Privacy Policy

1. Who controls your data

MyInstructorFinder is the controller of personal data collected through https://www.myinstructorfinder.co.uk unless we tell you otherwise. This means we decide why and how the data is used.

You can contact us through the contact page for privacy questions, data requests, listing correction requests or complaints.

2. Scope of this policy

This policy applies to learners, instructors, website visitors, account holders, people who contact us, people who receive our operational messages and people whose information appears in public instructor listings.

It covers the website, tracking pages, admin-supported communications, SMS, email, payment records, legal acceptance records, instructor profiles, reviews, analytics and support activity.

3. Personal data we collect

3.1 Learner data

• name, email address, mobile number and account details where used;
• pickup postcode, town, area and location preferences;
• lesson requirements, transmission, estimated lessons, lesson frequency, start date, preferred days and times, experience level, test urgency, instructor preferences and notes;
• availability request history, tracking-page activity, offer views, payment clicks and support messages;
• OTP verification status and fraud-prevention signals;
• payment status, booking fee records, Spread The Cost package records and refund/dispute history.

3.2 Instructor data

• name, business name, profile slug, email, phone number and account details where used;
• ADI, PDI, licence, qualification, verification or profile status where provided or publicly available;
• service areas, transmission, lesson type, prices, package prices, payment methods, payout preferences and availability signals;
• photos, vehicle details, reviews, biography, public links and profile content;
• SMS replies, call notes, availability confirmations, no-reply history, learner handover history and support records;
• payout ledger entries, payout status, refund risk notes and payment method information needed for manual payout administration.

3.3 Website, device and usage data

• IP address, approximate location, browser, device type, operating system and user agent;
• pages viewed, buttons clicked, search terms, referral source, campaign source and session identifiers;
• cookies, local storage identifiers, fraud-prevention identifiers and cooldown signals;
• error logs, security logs, server logs and performance data.

3.4 Payment, legal and transaction data

• Stripe checkout session IDs, payment intent IDs, payment type, amount, currency and status;
• policy acceptance records, accepted text, policy versions, timestamp, IP address and user agent;
• refund requests, dispute evidence, chargeback evidence, payout schedule and payout status;
• processor fee estimates, risk reserve and platform margin where relevant to managed packages.

We do not store full payment card numbers. Card and eligible finance details are processed by Stripe and available payment method providers.

4. Sources of personal data

We collect data from:

• you, when you submit forms, messages, reviews, payments or account details;
• instructors, when they submit profile, availability, price or payout information;
• public sources, such as public business listings, public instructor websites, public registers, public review sources and search results;
• service providers, such as Stripe, Twilio, email services, analytics tools and hosting providers;
• our own platform activity, such as tracking-page views, cooldowns, outreach attempts, admin notes and support records.

5. How we use personal data

We use personal data to:

• provide the instructor directory and search features;
• create and maintain instructor profiles;
• process learner availability requests;
• contact instructors about learner requests;
• send operational SMS and email updates;
• verify phone numbers and reduce fake or low-quality requests;
• create tracking pages and present confirmed offers;
• process booking fees and managed package payments;
• record legal acceptance before checkout;
• administer refunds, disputes, payouts and chargebacks;
• protect the platform from fraud, abuse, scraping, circumvention and security threats;
• analyse traffic, conversion rates, paid traffic quality and user behaviour;
• improve copy, pricing, matching, SEO, profile quality and operational workflows;
• send marketing only where permitted or with consent where required;
• comply with tax, legal, accounting and payment-provider obligations.

6. Lawful bases for processing

Under UK GDPR, we rely on different lawful bases depending on the context:

• Contract: to provide requested services, process availability requests, manage confirmed handovers, create tracking pages, administer accounts and process payments.
• Legitimate interests: to operate and improve the platform, list relevant instructors, contact instructors about genuine learner requests, prevent fraud, maintain security, analyse performance, manage disputes and protect our business.
• Consent: for optional marketing, non-essential cookies where required, and some optional communications or profile features.
• Legal obligation: for tax, accounting, consumer-law, data-protection, payment, law-enforcement and dispute-compliance requirements.
• Vital interests: only in rare urgent situations where processing is needed to protect someone from serious harm.

7. Who we share personal data with

We share data only where needed for the service, legal compliance or platform protection. Recipients may include:

• Instructors: learner request details needed to check availability, but we may hold back direct contact details until the correct handover step.
• Learners: instructor first name, profile information, confirmed lesson terms and, after confirmed handover where relevant, instructor contact details.
• Payment providers: Stripe, available payment methods such as Klarna, banks, card networks and fraud-prevention tools.
• Communication providers: SMS, telephony and email delivery providers, including Twilio or equivalent services.
• Hosting and technology providers: website hosting, database, backups, monitoring, analytics, security and operational systems.
• Professional advisers: accountants, legal advisers, insurers, payment consultants and compliance advisers where needed.
• Authorities and courts: where required by law or to protect rights, safety, users or the platform.

