Privacy Policy
Last updated: March 2026
In plain English first
We collect as little data as possible. We don't sell it. We don't share it with data brokers. We don't do programmatic ads or tracking pixels. If you give us your email, you'll get a newsletter once or twice a month and that's it.
This policy explains the legal detail behind that promise.
1. Who we are
SiteKiln is a trading name of FTJ Designs.
For data protection purposes, FTJ Designs (trading as SiteKiln) is the data controller - meaning we decide what data is collected and how it's used.
Data controller: The data controller for SiteKiln is FTJ Designs, registered with the UK Information Commissioner's Office under registration number ZC127003. You can verify this on the ICO public register at ico.org.uk/esdwebpages/search.
2. What data we collect
If you just read the site (no account)
- Cookies and basic analytics - we use cookies to understand how people use the site (which pages are popular, how long people stay, where they come from). See our Cookie Policy for details.
- We do not use third-party tracking pixels, Facebook Pixel, Google Ads remarketing, or any programmatic ad network that follows you around the internet.
If you create a Document Hub account
- Email address - so we can give you access to templates and send you the newsletter.
- Region - your general location (e.g. South East, South West, Midlands, North West etc.). This helps us understand where our readers are and make the site more relevant.
- Trade - your trade or role (e.g. bricklayer, carpenter, plumber, electrician), with a "no trade / prefer not to say" option. This helps us understand who's using the site and tailor content.
- Declaration - that you work in the UK construction industry. The Document Hub is for tradespeople and construction workers only.
That's it. Three fields and a tick box.
We don't ask for your name. We don't ask for your age. We don't ask for your gender. We don't ask for your company name, your phone number, your address, or any of the other stuff most sites demand before they'll let you download a PDF. We don't need it, so we don't ask for it.
Your email gets you in. Your region and trade help us understand who's reading. Everything else is none of our business.
We use region and trade data in aggregate only (e.g. "40% of our readers are in the South East" or "plumbers are our biggest trade group") to improve the site and to show sponsors that our audience is relevant to their products. We never share your individual email, region or trade with advertisers or anyone else.
Disposable and fake email addresses are automatically blocked. We maintain a list of known disposable email providers and reject them at signup. If you can't receive a confirmation email, you can't create an account. This keeps the list clean and means every subscriber is a real person who actually wants to be there.
If you contact us
- Whatever you send us - name, email, message content - so we can reply.
If you're an advertiser or sponsor
- Business contact details provided during your enquiry or booking, used to manage the advertising relationship.
3. Why we collect it and what law allows us to
| What we collect | Why | Lawful basis (UK GDPR) |
|---|---|---|
| Cookies / analytics | To understand how the site is used and improve it | Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f)) for essential/analytics cookies; consent for non-essential cookies |
| Email address (Doc Hub signup) | To provide access to templates and send the newsletter | Consent (Article 6(1)(a)) - you actively sign up and can unsubscribe any time |
| Region and trade (Doc Hub signup) | To understand our audience, improve content and show sponsors aggregate audience data | Consent (Article 6(1)(a)) - provided at signup |
| Contact form messages | To reply to your question or feedback | Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f)) |
| Advertiser/sponsor details | To manage the commercial relationship | Contract (Article 6(1)(b)) / legitimate interests |
4. The newsletter - what you'll actually get
If you sign up through the Document Hub or subscribe on the site:
- You'll receive a newsletter from us once or twice a month. That is it.
- The newsletter will contain new guides, template updates, and occasionally relevant industry news.
- We will never sell, rent, trade or give your email address to anyone else. Not to advertisers, not to sponsors, not to "partners", not to data brokers. Nobody.
- We will never share your email list with third parties for their marketing. This is a practice we hate and we will never do it.
- You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in every email. One click, done, no guilt trip.
