Privacy Policy

Version date: 1 June 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Evolution Electronics & Electrical Limited, company number 08408611, trading as Pro Tool Hire, collects, uses, stores and shares personal information.

This Privacy Policy applies to our website, customer accounts, tool-hire bookings, shop collection, customer returns, delivery and return collection where applicable, payments, Deposits, Pre-authorisations, customer checks, fraud-prevention checks, communications, complaints and disputes.

Our standard hire service is customer collection from, and customer return to, our shop:

Pro Tool Hire
398 Harrow Road
London W9 2HU

Delivery, return collection, loading assistance, collection from a non-shop location and any other non-standard services apply only if we offer or agree them for your Booking.

This Privacy Policy should be read together with our Hire Terms and Conditions, Consumer Cancellation Policy, Consumer Refund and Deposit Policy, Consumer Collection, Return and Delivery Policy, Consumer ID, Age, Address and Fraud Checks Notice, Cookie Policy, Booking Confirmation and any product-specific terms, restrictions or safety information shown before checkout or included in your Booking Confirmation.

Nothing in this Privacy Policy affects any rights you have by law.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of UK data-protection law, the controller of your personal information is:

Evolution Electronics & Electrical Limited
Company number: 08408611
Trading as: Pro Tool Hire
Address: 398 Harrow Road, London W9 2HU
Email: london@pro-tool-hire.co.uk
Phone: 07922 232 181

When this Privacy Policy says “we”, “us” or “our”, it means Evolution Electronics & Electrical Limited, trading as Pro Tool Hire.

When this Privacy Policy says “you” or “your”, it means a customer, prospective customer, website user, Authorised Representative, person collecting or returning Equipment, person receiving delivery, person involved in a Booking, or another person whose personal information we process.

2. Key Definitions

In this Privacy Policy:

• Booking means a request or order to hire Equipment.
• Booking Confirmation means the confirmation we send confirming that a Booking has been accepted.
• Consumer means a customer hiring Equipment mainly for personal, domestic or household use.
• Equipment means any tool, machine, item, accessory, battery, charger, cable, case, attachment, component, instruction pack or other item supplied by us under a hire booking.
• Optional Services means delivery, return collection, loading assistance, collection from a non-shop location, or any other non-standard service beyond standard customer collection from, and customer return to, our shop, where we offer or agree that service for your Booking.
• Personal information means information relating to an identified or identifiable person.
• Processing means doing anything with personal information, including collecting, recording, storing, using, sharing, updating, deleting or restricting it.

3. Personal Information We May Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect and use the following types of personal information.

3.1 Contact and account information

This may include:

• name;
• email address;
• phone number;
• billing address;
• collection, delivery or return collection address where applicable;
• customer account details;
• communication preferences;
• customer reference numbers;
• password or login information where customer accounts are used; and
• records of communications with you.

3.2 Booking and hire information

This may include:

• Booking reference;
• Equipment hired;
• hire dates and times;
• collection and return details;
• Optional Services requested or provided;
• product restrictions;
• Deposit or Pre-authorisation status;
• payment status;
• cancellation, extension or change requests;
• late return records;
• return inspection records;
• disputes, complaints and refund records; and
• records needed to manage the hire.

3.3 Identity, age and address check information

This may include:

• confirmation that identity, age or address checks have been completed;
• proof of identity, such as driving licence or passport details;
• proof of age;
• proof of address;
• payment-card or payment-provider verification information;
• Authorised Representative details;
• copies of documents where reasonably needed; and
• records of check outcomes.

Where possible, we may record that a check has been completed rather than keeping a copy of the underlying document.

3.4 Payment, Deposit and Pre-authorisation information

This may include:

• payment status;
• partial payment details;
• transaction references;
• refund records;
• Deposit records;
• Pre-authorisation records;
• card-provider or payment-provider confirmation;
• chargeback or payment-dispute records; and
• related payment communications.

We do not normally receive or store full card numbers where payments are processed by a third-party payment provider.

