PRIVACY STATEMENT
Last Updated: September 2026
At Consumers Choice, we take your privacy seriously.
This Privacy Statement explains how we collect, use, store and share personal information when you visit our website, contact us or submit an enquiry.
1. Who We Are
Consumers Choice operates an introduction service, helping consumers connect with relevant third-party organisations that may be able to assist with their circumstances.
Consumers Choice acts as an introducer only.
We do not provide financial advice, debt advice, debt counselling or legal advice.
The legal entity responsible for operating Consumers Choice and processing personal information is identified at the end of this Privacy Statement.
2. Information We May Collect
Depending on how you interact with us and the nature of your enquiry, we may collect:
- Your name
- Telephone number
- Email address
- Address or postcode
- Information submitted through our website
- Information provided through WhatsApp, SMS, telephone or email
- The nature of your enquiry
- Types and approximate amounts of debts
- Employment status
- Housing or living arrangements
- Whether debts are individual or joint
- Your current payment situation
- Information about household finances
- Communications with Consumers Choice
- Appointment, referral and introduction records
- IP address, browser, device and website usage information
- Marketing and communication preferences
We aim to collect only information reasonably required for the purposes described in this Privacy Statement.
3. How We Use Your Information
We may process your personal information to:
- Respond to your enquiry
- Understand the general nature of your circumstances
- Communicate with you
- Identify a relevant third-party provider
- Facilitate an introduction
- Allow the relevant provider to contact you
- Arrange appointments
- Send permitted confirmations, reminders and follow-up communications
- Maintain records of enquiries and introductions
- Operate and improve our website and introduction service
- Protect our systems and prevent fraud or misuse
- Meet applicable legal and regulatory requirements
Consumers Choice does not use this information to provide debt advice or recommend a particular debt solution.
4. Sharing Your Information
Where appropriate, we may share relevant personal information with an appropriately authorised or licensed third-party provider so that the provider can contact you and consider your circumstances.
Before your personal information is passed to a third-party provider, we will make clear that your information is being passed on for this purpose.
Consumers Choice may receive a fee or commission from a third-party provider for making an introduction and therefore has a financial interest in making that introduction.
The receiving organisation will be responsible for any subsequent assessment, advice, recommendation, product or service it provides and may act as a separate data controller.
We may also use trusted service providers supporting areas such as:
- Customer relationship management
- Website hosting
- Email and SMS
- WhatsApp and messaging
- Appointment booking
- IT and security
- Analytics and website technology, where applicable
These organisations may process personal information on our behalf or, in some circumstances, as separate controllers.
We do not sell your personal information.
The ICO requires privacy information to explain the purposes of processing, lawful bases, recipients/categories of recipients and retention, among other information.
5. WhatsApp, SMS, Email and Telephone
If you contact us through WhatsApp, SMS, email or telephone, or provide your details when submitting an enquiry, we may use the relevant channel to communicate with you about that enquiry.
Our WhatsApp journey may ask questions about your debts, housing, employment, payment circumstances and general household finances to help us understand and direct your enquiry.
These questions do not constitute financial or debt advice and are not used by Consumers Choice to recommend a particular debt solution.
Where consent is required for electronic marketing communications, we will obtain the appropriate consent and provide a way for you to withdraw it.
6. Lawful Bases
We will only process personal information where we have an appropriate lawful basis under UK data protection law.
Depending upon the particular processing activity, this may include:
Consent – where you have given permission for a particular use of your information.
Legitimate Interests – where processing is reasonably necessary for legitimate business purposes, such as responding to enquiries, operating our introduction service, maintaining appropriate records, protecting our systems or preventing fraud, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and interests.
Legal Obligation – where processing is necessary to comply with an applicable legal requirement.
Where consent is relied upon, you may withdraw it.
We determine the appropriate lawful basis according to the specific purpose for which information is processed. The ICO requires organisations to identify a valid lawful basis and, where special-category data is involved, an additional applicable condition.
7. Sensitive Information
You may voluntarily disclose sensitive information during an enquiry, including information concerning your physical or mental health.
Health information can constitute special category personal data.
Where we process special-category personal information, we will only do so where an appropriate Article 6 lawful basis and an applicable additional condition under UK data protection law are available.
We ask that you only provide sensitive information where it is relevant to your enquiry.
8. International Data Transfers
Some of the technology and service providers used to operate our website, communications or business systems may process personal information outside the United Kingdom.
Where personal information is transferred internationally, we will ensure that an appropriate lawful transfer mechanism or safeguard is used where required by UK data protection law.
Further information about applicable safeguards can be requested by contacting us.
This is an important addition to the old policy because the ICO says international transfers must be disclosed where applicable.
9. How Long We Keep Information
We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected and to satisfy applicable legal, regulatory, contractual and legitimate record-keeping requirements.
Different types of information may therefore be retained for different periods.
When information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or anonymised where appropriate.
10. Marketing
Where permitted, we may contact you about services relevant to your enquiry.
Where consent is required for direct electronic marketing, we will obtain it before sending such communications.
You can withdraw your marketing consent or opt out of marketing communications at any time using the method provided in the communication or by contacting us.
11. Cookies and Similar Technologies
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies for essential website functionality and, where applicable, analytics or advertising.
Where consent is required for non-essential cookies or similar technologies, these will only be activated after the appropriate consent has been obtained.
Further information should be provided through our Cookie Policy and cookie consent controls.
12. Your Rights
Depending upon the circumstances, you may have rights to:
- Access personal information we hold about you
- Correct inaccurate information
- Request deletion
- Restrict processing
- Object to certain processing
- Withdraw consent
- Request data portability in applicable circumstances
- Complain about the processing of your personal information
These rights are subject to applicable legal conditions and exemptions.
13. Subject Access Requests
You may request a copy of the personal information held about you by Consumers Choice.
Where information relating to subsequent advice, recommendations, assessments or services is held independently by a third-party provider, you may need to contact that organisation separately.
We may request information reasonably necessary to verify your identity before responding to a request.
Requests can be sent to:
14. Security
We use appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, disclosure or misuse.
Access is limited to individuals and service providers with a legitimate requirement to access the information.
15. Third-Party Websites
Our website may contain links to third-party websites.
Consumers Choice is not responsible for the privacy practices of independent third-party organisations. You should review their privacy information before providing personal information directly to them.
16. Changes to This Privacy Statement
We may update this Privacy Statement where our services, processing activities, technology, providers or legal requirements change.
The current version will be published on our website with its latest update date.
17. Complaints
If you have concerns about how your personal information has been handled, please contact us so that we can investigate.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
18. Contact Us
For privacy enquiries, data protection rights requests or Subject Access Requests:
Consumers Choice
Email: info@consumerschoice.co.uk
19. Legal Entity and Data Controller
The Consumers Choice website and introduction service are operated by Diamond Data Solutions Ltd, a limited company registered in England and Wales under company number 09052365.
Registered Office:
35 Stamford New Road
Altrincham
Cheshire
WA14 1EB
For the purposes of applicable UK data protection law, Diamond Data Solutions Ltd is the data controller for personal information processed by Consumers Choice.
