enquiries

Keep personal details only as long as you need them. For an enquiry that does not become a job, a sensible approach is to delete it within a year, or sooner if the person asks. For paying customers, tax and accounting rules require you to keep certain records for longer, so keep those separate and follow the guidance for your business type.

Cookies: a plain-English summary

Cookies and similar technologies are small files or scripts that store or read information on a visitor's device. UK rules generally require clear information and consent for non-essential ones, such as advertising and many analytics tools, but not for strictly necessary ones. The rules on certain analytics tools have been changing, so check the Information Commissioner's Office guidance before relying on this summary. If your site sets no non-essential cookies and uses no advertising tags, you may not need a banner.

Things that quietly add cookies

• Analytics tools such as visitor counters
• Advertising and social media pixels
• Embedded videos and maps from third parties
• Some chat widgets and booking widgets
• Fonts or scripts loaded from other companies. These often do not set cookies, but they do contact another company, which is worth mentioning in your privacy notice

Prices and terms

If you show prices, make them clear, say whether VAT is included, and do not advertise a price you cannot honour. If you offer guarantees or warranties, describe them accurately. If you work to written terms, link to them.

Showing who you are

Business websites are generally expected to show who is behind them and how to contact them. Limited companies have specific requirements, such as showing the company name, registration number and registered office. Sole traders should show their name and a contact address or details. Check the current requirements for your type of business.

Claims, accreditations and testimonials

• Only claim qualifications and registrations you actually hold, and keep the details current. For example, gas work must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and customers can check the register
• Do not use another firm's logo or badge
• Testimonials must be genuine and from real customers. Fake or selectively collected reviews are against the law and Google's rules
• If you show prices, make them clear and accurate, and say whether VAT is included

The ICO and data protection fee

Many organisations that handle personal data must pay a data protection fee to the Information Commissioner's Office, with some exemptions. The ICO has a short self-assessment on its website that tells you whether you need to pay.

Accessibility

A good site is readable by everyone: clear text, good contrast, descriptive alt text on images, and buttons large enough to tap. It also tends to work better for search engines.

A pre-launch checklist

• Business name and contact details are correct and visible
• Limited companies: name, registration number and registered office are shown
• A privacy notice is linked from every page
• No non-essential cookies, or a consent notice if you use them
• Accreditation claims are true, current and your own
• Testimonials are genuine and shown with permission
• Photos are your own, or you have the right to use them
• The enquiry form works and goes to a monitored address

Where to check

• The Information Commissioner's Office guidance for small businesses on data protection and cookies
• GOV.UK guidance on what a business website must show
• The Competition and Markets Authority guidance on online reviews
• Your trade body, or a solicitor, for your own situation

Common questions

Keep reading

• Tap-to-call buttons and enquiry forms: how to get more calls from your site
• How to choose a domain name for your trade business (.co.uk or .com?)
• 12 website mistakes that cost tradespeople calls