This privacy policy explains what personal data Boiler Answers (boileranswers.co.uk) collects, why, how long we keep it and what rights you have. It is written to comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).
Who is responsible for your data
The data controller is INTERNETBIRODALOM KFT., a company registered in Hungary. Full company details are in the operator block at the end of this page. You can contact us about anything in this policy at hello@boileranswers.co.uk.
The short version
- Our own visitor statistics use no cookies and store no IP addresses.
- We do not have accounts, newsletters, comments or contact forms, so we do not collect your name or email unless you choose to email us.
- Advertising cookies (Google AdSense) are only set with your consent.
- If you click an affiliate link, the Awin network sets a tracking cookie so a sale can be attributed to us.
- Our web server keeps standard access logs including IP addresses for security, deleted after 14 days at most.
What we collect and why
Visitor statistics (no cookies)
When you view a page, our server records: the page viewed, the time, the category of the site that referred you (for example "Google organic", "AI assistant", "social", "direct"), and your device type (desktop, mobile or tablet). To estimate how many different people visit, we store a daily salted hash derived from your connection and browser details. The hash cannot be reversed to reveal your IP address, the salt changes every day so visits cannot be linked across days, and the IP address itself is never stored in the statistics. No cookie is set and no third-party analytics service is used.
Known bots and crawlers are filtered out. We also log which pages are requested by AI crawlers (identified by their user agent) so we can see how our content is being used.
Affiliate click logging
When you click an affiliate link (an address starting /go/), our server records the time, the article you were on, the position of the link on the page and the referrer category, then redirects you to the partner. No personal data is stored - no IP address, no identifier, no cookie from us. We use this to see which articles are useful and to reconcile commission statements.
Advertising: Google AdSense and consent management
We show adverts through Google AdSense. Before any advertising cookie is set, Google's consent management platform shows you a banner asking for your consent. If you consent, Google may set cookies and use your data to show personalised adverts and to measure them; if you do not, advertising cookies are not used for personalisation. The banner itself stores your choice so you are not asked on every visit.
Google acts as an independent controller for this processing. For details, see Google's privacy policy and How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services. You can change or withdraw your consent at any time using the privacy settings link on the site; see our cookie policy.
Awin affiliate tracking
Our affiliate links go through the Awin network. When you click one, Awin sets a cookie in your browser and records the click so that, if you make a purchase on the partner's site within the tracking window (typically 30 days), the sale can be attributed to Boiler Answers. Awin processes this data as a controller in its own right. See Awin's privacy policy for details, including how to opt out of Awin tracking.
Server logs
Like almost every website, our web server writes access and error logs. These include your IP address, the time, the page requested, your browser's user agent and the referring page. We use them only to keep the site secure (for example to block abusive traffic) and to diagnose technical faults. Logs are retained for a maximum of 14 days and then deleted automatically.
Email contact
If you email us at hello@boileranswers.co.uk, we receive your email address, your name if you include it, and the content of your message. We use this only to reply to you and to deal with your request (for example a correction). We do not add you to any list, and we never use your details for marketing.
Lawful bases
| Processing | Lawful basis (UK GDPR Article 6) |
|---|---|
| Cookie-free statistics and affiliate click logging | Legitimate interests - understanding how the site is used and running it as a business, using data minimised so that no individual is identifiable |
| Server logs | Legitimate interests - security and fault diagnosis |
| Advertising cookies and personalised adverts | Your consent (Article 6(1)(a) and PECR regulation 6) |
| Awin tracking cookie | Consent/legitimate interests as set out in Awin's own policy; the cookie is only set when you choose to click an affiliate link |
| Replying to your emails | Legitimate interests - responding to your enquiry; or, where you report an error or exercise a right, our legal obligation |
How long we keep data
| Data | Retention |
|---|---|
| Statistics (page, time, referrer category, device type, daily hash) | Kept in aggregate form indefinitely; the daily hash cannot identify you and is not linked across days |
| Affiliate click logs | Up to 3 years, for commission reconciliation; contain no personal data |
| Server logs including IP addresses | Maximum 14 days |
| Emails | For as long as needed to deal with your request, then up to 12 months for follow-up, after which they are deleted |
| Google and Awin cookies | Set by those companies and governed by their policies; see our cookie policy for typical lifetimes |
Who we share data with
We do not sell or rent personal data to anyone, and we do not pass your details to installers or any other third party for marketing.
- Our hosting provider operates the server on which the site runs and processes data (including server logs) on our behalf under a data processing agreement.
- Google (AdSense and consent management) and Awin (affiliate tracking) receive data directly from your browser when their services run, and act as independent controllers as described above.
- We may disclose data where the law requires us to.
International transfers
Boiler Answers is operated from Hungary, a member state of the European Union. Any personal data we hold about UK visitors is therefore processed in the EU. Transfers from the UK to the EU are permitted under the UK's adequacy regulations for the European Economic Area, and transfers from the EU to the UK are covered by the European Commission's adequacy decision for the United Kingdom. Google and Awin may transfer data to other countries, including the United States, under their own safeguards described in their privacy policies.
Your rights
Under UK GDPR you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you.
- Rectification of inaccurate data.
- Erasure of your data in certain circumstances.
- Restriction of processing in certain circumstances.
- Object to processing based on legitimate interests.
- Data portability for data you provided to us that we process by automated means.
- Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent (for example advertising cookies), without affecting processing that took place before withdrawal.
In practice, because our statistics are anonymous and we hold no account data, the personal data we are likely to hold about you is limited to recent server logs (deleted within 14 days) and any emails you have sent us. To exercise any of these rights, email hello@boileranswers.co.uk. We will respond within one month.
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, you have the right to complain to the UK supervisory authority, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113. Because we are established in Hungary, you may also complain to the Hungarian National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (NAIH). We would, however, appreciate the chance to resolve your concern first.
Children
Boiler Answers is written for adults who own, rent or manage a home. It is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18.
Security
The site is served over HTTPS. Access to the server and to the administration area is restricted to our staff, protected by strong passwords and rate limiting. We keep the amount of personal data we hold to the minimum needed to run the site, which is the most effective protection of all.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when the site or the law changes. The "Last updated" date at the top of the page shows when it was last revised. Significant changes will be summarised here.
Who operates Boiler Answers
Boiler Answers is operated by INTERNETBIRODALOM KFT. Arany János utca 36., 8947 Szentkozmadombja, Hungary Company registration number: 20 09 075369 · VAT/tax number: 25815722-2-20 Contact: hello@boileranswers.co.uk
Contact
For any question about this policy or your personal data, email hello@boileranswers.co.uk or see our contact page.