Who we are

parts-predict is an appliance age and spare parts availability tool, built and operated by MaddenTech in the United Kingdom. It is free to use: there are no subscriptions, and the only money anyone can send us is an optional donation through PayPal. We are the data controller for the information described below. To ask anything about this policy, email keith.madden@me.com.

What we collect

Appliance lookups. The make, model, serial number, appliance type, country and any specific part you enter, together with the assessment produced for it. Lookups are saved so the tool can be improved and so we can publish totals such as how many lookups have been made and which brands are searched most.

Account details. An account is optional; where you create one it holds your email address and your name if you give one.

Donation information. Optional donations are handled entirely by PayPal. We never see or store your card number. We only receive confirmation that a donation was made, the amount, and a reference for it.

Messages you send us. Feedback, corrections and support emails, including your name and email address when you include them.

Technical and usage data. Analytics (Google Tag Manager) records pages viewed, approximate location derived from your IP address, device and browser type, and referring links. We also keep aggregate counters, such as how many PDF reports have been downloaded, which contain no personal information.

How we use it

• To research your appliance and produce the age and parts availability assessment, including the PDF report — this is what you ask us to do when you use the tool.
• To run your account and keep the service free to use.
• To answer your messages and correct mistakes the tool has made.
• To understand how the tool is used and improve it.
• To meet legal and accounting obligations, such as keeping donation records.

We do not sell your personal information.

Services we share it with

Working out an appliance's age means searching the web for it, so the appliance details you enter are sent to the services that carry out that research. Our main providers are:

• Our hosting and sign-in provider — website and database hosting, file storage and account sign-in.
• PayPal — optional donations.
• Google — Tag Manager analytics.
• AI and web search services — used to research the appliance you look up.

Each provider has its own privacy policy, and we only share what is needed to provide the service. We may also disclose information where the law requires it.

Cookies and local storage

parts-predict uses essential storage to keep you signed in and remember your preferences, plus analytics storage set through Google Tag Manager to measure how the site is used. You can block or clear cookies in your browser settings, though essential storage is needed to sign in. In the Android app the same storage is held locally by the app rather than by a browser.

How long we keep it

Your account records are kept while your account is open. You can delete your account at any time from the Account page, which removes your account and its personal details, and the account deletion page sets out the same steps for anyone without the app. Donation records are kept as long as tax law requires. Lookup records are kept so the statistics on the Stats page stay meaningful.

Your rights

Under UK data protection law you can ask for a copy of your information, have it corrected or deleted, receive it in a portable format, and object to or restrict how we use it. Deleting your account in the app covers erasure of your account details. For anything else, email us and we will answer within one month.

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, you can complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.

Keeping it safe

Information is transmitted over an encrypted connection and stored on our providers' secured infrastructure, with access limited to what is needed to run the service. No card data is held by us. If a breach ever affects your rights, we will tell you and the regulator as the law requires.

Where your information is processed

Our providers operate globally, so your information may be processed outside the UK. Where that happens, the transfer is covered by the safeguards those providers put in place, such as standard contractual clauses.

Children

parts-predict is a tool for adults dealing with household appliances and is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 13. If you believe a child has given us their details, email us and we will delete them.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, the new version appears here with a new date. Significant changes to how we use your information will be flagged in the app.