Privacy Policy
Architectural Partner Network Limited
Last updated: 04 / 05 / 2026
Architectural Partner Network Limited respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and share personal data when you use our website, contact us, apply to become an APN partner, purchase a partner package, or are referred to an APN partner as part of a residential design, planning, refurbishment or construction-related project.
Architectural Partner Network Limited may be referred to in this Privacy Policy as “APN”, “we”, “us” or “our”.
1. Who we are
Architectural Partner Network Limited is a company registered in England and Wales.
Registered office: Reach House 54 Mays Hill Road Bromley BR3 0HT.
Company number:
Email: mail@architecturalpartners.co.uk
Website: www.architecturalpartners.co.uk
APN operates an architect-led referral network connecting selected contractors, consultants, suppliers and professional service providers with relevant project referral opportunities.
APN is not a generic lead-generation company. Referrals are generally connected with homeowners, landlords, developers or property owners who are already engaged in, or considering, residential design, planning, refurbishment, extension or construction-related projects.
For the purposes of UK data protection law, APN is usually the data controller of the personal data it collects and uses. Where we share referral information with an APN partner, that partner will usually become an independent data controller for their own use of that information.
2. Personal data we collect
We may collect and use the following types of personal data.
Website users
When you use our website, we may collect:
your IP address;
device and browser information;
website usage information;
pages visited;
referring website or search source;
cookie and analytics information;
and information submitted through website forms.
Clients and project contacts
If you contact us about a project, or if your details are passed to us as part of a project-related conversation, we may collect:
your name;
email address;
telephone number;
property address or project location;
project details;
service requirements;
budget or timing information where provided;
correspondence and call notes;
documents, drawings, photographs or project information you provide;
and details of any APN partner category that may be relevant to your project.
APN partners and partner applicants
If you apply to become an APN partner, buy a partner package, or communicate with us as a contractor, consultant or supplier, we may collect:
your name;
business name;
job title;
business address;
email address;
telephone number;
website and social media details;
company registration details;
VAT details;
insurance details;
professional qualifications or accreditations;
trade category;
territory preferences;
payment and billing information;
direct debit or payment provider details;
communications with us;
and information about your suitability for the APN network.
Payment information
Where payments are made online or by direct debit, payment information may be processed by third-party payment providers such as GoCardless, Stripe, PayPal, accounting software providers, banks or other payment platforms.
We do not normally store full card or bank payment details ourselves unless required for accounting, contractual or legal purposes.
3. How we collect personal data
We may collect personal data when:
you fill in a form on our website;
you call, email or message us;
you apply to become an APN partner;
you purchase a partner package;
you agree to direct debit payments;
you provide project details to us;
we discuss your project or service requirement;
we receive information from a related architectural, planning or construction enquiry;
we receive information from a professional adviser, contractor, consultant or APN partner;
or you use our website and cookies or analytics tools are active.
4. How we use personal data
We use personal data for the following purposes.
To respond to enquiries
We use contact and enquiry information to respond to messages, answer questions, provide information, discuss requirements and follow up on requests.
Data used: name, contact details, message content, project or business information.
Lawful basis: legitimate interests and/or steps before entering into a contract.
To manage APN partner applications
We use partner applicant information to assess suitability, discuss category and territory availability, review business information and decide whether to accept an applicant into the APN network.
Data used: name, business details, contact details, trade category, territory preferences, website, insurance, accreditations, communications.
Lawful basis: legitimate interests and/or steps before entering into a contract.
To provide APN partner membership
We use partner information to manage memberships, territories, category allocations, payments, profiles, partner communications and network administration.
Data used: business and contact details, package details, territory details, payment information, correspondence.
Lawful basis: contract and legitimate interests.
To make project-related referrals
Where a client has a project-related requirement that may match an APN partner’s category and territory, we may share relevant contact and project information with that partner, or signpost the client to that partner.
Data used: name, contact details, project location, service requirement, relevant project notes.
Lawful basis: legitimate interests, consent where appropriate, and/or steps requested by the client before entering into a contract with a partner.
Our legitimate interests include helping clients find relevant project professionals and helping APN partners receive appropriate referral opportunities connected with their agreed category and territory.
To manage payments and accounts
We use payment and billing information to raise invoices, collect payments, manage direct debits, process refunds where applicable, keep accounting records and deal with payment queries.
Data used: name, business name, billing address, payment references, transaction details, direct debit information handled by payment providers.
Lawful basis: contract and legal obligation.
To improve our website and services
We may use website analytics and enquiry data to understand how people use our website, improve content, monitor performance, develop APN categories and improve the referral network.
Data used: usage data, analytics data, enquiry categories, location data at general area level.
Lawful basis: legitimate interests and, where required, consent for non-essential cookies.
To send service communications
We may send administrative or service-related messages about applications, memberships, territories, referrals, invoices, renewals, updates to terms or operational matters.
Data used: name, email address, business details, membership details.
Lawful basis: contract and legitimate interests.
To send marketing communications
We may send marketing communications about APN services, partner opportunities, new categories, territory availability or related business updates.
