Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 2026 · Version 1.0

1. Who we are

AreaIQ is operated by Maheshika Halbeisen ("we", "us", "our") and is accessible at areaiq.org. AreaIQ is a UK postcode information service. For questions about this policy, contact us at: privacy@areaiq.org

We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) as a data controller. Our registration number will be published here once confirmed.

2. What data we collect and why

Analytics data (Google Analytics 4)

When you visit AreaIQ, we use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to collect anonymised data about how the site is used. This includes:

• Pages viewed and time spent on each page
• Postcode sectors searched (anonymised — not linked to you personally)
• Which data sections (schools, broadband, flood risk etc.) you viewed
• Which affiliate links you clicked
• Your approximate geographic region (country/region level only)
• Device type and browser (used for technical improvement only)

We do not collect your IP address in a personally identifiable way — GA4 is configured with IP anonymisation enabled. GA4 data is stored by Google on servers in the US under Standard Contractual Clauses.

Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) UK GDPR) — improving a free public information service. You may opt out at any time (see Section 6).

Email address (optional)

If you choose to download a Move Report, save your Area Score preferences, or sign up for postcode alerts, we collect your email address. We use this to:

• Send you the requested report or alert
• Send relevant updates about postcodes you have shown interest in (with your consent)

Legal basis: Consent (Article 6(1)(a) UK GDPR). You can withdraw consent and unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email we send.

Cookies

We use the following cookies:

• _ga, _ga_[ID] — Google Analytics session identifiers. Expire after 2 years. Analytics only.
• aiq_consent — Stores your cookie consent preference. Expires after 12 months.
• aiq_prefs — Stores your Area Score weighting preferences locally. First-party only, never sent to our servers.

We do not use advertising cookies, tracking pixels, or third-party marketing cookies.

3. What we do NOT collect

• We do not collect your name, address, or phone number from browsing
• We do not build personal profiles from browsing behaviour
• We do not sell, share, or rent your data to third parties for marketing
• We do not use fingerprinting or persistent tracking
• We do not collect data from children under 13

4. Third parties we share data with

• Google Analytics (Google LLC) — anonymised analytics only. Google Privacy Policy applies. View Google's privacy policy
• Vercel Inc. — our hosting provider. Processes server logs (IP addresses) for up to 30 days for security purposes only. View Vercel's privacy policy
• Affiliate partners — when you click an affiliate link (e.g. to a mortgage broker or broadband comparison site), you leave AreaIQ and that site's own privacy policy applies. We share no personal data with affiliates — affiliate tracking is handled by cookies set by those third-party sites.

5. How long we keep your data

• GA4 analytics data: 14 months (Google's default, automatically deleted thereafter)
• Email addresses: until you unsubscribe or request deletion, whichever is sooner
• Cookie consent records: 12 months

6. Your rights under UK GDPR

You have the right to:

• Access — request a copy of data we hold about you
• Erasure — request deletion of your data
• Restriction — ask us to stop processing your data while a complaint is resolved
• Portability — receive your data in a machine-readable format
• Object — object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Withdraw consent — for any processing based on consent, withdraw at any time

To exercise any of these rights, contact privacy@areaiq.org. We will respond within 30 days.

To opt out of Google Analytics, install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

You may also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk if you believe your rights have been violated.

7. Cookies and consent

When you first visit AreaIQ, we show a cookie consent banner. Analytics cookies are only set after you click "Accept". If you click "Decline", no analytics cookies are set and GA4 is not loaded. You can change your preference at any time by clicking "Cookie settings" in the footer.

8. Data security

AreaIQ is a static website with no user accounts and no database of personal data tied to browsing. Email addresses (if collected) are stored in a third-party email service with encryption at rest. We use HTTPS throughout. We review our security practices regularly.

9. International transfers

Google Analytics data is processed in the United States under Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission and recognised under UK law via the UK Addendum.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the service evolves. Material changes will be noted at the top of this page with a new "Last updated" date. Continued use of AreaIQ after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact

For any privacy queries: privacy@areaiq.org

Supervisory authority: Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. ico.org.uk