We do not sell personal data to third parties for their own marketing.

8. Payments, Stripe, Klarna and Spread The Cost

Payments are processed by Stripe and available payment method providers. If you use a card, Link, Klarna or another eligible method, that provider will process payment information under its own terms and privacy notices.

For booking fees and Spread The Cost packages, we record evidence needed to operate the service and protect both sides. This may include checkout session IDs, payment status, amount, policy acceptance records, instructor confirmations, handover details, refund requests, dispute records, payout status and support history.

If there is a refund, dispute or chargeback, we may share relevant evidence with Stripe, Klarna, a bank, card network or other payment provider.

9. SMS, email, calls and Aria-assisted messages

We may contact learners and instructors by SMS, email, phone or tracking-page messages. Messages may be drafted, assisted, reviewed or triaged by automated systems or AI tools, but they are used for operational purposes such as checking availability, confirming terms, arranging handover, preventing abuse and supporting requests.

We may record message transcripts, call notes, delivery status, reply status, timestamps, phone numbers and related admin decisions. This helps us provide the service, reduce wasted outreach, handle complaints and decide whether an instructor profile should remain visible.

10. Analytics, cookies and tracking

We use cookies, local storage and analytics identifiers to operate the site, remember preferences, measure traffic, understand conversion funnels, detect bots, prevent abuse, manage cooldowns and improve marketing performance.

Analytics may include page views, profile views, search starts, form submissions, OTP verification, offer views, payment clicks, payment outcomes and source attribution. Where possible, we use aggregated or pseudonymised reporting for business analysis.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking some cookies may affect tracking pages, login sessions, anti-abuse controls or form behaviour.

11. Public instructor listings

Some instructor profiles may be based on public information or submitted by instructors, learners or administrators. If you are an instructor and want to claim, correct, pause or remove a listing, contact us with enough information to verify your identity and the profile.

We may retain limited records after removing a public listing where necessary to prevent re-creation, record compliance decisions, handle disputes or comply with legal obligations.

12. International transfers

Some service providers may process data outside the UK. Where this happens, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, provider transfer mechanisms or other lawful transfer protections.

13. How long we keep data

We keep data only as long as needed for the purpose collected, legal requirements, dispute protection and business operations. Typical retention periods are:

• Availability requests and tracking pages: normally up to 3 years after closure, unless needed longer for dispute, fraud or payment evidence.
• Messages, SMS transcripts and call notes: normally up to 3 years, or longer where connected to a paid transaction or complaint.
• Payment, refund, payout and legal acceptance records: normally up to 7 years for tax, accounting, dispute and legal reasons.
• Analytics records: usually aggregated, anonymised or removed when no longer useful for business analysis.
• Instructor profiles: while the listing is active, claimed, relevant, or needed for directory integrity, unless removal is requested and there is no overriding reason to retain limited records.
• Security, fraud and abuse records: as long as reasonably needed to protect the platform and users.

14. Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

• access personal data we hold about you;
• ask us to correct inaccurate data;
• ask us to delete data where there is no lawful reason to keep it;
• object to processing based on legitimate interests;
• ask us to restrict processing;
• ask for data portability where applicable;
• withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
• complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.

To make a request, contact us through the contact page. We may need to verify your identity before responding.

15. Marketing

We may send service messages without marketing consent where they are needed for a request, payment, handover, refund, account or instructor profile. We only send marketing where permitted by law. You can opt out of marketing messages at any time.

16. Younger users

Many learner drivers are 17 or older. If you are under 18, you should involve a parent or guardian before making payments, using finance options or entering into lesson arrangements. We do not knowingly target children under 13.

17. Security

We use technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal data, including access controls, HTTPS, database protections, logging, backup controls and provider security measures. No system is perfectly secure, so you should keep tracking links, login details and payment information safe.

18. Automated tools and AI assistance

We may use automated tools and AI-assisted systems to help draft messages, classify replies, detect low-quality traffic, score instructor responsiveness, generate admin summaries, improve matching and monitor platform performance. Important operational decisions may still be reviewed by administrators where appropriate.

We do not use AI to make lending decisions. Finance eligibility is handled by payment providers such as Stripe and Klarna where available.

19. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The latest version will appear on this page. Where changes are significant, we may provide additional notice where appropriate.

20. Contact and complaints

For privacy questions, data requests, instructor listing requests or complaints, contact us through the contact page.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/. We would appreciate the chance to deal with your concern first.