3.5 Handover, collection, return and Equipment condition information

This may include:

• signatures;
• collection records;
• delivery records;
• return records;
• return collection records;
• staff notes;
• driver notes;
• failed-visit records;
• photographs of Equipment;
• photographs of accessories;
• photographs of serial numbers or asset labels;
• photographs showing handover, delivery, return or return condition;
• photographs of damage, contamination, missing items or Return Issues;
• accessory checklists;
• inspection notes;
• repair, cleaning or replacement records; and
• customer communications about condition, damage, loss, theft or non-return.

Where photographs are taken, we will normally focus on the Equipment, accessories, delivery location, return condition or handover evidence rather than unnecessary personal information.

3.6 Fraud-prevention, risk and safety information

This may include:

• inconsistent customer, address, payment or Booking information;
• failed or incomplete identity checks;
• failed or incomplete age checks;
• failed or incomplete address checks;
• suspected false information;
• suspicious delivery, collection or return arrangements;
• failed delivery or handover attempts;
• repeated disputes, chargebacks or non-return issues;
• suspected use of stolen payment details;
• unusual hire patterns;
• factual records of suspected theft, substitution, misuse, non-return or fraud;
• safety or access concerns; and
• other factual information giving reasonable concern.

Fraud-prevention or risk records will be factual, relevant and limited to information reasonably needed for fraud prevention, theft prevention, non-return prevention, dispute handling, insurance or legal purposes. We will not rely on unsupported or purely subjective labels.

3.7 Website and technical information

This may include:

• IP address;
• browser type;
• device type;
• pages visited;
• time and date of visits;
• referral source;
• website error logs;
• cookie identifiers;
• checkout journey information;
• customer account activity;
• security logs; and
• cookie-consent preferences.

More information about cookies and similar technologies is set out in our Cookie Policy.

3.8 Marketing information

This may include:

• marketing preferences;
• email subscription status;
• SMS subscription status where used;
• responses to campaigns;
• clicks and engagement information where marketing tools are used; and
• opt-out records.

We will not send electronic direct marketing where consent is required unless we have that consent or another lawful basis applies.

4. How We Collect Personal Information

We may collect personal information:

• directly from you;
• from a person placing a Booking on your behalf;
• from an Authorised Representative;
• through our website;
• through customer accounts;
• during checkout;
• by email, phone, message, web form or in person;
• when you collect, receive, return or use Equipment;
• when you request an Optional Service;
• when you make payment, pay a Deposit or complete a Pre-authorisation;
• when you provide ID, age or address information;
• when we inspect or photograph Equipment;
• when you raise a complaint, dispute, refund request or chargeback;
• from payment providers;
• from identity, age or address verification providers, where used;
• from delivery or return collection records;
• from fraud-prevention tools, where used;
• from booking, EPOS, website or IT systems;
• from insurers, advisers, debt recovery providers, police, regulators, courts or other third parties where lawful and relevant; and
• from publicly available sources where lawful and reasonably necessary.

5. Why We Use Personal Information and Our Lawful Bases

We must have a lawful basis for using personal information. The lawful bases we may rely on include:

• Contract, where processing is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you;
• Legal obligation, where we need to comply with the law;
• Legitimate interests, where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests or those of another person and those interests are not overridden by your rights and interests;
• Consent, where we rely on your consent, such as for some marketing or non-essential cookies; and
• Establishing, exercising or defending legal claims, where relevant.

5.1 Managing Bookings and hires

We use personal information to:

• process Booking requests;
• confirm or refuse Bookings;
• issue Booking Confirmations;
• provide customer service;
• manage customer accounts;
• make Equipment available;
• provide customer collection and customer return;
• provide Optional Services where agreed;
• manage cancellations, changes and extensions;
• manage returns;
• process refunds;
• manage complaints and disputes; and
• communicate with you about your Booking.

Lawful bases: contract, legitimate interests, legal obligation where applicable.