Where legally required, we will ask for consent before sending marketing communications. In other cases, we may rely on legitimate interests, particularly for business-to-business communications where the content is relevant to your business role.
You can opt out of marketing communications at any time.
Data used: name, email address, business details, marketing preferences.
Lawful basis: consent or legitimate interests, depending on the circumstances.
To protect our business and legal position
We may use personal data to keep records, prevent fraud, enforce terms, deal with complaints, resolve disputes, protect APN’s reputation and comply with legal or regulatory obligations.
Data used: contact details, correspondence, transaction records, complaint information, referral records.
Lawful basis: legitimate interests and legal obligation.
5. Special category data
We do not intentionally collect special category data, such as health information, religious beliefs, political opinions, biometric data or information about racial or ethnic origin.
Please avoid sending us special category data unless it is genuinely necessary for the matter you are contacting us about.
If special category data is provided to us, we will only use it where we have a lawful basis under Article 6 UK GDPR and a separate condition under Article 9 UK GDPR. The ICO explains that special category data requires additional protection and a separate Article 9 condition.
6. Sharing personal data
We may share personal data with the following categories of recipients where necessary.
APN partners
We may share relevant client contact and project information with APN partners where there appears to be a suitable service and territory match.
For example, we may share a client’s name, telephone number, email address, project location and service requirement with a structural engineer, party wall surveyor, approved inspector, builder, glazing supplier, kitchen company or other APN partner.
The partner will be responsible for its own use of the information once received and should provide its own privacy information where required.
Professional advisers and service providers
We may share personal data with:
accountants;
bookkeepers;
solicitors;
IT providers;
website hosts;
CRM providers;
email service providers;
payment processors;
direct debit providers;
analytics providers;
cloud storage providers;
and other businesses that help us operate APN.
Related businesses
Where relevant to a project or referral, information may be shared with related architectural, planning, surveying or construction businesses connected with APN’s work, including where a client has already approached us through an associated architectural practice.
Legal, regulatory or public authorities
We may share personal data where required by law, regulation, court order, tax authority, law enforcement body or other public authority.
7. Data sharing and partner responsibilities
Where APN shares personal data with a partner for a referral opportunity, both APN and the partner are generally responsible for complying with data protection law in relation to their own use of that data.
Partners must only use referral information for the purpose of responding to the relevant referral opportunity. They must not sell, misuse, retain unnecessarily, or use referral information for unrelated marketing unless they have a lawful basis to do so.
Where a party acts as a processor on behalf of another controller, UK GDPR requires appropriate contractual terms to be in place. The ICO explains that controller and processor roles must be properly identified, and processors should act only on documented instructions.
8. International transfers
Some of our service providers may process personal data outside the United Kingdom.
Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will take steps designed to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, international data transfer agreements or equivalent protections where required.
9. How long we keep personal data
We keep personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.
As a guide:
enquiry and referral records may be kept for up to 6 years for business, legal and dispute-resolution purposes;
partner membership and contract records may be kept for up to 6 years after the end of the relationship;
accounting and tax records are usually kept for at least 6 years;
marketing contact data is kept until you unsubscribe, object, or we decide it is no longer relevant;
unsuccessful partner applications may be kept for up to 2 years, unless a longer period is needed for business or legal reasons;
website analytics data is kept according to the settings of the relevant analytics provider.
We may keep some information for longer where necessary to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, prevent fraud or protect our legal position.
10. Cookies and analytics
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to operate the site, improve performance, understand visitor behaviour and support marketing activity.
Cookies may include:
essential cookies needed for the website to function;
analytics cookies that help us understand website usage;
performance cookies;
and marketing or tracking cookies where enabled.
Where required, we will ask for your consent before placing non-essential cookies.
You can usually manage cookies through your browser settings or through any cookie banner or preference tool provided on our website.
11. Security
We take reasonable steps to protect personal data from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.
These steps may include secure systems, access controls, password protection, reputable service providers, staff awareness and appropriate data handling procedures.
No website, email system or online platform can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If you believe your personal data has been compromised, please contact us promptly.
12. Your rights
Under UK data protection law, you may have the right to:
request access to your personal data;
request correction of inaccurate data;
request deletion of your data;
object to certain processing;
request restriction of processing;
request data portability;
withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
and complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
The ICO explains that organisations must provide privacy information in a clear and transparent way, including the purposes of processing, lawful basis, recipients of data and retention information.
To exercise your rights, please contact us using the details in this Privacy Policy.
13. Marketing opt-out
You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by clicking an unsubscribe link where provided or contacting us directly.
Opting out of marketing does not prevent us sending administrative, contractual or service-related communications.
14. Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we handle your personal data, please contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK regulator for data protection matters.
ICO website: www.ico.org.uk
15. Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.
The latest version will be published on our website with the updated date shown at the top.
16. Contact us
For privacy questions, data requests or concerns, please contact:
Architectural Partner Network Limited
Email: mail@architecturalpartners.co.uk
Address: Reach House 54 Mays Hill Road Bromley BR2 0HT