Privacy Policy
Legal information
Privacy notice
BASDU uses your personal information only to run training, assessment, certification and membership, keeps it secure, and never sells it. This notice explains what we collect, why, and your rights under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
1. Who we are. BASDU Ltd (British Association of Security Dog Units), 131 Ayresome Street, Middlesbrough, England, TS1 4PN, is the controller of your personal data. Contact us about privacy at info@basdu.org or +44 (0)7984 645738. [Company number] · [ICO registration number]
2. What we collect and why.
| Who you are | What we collect | Why we use it | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learner | Name, date of birth, contact details, ID and address checks, SIA licence details, English level evidence | To register you, check you meet entry requirements and issue certificates | Contract |
| Learner | Assessment evidence, results, training records | To assess you, quality assure results and keep compliance records | Contract; legitimate interests |
| Learner | Health or disability information you choose to give us | To make reasonable adjustments | Explicit consent; legal obligation (Equality Act 2010) |
| Handler and dog team | Dog's name, breed, microchip, vaccination and health records | Team certification and dog welfare | Contract; legitimate interests |
| Certificate holder | Name, dog's name, last 4 digits of microchip, certificate type, dates and status | Online certificate verification for employers and clients | Legitimate interests (helping employers and the public check certificates) |
| Member (individual or company) | Name, company details, contact details, number of handlers, door supervisors and security officers, payment records | To manage membership, list members in the directory, and give compliance and audit support | Contract; legitimate interests |
| Centre staff | Name, qualifications, CPD records, references, DBS check outcome, conflict of interest declarations | To approve and monitor centres and staff | Contract; legitimate interests; legal obligation |
| Anyone who contacts us | Name, contact details, message | To reply to enquiries, complaints, appeals and reports | Legitimate interests |
| Website visitor | Information sent through our forms; basic technical data needed to run the site | To respond and keep the site secure | Legitimate interests |
If you do not give us information we need for registration or certification, we may not be able to enrol or certify you.
3. Where we get it. Mostly from you. We also receive information from approved centres (registrations and results), from the SIA public register (licence checks), and from employers or member companies when they register staff.
4. Who we share it with. Only where needed: approved centres delivering your course; anyone checking a certificate (limited details only, see section 2); our IT, email and payment providers acting on our instructions; professional advisers; and the police, SIA, local authorities or courts where the law requires it or to protect people or animals. We do not sell personal data or use it for third-party marketing.
5. Outside the UK. If a service provider stores data outside the UK, we make sure it is protected by UK adequacy regulations or approved contract terms. Ask us for details.
6. How long we keep it.
| Record | Kept for |
|---|---|
| Registration, ID checks and assessment evidence | 6 years after the course ends |
| Certificate register | Permanently, so certificates can always be verified |
| Membership records | Length of membership plus 6 years |
| Complaints, appeals and malpractice files | 6 years after closure |
| Centre applications and approval records | Unsuccessful applications 2 years; approved centres for the life of the approval plus 6 years |
| Enquiries | 2 years |
7. Your rights. You can ask us to: give you a copy of your data; correct it; delete it; restrict how we use it; move it to another organisation; and object to our use of it where we rely on legitimate interests. Where we rely on consent you can withdraw it at any time. Some rights have limits, for example we keep the certificate register so that certificates stay verifiable. We reply within one month. Email info@basdu.org.
8. Marketing. We only send newsletters or event news if you have agreed, and every message lets you unsubscribe.
9. Cookies. Our website uses only cookies that are strictly necessary for it to work and stay secure. If we add analytics or other optional cookies, we will ask for your consent first through a cookie banner.
10. Security. Data is held on password-protected systems with access limited to people who need it, and paper records are locked away.
11. Complaints. Please contact us first so we can put things right. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint, 0303 123 1113, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
12. Changes. We review this notice every year. Last updated: October 2026.