Last updated: 12 October 2026
This policy explains how Akita AC Limited, trading as Akita Air Conditioning & Refrigeration (“we”, “us”, “our”), collects and uses personal information when you visit our website, contact us, request a price, book a survey or service, or become a customer. We are committed to handling your information fairly, securely and in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Who we are
Akita AC Limited is the data controller for the personal information described in this policy.
- Registered in England and Wales, company no. 16593086
- Based in Lavenham, Suffolk
- Email: hello@akita.ac
- Phone: 0330 043 7537
- ICO registration number: ZC126109
If you have any questions about this policy or how we use your information, please contact us using the details above.
The information we collect
Contact form
When you send us an enquiry we collect your name, email address, phone number, postcode or town, the details of your enquiry and any photos you choose to send.
Online booking
When you book a free on-site or video call survey, a service or a repair visit, we collect your name, contact details, the address where the work is needed, your preferred date and time, details of your property and existing system, and any notes you add.
Instant price tool
When you use our instant price tool we collect the answers you give about your property, rooms and requirements, along with your contact details if you choose to save or proceed with your price. If you pay a deposit, see “Payments” below.
Chat widget
Our website chat lets you message us directly. We collect the messages you send and any name, email address or phone number you provide, so we can reply.
WhatsApp, phone and email
If you contact us by WhatsApp, phone or email, we keep a record of the conversation, your contact details and any photos or files you send. WhatsApp is operated by WhatsApp Ireland Limited (part of Meta) and its use is also covered by WhatsApp’s own privacy policy.
Customers
If we carry out work for you, we also keep records of the quote, the equipment installed (including serial numbers), commissioning and F-Gas records, warranty and service history, invoices and payments, and any Comfort Club membership.
Website usage
We collect limited technical information, such as your IP address, browser type and the pages you visit, through strictly necessary cookies and, only with your consent, analytics and advertising cookies. See “Cookies” below.
How we use your information and our lawful bases
We only use your personal information where the law allows us to. The table below sets out what we use it for and the lawful basis we rely on.
| Purpose | Lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Responding to your enquiry, chat or WhatsApp message, and preparing a price or quote | Steps at your request before entering into a contract; legitimate interests in responding to enquiries |
| Arranging and carrying out surveys, installations, servicing and repairs | Performance of a contract |
| Taking deposits and payments, invoicing and keeping accounts | Performance of a contract; legal obligation |
| Keeping F-Gas, commissioning, warranty and tax records | Legal obligation; performance of a contract |
| Managing Comfort Club memberships and service reminders | Performance of a contract |
| Introducing you to a finance provider, if you ask about finance | Your request (steps before entering into a contract); consent where required |
| Asking for a review after we complete your work | Legitimate interests in improving our service and showing feedback |
| Sending marketing emails or messages about offers and news | Consent, or for existing customers, legitimate interests (soft opt-in). You can opt out at any time |
| Website analytics and advertising measurement | Consent, given through our cookie banner |
| Keeping our website and systems secure, and handling complaints or legal claims | Legitimate interests; legal obligation |
We do not use your information for automated decision-making that has a legal or similarly significant effect on you. Our instant price tool gives an estimate only, and every installation is confirmed by our engineers.
Who we share your information with
We never sell your personal information. We share it only with trusted service providers who help us run our business, and only as much as they need. They act on our instructions and must keep your information secure.
- GoHighLevel (HighLevel Inc.) – our customer relationship management (CRM) system, which stores enquiries, bookings, quotes, chat messages and customer records, and powers our website forms, booking calendar and chat widget.
- Stripe Payments Europe Limited – processes card payments, including booking deposits. We never see or store your full card details. Stripe also processes data for fraud prevention as an independent controller under its own privacy policy.
- Ideal Sales Solutions Ltd, trading as Ideal4Finance – if you ask about spreading the cost, we pass your details to Ideal4Finance so they can help you apply for finance. Akita AC Limited is an introducer appointed representative of Ideal Sales Solutions Ltd (FRN 703401), which is a credit broker and not a lender. We are not a lender either. Once you apply, Ideal4Finance and any lender will use your information under their own privacy policies, which may include credit and identity checks.
