Frank G.Gates Ltd - Privacy Policy

Last updated: 25.9.26​​

This policy describes how we use your personal data when you use our website, buy our goods or when we provide services to you. We have provided this policy to ensure that you understand what personal data we may collect and hold about you, what we may use it for and how we keep it safe. You have legal rights to access the personal data that we hold about you and to control how we use it which are also explained.

Who we are and how you can contact us

We are Frank G Gates Ltd, Company Number 00245843, with our registered office at: Gates Corner, Edinburgh Way, Harlow, Essex CM20 2EG

You can contact us by email, data@gates.co.uk, or by post:

Data Protection Team, Frank G Gates Ltd, Gates Corner, Edinburgh Way, Harlow, Essex CM20 2EG

Our data protection team

We have a dedicated data protection team who oversee our handling of personal data.

You can contact our data protection team in writing at Frank G.Gates Ltd, Registered Office, Gates Corner, Edinburgh Way, Harlow, Essex CM20 2EG or by email at data@gates.co.uk.

What personal data we collect 

We collect personal data in several ways:

1. Personal data you provide to us

Examples include:

• Name, address, email address, phone number
• Driving licence details
• Financial and credit card information
• Enquiry details
• Information submitted through online forms
• Information provided during live chat sessions

2. Personal data we receive from third parties

Examples include:

• Contact details from Ford Motor Company or other OEMs
• Finance application details from finance companies
• Driving licence validation data
• Data from Codeweavers, Stripe, Visitor Chat, FingerprintJS, Mailchimp, and other service providers

3. Personal data collected through our website

Examples include:

• IP address, browser type, device type
• Website usage analytics
• Local storage records of previous vehicle searches
• Anti‑spam device fingerprinting
• Live chat transcripts
• Online form submissions

4. Recording and monitoring communications

We may record telephone calls, emails, and live chat interactions for:

• quality assurance
• training
• fraud prevention
• compliance
• service delivery

How we use your personal data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

• Providing information, goods, and services you request
• Managing enquiries and customer relationships
• Administering our business
• Improving our website and services
• Checking driving licence validity for test drives or courtesy vehicles
• Processing payments
• Assessing finance eligibility
• Sending marketing communications (see section below)
• Fraud prevention and security

Lawful basis for processing your personal data

We use the following lawful bases under UK GDPR:

Lawful Basis for Processing

​Cookies and tracking technologies​

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies. Non‑essential cookies (analytics, advertising, functionality) are only used with your consent.

Please see our Cookie Policy for full details.

When we need your consent to use your personal data

We will ask for your consent when:

• placing non‑essential cookies
• sending marketing communications (unless soft opt‑in applies)
• sharing your data with third parties for marketing
• processing special category data (if applicable)

You can withdraw consent at any time.

Personal data you are legally obliged to provide

You are not legally required to provide personal data, but if you choose not to, we may be unable to provide certain goods or services (e.g., test drives, finance applications).

Your rights 

You have the following rights under UK GDPR:

• Right of access
• Right to rectification
• Right to erasure
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to object
• Right to data portability
• Right to withdraw consent
• Right to object to automated decision‑making

To exercise your rights, contact: data@gates.co.uk

Automated decision making and profiling

We do not make automated decisions about you. However, finance companies may use automated decision‑making when assessing your creditworthiness. You have the right to request human review from the finance provider.

Sharing your personal data

We share your data with:

• OEMs: Ford, OMODA, JAECOO, Peugeot, Leapmotor, BYD, Geely
• Finance companies
• Service providers (Keyloop, AWS, Visitor Chat, FingerprintJS, Stripe, Codeweavers, Mailchimp)
• Analytics providers
• Fraud prevention agencies
• Legal and regulatory bodies
• Prospective buyers or sellers of our business

We may also share your personal information with third parties on a one-off basis, for example, if:

• we sell or buy any business or assets (including our own), in which case we will disclose your personal data to the prospective seller or buyer of such business or assets
• we are under a duty to disclose or share your personal data in order to comply with any legal obligation, or in order to enforce or apply our website terms of use, our terms and conditions or other agreements; or to protect the rights, property, or safety of our customers, ourselves or others. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organisations for the purposes of fraud protection and credit risk reduction.

Controller/Processor Roles:

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How we keep your personal data safe

We use:

• secure servers
• encryption
• access controls
• staff training
• firewalls and anti‑virus software
• locked storage for paper records
• strict mobile device policies

How we use your personal data for marketing

We will add your details to our marketing database if:

We use MailChimp for email marketing and so your information is transmitted to MailChimp. Mailchimp is an online marketing platform operated by The Rocket Science Group LLC, a company headquartered in the State of Georgia in the United States. MailChimp is prohibited from selling your data and from using it for purposes other than sending email. More information can be found here. When you give us permission to store your personal information and email address and to send you marketing emails, this consent can be revoked at any time via the unsubscribe link in every mailing.

We will only share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes if you provide us with your consent to do so by ticking a box on a form we use to collect your personal data.

How long we keep your personal data

Retention Schedule:

We may retain data longer if legal proceedings are anticipated.

When we will send your personal data to other countries

Some providers store data outside the UK/EEA. Where this happens, we use appropriate safeguards:

International Transfer Mechanisms:

How you can make a complaint

If you are unhappy with how we use your personal data, contact our Data Protection Team at data@gates.co.uk.

You can also complain to the ICO: www.ico.org.uk

How we keep this policy up to date

We will review and update this policy from time to time. This may be to reflect a change in the goods or services we offer, a change to our internal procedures or to reflect a change in the law.

We may update this policy from time to time. You can request a copy at any time by emailing data@gates.co.uk.