Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Lingo Service Translations ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our translation services or visit our website.

We are registered in England and Wales and comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. By using our services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

When you use our services, we may collect:

• Name, email address, telephone number, and postal address
• Payment information (processed securely through third-party payment processors)
• Documents and content you submit for translation
• Correspondence and communications with us

2.2 Website Usage Data

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

• IP address and browser type
• Pages visited and time spent on pages
• Referring website addresses

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• Service Provision: To process and complete your translation orders, communicate with you about your orders, and deliver translated documents
• Payment Processing: To process payments and manage invoicing
• Customer Support: To respond to your enquiries, provide customer support, and handle complaints
• Quality Assurance: To maintain quality standards, support reissues, and verify translations
• Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations, including tax and accounting requirements
• Service Improvement: To improve our services, website functionality, and user experience

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data under the following legal bases:

• Contract Performance: To fulfil our contractual obligations to provide translation services
• Legitimate Interests: To retain documents for 12-24 months to support reissues, verification requests, and quality assurance (as permitted under UK GDPR)
• Legal Obligation: To comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including tax and accounting obligations
• Consent: Where you have provided explicit consent for specific processing activities

5. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your data only in the following circumstances:

5.1 Service Providers

We may share your information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our business, including:

• Payment processors (Mollie, PayPal) for secure payment handling
• Qualified translators and linguists who perform translation work (all bound by confidentiality agreements)
• IT service providers who maintain our secure systems

5.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to valid legal requests, including:

• Court orders or legal processes
• Government or regulatory authority requests
• To protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our clients

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data:

• Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit and at rest using industry-standard encryption protocols
• Access Controls: Access to personal data is restricted to authorised personnel only, on a need-to-know basis
• Secure Infrastructure: We use secure, UK/EU-based servers and infrastructure
• Regular Security Audits: We conduct regular security assessments and updates
• Confidentiality Agreements: All translators and staff sign strict confidentiality agreements

Important: While we take all reasonable steps to protect your data, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of data protection.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data and documents for 12-24 months from the date of delivery, unless you request earlier deletion. This retention period allows us to:

• Support reissues and verification requests
• Assist returning clients efficiently
• Maintain quality assurance records
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements

After the retention period expires, all data is permanently deleted from our systems. You may request early deletion of your data at any time by contacting us at info@lingoservice.com.

Legal Basis: Our retention of documents for 12-24 months is based on legitimate interests under UK GDPR, specifically to support reissues, verification, and quality assurance.

8. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@lingoservice.com. We will respond to your request within one month.

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us:

• Remember your preferences and settings
• Analyse website traffic and usage patterns
• Improve website functionality and performance

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

10. International Data Transfers

Your personal data is primarily stored and processed within the United Kingdom and European Economic Area (EEA). Where we need to transfer data outside the UK/EEA (for example, to translators based in other countries), we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:

• Standard contractual clauses approved by the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
• Confidentiality agreements with all translators and service providers
• Data protection measures equivalent to UK GDPR standards

11. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately and we will delete such information.

12. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last updated" date
• Sending an email notification to registered users (where applicable)

Your continued use of our services after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

14. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator:

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: