Privacy Policy

This page explains what personal information Verge collects through this website, why it's collected, how it's used, and what rights you have. It's written in plain English on purpose — privacy notices that need a translator help no one.

1. Who we are

Verge is a UK-based AI consultancy. For data protection purposes, the data controller is:

Fraser Hamilton

trading as Verge
Email: [email protected]

We will update this section once Verge is incorporated as a limited company, at which point Verge Ltd will become the data controller.

2. What personal information we collect

We collect personal information in three situations:

When you submit the contact form on this website.

We collect the information you provide: first name, last name, email address, phone number (if you choose to share it), and the contents of the message you send us.

When you subscribe to the newsletter.

We collect the email address you provide. We don't collect names or anything else for newsletter signups.

Automatic information when you visit the site.

Standard web server logs may record your IP address, browser type, the pages you visit, and the time of your visit. This is collected by the hosting provider for security and operational purposes.

We don't use Google Analytics or any tracking that builds a profile of you across sites.

3. Why we collect this information and our legal basis

We do not use your information for any other purpose. We do not sell your data. We do not pass it to third parties for marketing.

4. How long we keep it

Contact form submissions:

Retained for up to 24 months after your last interaction with us, so we can pick up where we left off if conversations resume. If a working relationship begins, your contact details move into our business records and are retained per our standard business record retention (typically 6 years after the end of the engagement, in line with UK accounting and contract record requirements).

Newsletter subscribers:

Retained as long as you remain subscribed. Every newsletter contains an unsubscribe link. When you unsubscribe, your email is removed from the active list within 30 days.

Server logs:

Typically retained for 30-90 days by the hosting provider, then automatically deleted.

5. Who we share it with

We use a small number of trusted service providers to operate the website and respond to enquiries. These include:

• Hosting provider for the website itself
• Form processing service to handle contact form submissions and route them to our email
• Email newsletter service (if you've subscribed) to manage subscriptions and send the newsletter

Each of these providers processes your data only on our instructions and under their own data protection obligations. We choose providers that operate within the UK, EU, or have adequate UK GDPR safeguards in place.

We don't share your information with anyone else unless required by law (for example, in response to a valid court order).

6. Your rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights regarding the personal information we hold about you:

• Right of access — you can ask for a copy of the information we hold about you
• Right to rectification — you can ask us to correct information that's wrong
• Right to erasure — you can ask us to delete your information (we may need to keep some records where the law requires)
• Right to restrict processing — you can ask us to stop using your information in specific ways
• Right to object — you can object to us processing your information based on legitimate interest
• Right to data portability — you can ask for your information in a structured, commonly used format
• Right to withdraw consent — where we rely on consent (newsletter), you can withdraw it at any time

To exercise any of these rights, email [email protected]. We'll respond within one month.

If you're unhappy with how we've handled your information, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator:

• Website: ico.org.uk
• Helpline: 0303 123 1113

We'd appreciate the chance to address concerns directly first, but you're entitled to go straight to the ICO if you prefer.

7. Cookies and tracking

This website uses minimal cookies. We don't use third-party tracking, advertising cookies, or cross-site analytics. Any cookies set are essential for the site to function (for example, a session cookie that remembers your form input if the page reloads).

If we add analytics in the future, we'll use a privacy-respecting service that doesn't require cookies, and we'll update this page.

8. Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. The version posted on this page is the current one, and the "Last updated" date at the top tells you when it last changed. Significant changes will be noted clearly. Continued use of the website after changes means you accept the updated policy.

9. Contact

For any questions about this privacy policy or about the personal information we hold:

Email: [email protected]

We aim to respond to all privacy-related enquiries within five working days.