5.2 Payments, Deposits and Pre-authorisations

We use personal information to:

• process payments;
• check payment status;
• process refunds;
• manage Deposits;
• manage Pre-authorisations;
• deal with failed payments;
• deal with chargebacks;
• manage unpaid sums; and
• keep financial records.

Lawful bases: contract, legal obligation, legitimate interests.

5.3 Identity, age, address and fraud checks

We use personal information to:

• confirm identity;
• confirm age;
• confirm address;
• check that a person collecting, receiving or returning Equipment is authorised;
• check delivery or return collection addresses where Optional Services apply;
• reduce fraud, theft, non-return, substitution and misuse risk;
• decide whether to accept, refuse, pause, cancel or manually review a Booking;
• decide whether Equipment should be released, delivered, collected or made available; and
• protect our Equipment, customers, staff and business.

Lawful bases: contract, legitimate interests, legal obligation where applicable.

Our legitimate interests include protecting Equipment, preventing fraud and theft, reducing non-return and chargeback risk, keeping staff and customers safe, managing disputes, and operating a secure tool-hire business.

5.4 Handover, return, condition and evidence records

We use personal information to:

• record handover, collection, delivery, return or return collection;
• confirm what Equipment and accessories were supplied or returned;
• record Equipment condition;
• investigate damage, loss, theft, substitution, missing accessories, contamination, late return or non-return;
• manage Deposits, Pre-authorisations, refunds and deductions;
• respond to complaints or disputes;
• support insurance claims;
• establish, exercise or defend legal claims; and
• protect our Equipment, staff, customers and business.

Lawful bases: contract, legitimate interests, legal obligation where applicable.

5.5 Safety, compliance, recalls and product restrictions

We use personal information to:

• apply age, competency, certification or product restrictions;
• manage safety concerns;
• investigate incidents;
• issue safety notices;
• manage product recalls;
• withdraw Equipment from hire where needed;
• comply with legal obligations; and
• keep records needed for safety or compliance.

Lawful bases: legal obligation, legitimate interests, contract.

5.6 Fraud prevention, debt recovery and legal claims

We use personal information to:

• prevent and detect fraud;
• prevent theft, misuse, substitution and non-return;
• investigate suspected false information;
• manage chargebacks and payment disputes;
• recover unpaid sums;
• enforce our rights;
• defend claims;
• report suspected crime where lawful and appropriate; and
• cooperate with police, courts, regulators or legal advisers where lawful.

Lawful bases: legitimate interests, legal obligation, contract, establishing, exercising or defending legal claims.

5.7 Website security and operation

We use personal information to:

• operate the website;
• secure the website;
• manage customer accounts;
• operate basket, booking and checkout features;
• remember cookie choices, where a cookie-consent tool is used;
• prevent misuse;
• fix errors;
• improve website performance; and
• understand how the website is used, where permitted.

Lawful bases: contract, legitimate interests, consent where required.

5.8 Marketing

We may use personal information to:

• send marketing where you have consented or where another lawful basis applies;
• tell you about products, services or offers;
• measure marketing performance where marketing tools are used lawfully;
• manage marketing preferences; and
• keep suppression records so we do not contact people who have opted out.

Lawful bases: consent, legitimate interests where allowed by law.

You can opt out of marketing at any time.

6. Special Category Data and Criminal Offence Data

We do not usually need special category personal information, such as health information, biometric data used for identification, political opinions, religious beliefs or trade-union membership.

Please do not provide special category information unless we ask for it and it is necessary.

We may process factual information about suspected fraud, theft, non-return, misuse, chargebacks, police reports, crime references or legal claims where lawful and necessary for fraud prevention, dispute handling, insurance, legal claims, reporting suspected crime or complying with legal obligations.

Where information amounts to criminal offence data, we will process it only where permitted by UK data-protection law and with any required safeguards.

7. ID Documents and Copies

We may ask to see identity, age or address documents such as a driving licence, passport or proof of address.

