Privacy Policy

Your data rights

1. Who we are

Underbonnet is operated by Lawrence Weetman (Burnsfield House, PE16 6NF), who is the data controller for personal data processed through the service.

Privacy and data-rights enquiries: use the Contact page, or email info@underbonnet.app.

2. Scope and who this is for

This policy describes how we handle personal data when you use the Underbonnet website and web app at underbonnet.app. The service is intended primarily for users in the United Kingdom, but we do not block access from other countries.

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone younger.

3. Personal data we collect

Depending on how you use Underbonnet, we may process:

• Account data: your email address (used as your sign-in identifier), authentication session data, and technical metadata such as IP address and browser user agent associated with your session.
• Vehicle and log data you enter: registration, make, model, year, optional car name, purchase details, MOT dates, mileage readings, job entries, observations, fitted parts, maintenance schedules, and any text or structured fields you add.
• Photos you upload: images attached to your car, jobs, trips, parts, or profile, plus optional captions.
• DVSA MOT history: if you use registration lookup or MOT refresh, we query the UK DVSA MOT History API using the registration you provide and store relevant results in your log.
• Support messages: if you use Contact, Send feedback, or Report this problem, we store the message you write and may also store technical context from the page you were on (URL, browser details, and — for in-app feedback — text you had already typed into nearby form fields, excluding passwords). These help us understand bugs and mid-flow issues. Messages are reviewed by the operator; they are not emailed automatically.
• Premium interest: if you tap "Get notified when available" on the Premium page, we store your account email so we can tell you when premium opens and send occasional launch news.
• Device storage: when you use the app offline, a copy of relevant data may be cached in your browser's IndexedDB until it syncs.
• Public car pages: if you opt in to a public page, the fields you choose to publish are visible to anyone with the link.

We do not ask for your name as part of account sign-up today. A display name field may be added for future community features; if so, we will update this policy before it ships.

4. Why we use your data and lawful bases

We process personal data to:

• provide and secure your account and workshop log (contract and legitimate interests);
• sync your data across devices and keep offline changes safe (contract);
• operate public car pages you opt into (contract and your choices);
• respond to support and data-rights requests (legal obligation and legitimate interests);
• improve reliability and prevent abuse (legitimate interests).

If you ask to be notified about premium access or launch news on the Premium page, we process your account email for that purpose based on your consent. Signing up for an Underbonnet account alone does not subscribe you to marketing emails.

5. Cookies and local storage

We use strictly necessary session cookies to keep you signed in. We may use privacy-friendly, cookieless analytics (such as Cloudflare Web Analytics) to understand aggregate traffic. We do not use advertising cookies.

Offline functionality stores data in your browser's local storage and IndexedDB. This stays on your device until synced or cleared.

6. Who we share data with

We use service providers who process data on our behalf:

• Cloudflare — hosting, database (D1), photo storage (R2), and related infrastructure.
• Resend — delivering magic-link sign-in emails.
• Mailchimp — optional launch and premium-interest emails when we import your email after you ask to be notified in the app.
• DVSA — when you request MOT history lookup, your registration is sent to the UK government MOT History API. DVSA processes that query under its own terms.
• Stripe (planned) — if you purchase a paid plan in future, payment details will be handled by Stripe; we will not store full card numbers.

We do not sell your personal data. We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the rights and safety of users and the service.

7. International transfers

Our providers may process data in the United Kingdom, the European Economic Area, the United States, and other countries. Where data leaves the UK, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as UK adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent protections offered by our providers.

8. Public car pages

Car visibility defaults to private. If you turn on a public page, anyone with the link can view the published snapshot (for example recent history, fitted parts, and a main photo). Published history includes entry titles and free-text notes — there is no per-entry private flag yet. You are responsible for not publishing information you do not want others to see, including third-party personal data visible in photos or notes.

Short-lived share links (QR handoff from a log entry) also expose that entry's notes and, unless you leave registration off the share card for a private car, the vehicle registration — for up to 15 minutes while the link is valid, regardless of the car's public/private setting.

9. How long we keep data

• Account and log data: kept while your account is active. When you close your account, we first email you a confirmation link. After you confirm, sign-in stops and your workshop log is hidden. We keep a recoverable copy in live systems for 28 days from confirmation so we can restore the account if you contact us (please do so within 14 days if the closure was a mistake). After 28 days we permanently delete that live copy. Residual copies in encrypted backups may persist for up to 90 days (database) or 7 days (photos) before automatic expiry on our off-site backup server.
• Magic-link tokens: expire after 15 minutes and are deleted once used or expired.
• Session and security logs: typically retained for up to 90 days unless a longer period is needed to investigate abuse or comply with law.
• Premium interest / Mailchimp: if you asked to be notified in the app, we keep that request while it is relevant. If we imported your email into Mailchimp to send those updates, it remains there until you unsubscribe or ask us to remove it — deleting your Underbonnet account does not automatically remove you from Mailchimp.

10. Your rights

Under UK data protection law you may have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict, or object to certain processing, and to data portability where applicable. You can exercise most rights directly in the app via export and delete, via the Contact page, or by emailing info@underbonnet.app.

You may lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe we have handled your data unlawfully.

11. Planned features

We may later add community profiles, curated supplier suggestions, sponsored placements, paid tiers, and an AI diagnostic assistant. We will update this policy before collecting new categories of personal data for those features. Community profiles may include a real name stored for safety but not shown publicly, a display preference, coarse town or region, club memberships, and an avatar.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows the current version. Material changes will be highlighted when you sign in. Continued use after an update means you acknowledge the revised policy.

See also our Terms of Use.