5. Who we share data with
We share your data with as few people as possible:
| Who | Why | What they see |
|---|---|---|
| Our hosting provider | To run the site and store accounts | Email addresses, account data |
| Our email service provider (for newsletters) | To send the newsletter | Email addresses only |
| Payment processor (if applicable) | To process payments | Payment details only, not stored by us |
We do not share data with:
- Advertising networks
- Data brokers
- Social media platforms for tracking
- Any third party for their own marketing purposes
All service providers we use are bound by data processing agreements and must handle your data in line with UK GDPR.
6. Advertising - how it works on SiteKiln
Any ads you see on this site are not targeted based on your browsing history. We don't track what you do on other websites and use it to follow you around with ads.
Our advertising is contextual and industry-specific:
- Ads are relevant to the section you're reading, not to your personal browsing data.
- If you're reading about insurance, you might see an ad from an insurer. If you're reading about training, you might see a training provider. That's it.
- So not only can you read about insurance - you can also head straight over to an insurer. Relevant and useful, wherever you are on the site.
We do not:
- Use programmatic ad networks (Google Ads, Meta Ads, etc.).
- Build advertising profiles based on your behaviour.
- Share any of your data with advertisers.
- Let advertisers influence the content of our guides.
Sponsors and advertisers pay for placement on the site. They do not pay for access to your data or your email address. Editorial and advertising are kept completely separate.
7. Browser storage (localStorage)
Some of our tools save your entries in your browser's localStorage so they're still there when you come back. This includes the Monthly Profit Tracker, PPE Budget Estimator, Quarterly Business MOT and Saved Guides.
What you need to know:
- Your data is saved in your browser only. It is never sent to our servers.
- We cannot see, access or recover this data.
- Clearing your browser history, cache or site data will delete it.
- The data is not encrypted and is not backed up.
- If you switch to a different device or browser, your saved data will not follow you.
If you want to remove locally stored data without clearing your entire browser cache, you can do so in your browser's developer tools under Application > Local Storage.
8. Cookies
We use cookies on this site. Full details are in our Cookie Policy.
Short version:
- Essential cookies - needed to make the site work (login sessions, security). These are always on.
- Analytics cookies - help us see which pages are popular and how people use the site. We use privacy-friendly analytics and do not track you across other websites.
- We do not use advertising cookies, retargeting cookies, social media tracking pixels, or any cookie that follows you around the internet.
You can manage your cookie preferences when you first visit the site and change them at any time.
9. How long we keep your data
| Data | How long |
|---|---|
| Email address (newsletter / Doc Hub) | Until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete it |
| Analytics data | Aggregated and anonymised; raw data deleted after 26 months |
| Contact form messages | Deleted after 12 months unless there's an ongoing conversation |
| Advertiser/sponsor details | For the duration of the relationship plus 6 years (for tax/legal records) |
When we delete data, we delete it properly - not just archived somewhere you can't see.
10. Your rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:
- Access - ask us what data we hold about you.
- Correction - ask us to fix anything that's wrong.
- Deletion - ask us to delete your data (subject to any legal obligation to keep it, e.g. tax records).
- Objection - object to us processing your data for certain purposes.
- Portability - ask for a copy of your data in a standard format.
- Withdraw consent - for anything based on consent (like the newsletter), you can withdraw at any time by unsubscribing.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us. We'll respond within one month.
11. How we keep your data safe
- All data is stored on secure, encrypted servers.
- Access to personal data is limited to the people who actually need it (which is very few).
- We don't store payment card details ourselves - that's handled by our payment processor.
- We review our data practices regularly and delete anything we no longer need.
12. Children
SiteKiln is aimed at adults working in the construction industry. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 16. If you believe we have, please contact us and we'll delete it immediately.
13. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The "last updated" date at the top will change when we do. If we make significant changes to how we use your data, we'll let you know via the newsletter or a notice on the site.
14. Complaints
If you're not happy with how we've handled your data:
- Contact us first - we'd rather fix it directly.
- If we can't sort it out, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):
- Website: ico.org.uk
- Helpline: 0303 123 1113
- Post: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
15. Contact
For any data protection questions, contact us through the details on our About page.