Where possible, we may inspect documents and record that a check has been completed rather than keeping a copy.

We may keep a copy or partial record of a document only where reasonably necessary, such as for:

• higher-value Equipment;
• higher-risk Equipment;
• fraud prevention;
• theft or non-return prevention;
• age-restricted items;
• payment or chargeback risk;
• dispute handling;
• insurance;
• legal claims;
• safety or compliance; or
• another lawful and necessary reason.

We will not keep ID document copies for longer than reasonably necessary.

We will not knowingly store ID documents or check records on personal devices or in uncontrolled locations.

8. Photographs and Handover Evidence

We may take or keep photographs and handover evidence to record:

• Equipment supplied;
• accessories supplied;
• serial numbers or asset labels;
• Equipment condition before hire;
• Equipment condition on return;
• damage;
• contamination;
• missing accessories;
• delivery or return condition;
• collection, delivery, return or return collection evidence; and
• failed visits or access issues.

We will normally focus photographs on Equipment, accessories, condition, labels, delivery or return evidence rather than unnecessary personal information.

Photographs and handover evidence may be used to manage Deposits, Pre-authorisations, deductions, disputes, complaints, insurance claims, fraud prevention, legal claims and Equipment records.

9. Who We Share Personal Information With

We may share personal information where reasonably necessary with:

• authorised staff;
• delivery or return collection staff where Optional Services apply;
• payment providers;
• card-terminal providers;
• online checkout providers;
• banks or card issuers;
• identity, age or address verification providers, where used;
• fraud-prevention providers, where used;
• website, booking, EPOS, IT, hosting and customer-management providers;
• email, SMS or communication providers;
• insurers;
• accountants;
• professional advisers;
• legal advisers;
• debt recovery providers;
• repairers, suppliers or contractors where needed to investigate damage or loss;
• police, regulators, Trading Standards or other authorities where required by law or where lawful and necessary for fraud prevention, safety, legal claims or reporting suspected crime;
• courts, tribunals, enforcement bodies or dispute-resolution bodies where needed; and
• any buyer, investor or successor if our business or assets are sold, reorganised or transferred.

We will not share ID documents, handover evidence or fraud records more widely than reasonably necessary.

We do not sell your personal information.

10. International Transfers

Some of our service providers may process personal information outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal information is transferred outside the United Kingdom, we will take steps required by data-protection law to protect it. This may include using countries recognised as providing adequate protection, standard contractual clauses, international data-transfer agreements, or other safeguards allowed by law.

11. How Long We Keep Personal Information

We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, unless a longer period is required for legal, accounting, tax, insurance, fraud-prevention, dispute, debt recovery, safety or legal-claim reasons.

Retention periods may differ depending on the type of record and the reason it is held.

For example:

• failed or incomplete booking records may be kept for a limited period needed for administration, security and fraud prevention;
• basic customer, Booking and accounting records may be kept for the period needed for accounting, tax, audit and legal purposes;
• ID, age or address check records may be kept only for as long as reasonably needed for the hire, fraud prevention, dispute handling, insurance or legal purposes;
• delivery, return and handover records may be kept for as long as reasonably needed to deal with Deposits, deductions, disputes, accounting, insurance or legal claims;
• Equipment condition photographs and accessory records may be kept for as long as reasonably needed for hire records, disputes, insurance, Equipment management and legal claims;
• serious fraud, theft, non-return, chargeback or misuse records may be kept longer where reasonably necessary and lawful;
• marketing records may be kept while you are subscribed or for as long as needed to respect opt-out preferences; and
• records will be reviewed from time to time and deleted, anonymised or restricted when no longer needed.

Where possible and appropriate, we may record that a check has been completed rather than keeping a copy of the underlying document.

12. Storage and Security

We will take reasonable steps to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.

Security measures may include:

• limiting access to people who reasonably need it;
• password protection;
• access controls;
• secure payment processing through payment providers;
• secure storage of records;
• staff guidance;
• avoiding unnecessary copies of documents;
• deleting or restricting records when no longer needed; and
• using appropriate service providers.

