Privacy Policy

Here we set out the privacy policy for our website. Please read this for information on how we collect and process your data fairly and in accordance with legislation.

We take your privacy seriously

This website (www.scotlandontap.gov.uk) is operated by WICS. We are committed to collecting and using personal information fairly and in accordance with the requirements of data protection laws. We take your privacy seriously and we ask that you read this policy carefully, as it contains important information on:

• the personal information we collect about you;
• what we do with your personal information; and
• who your personal information might be shared with.

We are the controller of the personal information that we collect from you on our website. We are therefore legally responsible for how we collect, hold and use your personal information.  This also means that we are required to comply with data protection laws when collecting, holding and using your personal information.

We have appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO), who ensures that we comply with data protection laws.  If you have any questions about this policy or how we hold or use your personal information, please contact the DPO via email at: [email protected]

1. What personal information do we collect about you?

Our website is a place to support business customers looking to switch supplier (also known as retailer), or who need a new connection. The website also provides information about the competitive nature of the Scottish water and sewerage market, to help you make an informed decision.

When you visit our website, we collect personal information about you if you complete and submit the website enquiry form. The personal information you are required to provide in the enquiry form includes your:

• contact name;
• address;
• telephone number; and
• e-mail address.

We may collect information about you via cookie files. Further information about our use of cookies is contained in our cookie statement. 

In certain circumstances, we may also collect information from suppliers (retailers) that may include your information, including communications between you and the supplier (retailer).

2. Why do we collect this personal information?

The personal information that you submit through the enquiry form is collected to enable the suppliers (retailers) that you select to provide information about their services.

We may also use this personal information to exercise our official authority vested in us in terms of the Water Services etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 and associated legislation.

3. What is our legal basis for holding and using your personal information?

Data protection laws require us to have a legal reason for collecting, holding and using your personal information. 

Our legal reasons for collecting, holding and using your personal information are:

• compliance with the legal and regulatory obligations that apply to us, such as access to information laws;
• exercise of our official authority vested in us in terms of the Water Services etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 and associated legislation; and
• our legitimate interests – this will be used where WICS has an overriding legitimate interest in handling and using your personal information. 

4. Who do we share your personal information with?

We will only share your personal information with the suppliers (retailers) that you select in the enquiry form.

5. How long do we keep your personal information?

We will only keep your personal information for as long as we need to for the purpose described in section 2 of this policy, including to meet any legal, accounting, reporting or regulatory requirements.  More information is contained in our data retention policy, which is available by contacting our DPO.

6. Where is your personal information stored?

Our servers are located in the United Kingdom and the information that we collect directly from you will be stored in these servers.

Some of the organisations we share your personal information with (listed in section 4 of this policy) may be based or may make use of data storage facilities that are located outside the United Kingdom.  Further information will be available in their respective privacy notices.

Should our processes change and your information is transferred in servers located outside of the United Kingdom, we will ensure similar protection is afforded to it by:

• only transferring it or permitting its transfer to countries that have been deemed to provide an adequate level of protection for personal information under data protection laws; or
• using specific contracts with such organisations, which are approved for use in the United Kingdom, and which give your personal information the same protection it has in the United Kingdom after it is transferred.

Please contact our DPO for further information on the specific mechanism used by us when transferring your personal information outside the United Kingdom.

7. What rights do you have in relation to your personal information that we collect, hold and use?

It is important that the personal information that we collect, hold and use about you is accurate and current.  Please keep us informed of any changes by contacting our DPO. However, please be aware that updating your data with WICS does not automatically transfer to the supplier (retailer), customers should complete a new enquiry form should they wish to seek responses from retailers using updated data. Under certain circumstances, the law gives you the right to request:

• a copy of your personal information and to check that we are holding and using it in accordance with legal requirements;
• correction of any incomplete or inaccurate personal information that we hold and use about you;
• deletion of your personal information where it is no longer necessary for us to continue to hold and use it.
• You also have the right to ask us to do this where you object to us holding and using your personal information (details below);
• temporarily suspend the use of your personal information, for example, if you want us to check that it is correct or the reason for processing it; and
• the transfer of the personal information that you have provided to us or another organisation; and
• that you are not subject to a decision solely taken by computer which produces legal consequences for or otherwise significantly affects you. 

You can also object to us holding and using your personal information on grounds relating to your particular situation, unless we have overriding and compelling legitimate grounds for holding and using your personal information in certain situations. 

Please contact our DPO if you wish to make any of the above requests.  When you make a request, we may ask you for specific information to help us confirm your identity for security reasons.  You will not need to pay a fee when you make any of the above requests, but we may charge a reasonable fee or refuse to comply if your request for access is clearly unfounded or excessive.

8. Feedback and complaints

We welcome your feedback on how we hold and use your personal information, and this can be sent to our DPO.

You have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner, the UK regulator for data protection, about how we hold and use your personal information.  The ICO’s contact details are as follows: 

Website is https://ico.org.uk/ and complaints can be made here. 

If you would like to receive this policy in alternative format, for example, audio, large print or braille, please contact our DPO.

9. Updates to this policy

We may update this policy at any time, and you should check this policy occasionally to ensure you are aware of the most recent version that will apply each time you access our website.

Last updated: April 2025