Privacy Notice & Data Protection Policy
Effective Date: 1 January 2026 • Last Reviewed: March 2026
1. Introduction & Data Controller
Merchant Business Advance (“we”, “our”, or “us”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This privacy policy explains how we collect, process, and safeguard information when you use our website (https://merchantbusinessadvance.co.uk) or request commercial quotes.
For the purpose of applicable data protection legislation, the Data Controller is Merchant Business Advance. You may contact our Data Protection contact at [email protected].
2. Information We Collect
We collect and process the following categories of information:
- Contact Information: Full name, business email address, telephone number, business postal address.
- Business Details: Trading entity name, company registration number, trading duration, business sector, number of till points.
- Commercial Payment Data: Estimated monthly card turnover, average transaction value, current card terminal provider, merchant acquiring statements provided for rate audit.
- Funding Enquiries: Target capital requirements, intended purpose of finance, trading bank account history.
- Technical Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, and referral source collected via essential and consented cookies.
3. Lawful Basis for Processing
We process your personal data under the following lawful bases:
- Contract / Steps Prior to Entering a Contract (Article 6(1)(b)): To prepare, negotiate, and deliver tailored quotes for card machines, EPOS systems, acquiring accounts, or business finance as requested by you.
- Legitimate Interests (Article 6(1)(f)): To operate our brokerage, manage customer relationships, prevent fraud, and maintain IT security.
- Consent (Article 6(1)(a)): Where you provide optional consent for non-essential cookies or direct marketing communications. You may withdraw consent at any time.
4. How We Share Your Information
To fulfill your request for card machines or commercial loans, we may introduce your enquiry details to our accredited panel of UK acquiring banks, payment service providers, and commercial finance lenders. We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third-party marketing companies.
5. Data Retention & Security
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, or regulatory reporting requirements. Enquiry records are retained securely for a period not exceeding 6 years following the conclusion of commercial interactions. All transmissions are encrypted using 256-bit SSL technology.
6. Your Data Subject Rights
Under UK data protection law, you have rights including:
- The right to access and receive copies of your personal data.
- The right to rectify inaccurate or incomplete records.
- The right to erasure (“the right to be forgotten”) in certain circumstances.
- The right to object to or restrict processing.
- The right to data portability.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected] or call 0800 7720 230. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.