No system is completely secure. You should keep your own account login details secure and tell us promptly if you suspect unauthorised use of your account or Booking details.

13. Automated Checks and Manual Review

Some checks may be carried out using automated systems, where we use them, including payment systems, checkout systems, fraud-prevention tools, identity-check systems, address-check systems or payment-provider systems.

Automated checks may help us decide whether a Booking should be accepted, refused, paused, cancelled, placed on manual review, or allowed to proceed.

We do not rely solely on automated decision-making to refuse Consumer tool-hire bookings where that would have a legal or similarly significant effect on you, unless the law allows it and appropriate safeguards are in place.

If an automated fraud, payment, identity, age or address check raises a concern, we may manually review the Booking before deciding whether to accept, refuse, pause or cancel it.

You may contact us if you want to ask about a decision affecting your Booking.

14. Marketing and Your Choices

We may send marketing communications where you have consented or where another lawful basis applies.

You can opt out of marketing at any time by:

• using the unsubscribe link in an email, where available;
• replying STOP to SMS marketing, where available; or
• contacting us using the details in this Privacy Policy.

If you opt out of marketing, we may keep a suppression record so that we can respect your choice.

Opting out of marketing does not stop us sending service messages about your Booking, payments, returns, safety notices, recalls, disputes, Deposits or other non-marketing matters.

15. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies on our website.

Cookies may be used to:

• make the website work;
• keep the website secure;
• operate basket, booking and checkout features;
• process payments;
• manage accounts, where available;
• prevent fraud and misuse;
• remember cookie choices, where a cookie-consent tool is used;
• understand website use where analytics tools are enabled and any required consent has been obtained;
• improve website performance; and
• support marketing or advertising where such tools are enabled and any required consent has been obtained.

We do not intentionally use non-essential analytics, performance, marketing or advertising cookies unless they are enabled and, where required, consent has been obtained.

More information is set out in our Cookie Policy.

16. Your Data-Protection Rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have rights to:

• ask for access to your personal information;
• ask us to correct inaccurate information;
• ask us to delete information;
• ask us to restrict how we use information;
• object to certain uses of information;
• withdraw consent where we rely on consent;
• ask for a copy of information in a portable format;
• object to direct marketing; and
• challenge certain automated decisions where applicable.

These rights are not absolute and may depend on the circumstances, the lawful basis for processing, legal obligations, fraud prevention, disputes, safety, accounting requirements or legal claims.

To exercise a right, contact us using the details in this Privacy Policy.

We may need to verify your identity before responding.

17. Right to Object

You have an absolute right to object to direct marketing at any time.

You may also have the right to object where we rely on legitimate interests. If you object, we will consider your objection and whether we have compelling legitimate grounds to continue processing, or whether the processing is needed for legal claims.

18. Withdrawing Consent

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

Withdrawing consent will not affect processing that took place before consent was withdrawn.

If you withdraw consent, some optional features, marketing, cookies or services may no longer be available.

19. Complaints

If you have a concern about how we handle your personal information, contact us first using:

• Email: london@pro-tool-hire.co.uk
• Phone: 07922 232 181
• Post: Pro Tool Hire, 398 Harrow Road, London W9 2HU

You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office.

• ICO website: https://ico.org.uk
• ICO phone: 0303 123 1113

20. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.

The version that applies will be the version published on our website at the relevant time, unless the law requires otherwise.

If we make material changes, we may take reasonable steps to bring them to your attention.

21. Contact Details

For privacy questions or data-protection requests, contact us using:

• Business name: Pro Tool Hire
• Legal entity: Evolution Electronics & Electrical Limited, company number 08408611
• Address: 398 Harrow Road, London W9 2HU
• Email: london@pro-tool-hire.co.uk
• Phone: 07922 232 181

22. Summary Table

This table is a plain-English summary only. The full Privacy Policy applies.