- Google (Google Ireland Limited / Google LLC) – Google Analytics and Google Ads (loaded through Google Tag Manager), only if you consent through our cookie banner; Google Maps, used to show our service area; and Google Business Profile, where you may choose to leave a review.
- Meta Platforms Ireland Limited – the Meta (Facebook and Instagram) pixel, only if you consent through our cookie banner, and WhatsApp messaging if you contact us that way.
- Equipment manufacturers – such as Mitsubishi Electric and Daikin, where we register your equipment for warranty.
- Our website host, email provider and IT providers – including Hostinger, who host this website.
- Our accountants, insurers and professional advisers – where needed to run our business.
- Regulators and authorities – such as HMRC, REFCOM or the police, where we are legally required to.
Google reviews
After we complete your work we may ask whether you would like to leave a review on our Google Business Profile. Leaving a review is entirely your choice. Reviews are published by Google under your Google account name and are covered by Google’s own privacy policy. Our website shows a selection of these public reviews. If you would like your review removed from our website, please contact us. To edit or delete it on Google, you can do so from your Google account.
International transfers
Some of our service providers, including GoHighLevel, Google, Meta and Stripe, may process data outside the UK, for example in the United States or the European Economic Area. Where this happens, we make sure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as the UK International Data Transfer Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, or a UK adequacy decision.
How long we keep your information
| Information | How long we keep it |
|---|---|
| Enquiries, chat and WhatsApp messages and quotes that do not go ahead | Up to 2 years from our last contact |
| Customer records, invoices and payment records | 6 years after the end of the financial year in which the work was completed, as required for tax and accounting |
| Installation, F-Gas, commissioning, warranty and service records | For the life of the equipment and the warranty period, and at least 6 years after our last work on the system, so we can meet our F-Gas and warranty obligations |
| Comfort Club membership records | For the length of your membership and 6 years after it ends |
| Marketing preferences | Until you unsubscribe, after which we keep a suppression record so we do not contact you again |
| Analytics and advertising cookie data | See our cookie banner for the lifetime of each cookie. Google Analytics data is kept for up to 14 months |
When we no longer need your information, we securely delete or anonymise it.
Your rights
Under UK data protection law you have the right to:
- Access – ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
- Rectification – ask us to correct information that is wrong or incomplete.
- Erasure – ask us to delete your information where we no longer have a reason to keep it.
- Restriction – ask us to limit how we use your information.
- Object – object to us using your information on the basis of legitimate interests, and to direct marketing at any time.
- Data portability – ask us to transfer information you gave us to you or another organisation, where technically possible.
- Withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time, for example by changing your cookie settings or unsubscribing from marketing. This does not affect anything we did before you withdrew it.
To use any of these rights, email hello@akita.ac or call 0330 043 7537. There is normally no charge, and we will respond within one month. We may need to confirm your identity first.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, please contact us first so we can try to put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data protection regulator:
- Website: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
- Phone: 0303 123 1113
- Post: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Cookies
Cookies are small files stored on your device when you visit a website. We use a cookie banner (Complianz) so you can choose which cookies we use.
- Strictly necessary cookies – needed for the website, forms, booking tools, payments and security to work. These do not need your consent.
- Functional cookies – remember your choices, such as your cookie preferences, and support features like the chat widget and embedded maps.
- Analytics cookies – such as Google Analytics (loaded through Google Tag Manager), which help us understand how visitors use our website so we can improve it. These are only set if you consent.
- Marketing cookies – such as Google Ads and the Meta (Facebook) pixel, which help us measure our advertising and show relevant adverts. These are only set if you consent.
You can change your choices at any time using the cookie settings link on our website, or by clearing cookies in your browser. Blocking some cookies may affect how parts of the website work.
Keeping your information secure
We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your information, including secure encrypted connections (HTTPS), access controls and reputable service providers. Only our team and providers who need your information to do their job can access it.
Children
Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18.
Links to other websites
Our website links to other websites, such as Google, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp and Ideal4Finance. We are not responsible for their privacy practices, so please read their own privacy policies.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version will always be on this page, with the date it was last updated at the top.
