Privacy and cookies
Last updated 4 October 2026
This notice explains what personal data First Recce (firstrecce.com) collects, why, and your rights. We keep it to the minimum needed to run the service.
Who we are
First Recce is the data controller for personal data collected through this website. Contact us about privacy at hello@firstrecce.com.
What we collect and why
| Data | Why | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|
| Site locations you search (postcode, place name or map coordinates) and works dates | To look up hazards and constraints for that location. Coordinates are sent to the public data providers listed below; they aren't linked to your name. | Legitimate interests (providing the service you asked for) |
| Account details: name, email address, sign-in information | To let you sign in, keep track of your free and paid reports, and contact you about your account. Handled by our sign-in provider, Clerk. | Contract |
| Purchases: what you bought, when, report credits and subscription status | To provide paid reports and keep financial records. Card payments are handled by Stripe; we never see or store your card details. | Contract; legal obligation (accounting records) |
| Report details you type in (project, client, reference, company) | To print them on your report. They are saved only in your own browser, not on our servers. | Not sent to us |
| IP address and basic request information | To keep the service secure and stop abuse (for example, limiting how many searches can be made per minute). Request counts are kept for up to a day. | Legitimate interests (security) |
| Usage statistics | To understand how the site is used and improve it: Vercel Web Analytics (no cookies, aggregated) and Google Analytics (see Cookies). | Legitimate interests (Vercel); consent (Google Analytics cookies) |
We don't sell personal data or use it for advertising.
Who we share data with
We use these service providers (processors), who only use the data to provide their service to us:
- Vercel: website hosting and cookieless analytics
- Clerk: accounts and sign-in
- Stripe: payments and subscriptions
- Upstash: short-term storage for request limits and saved copies of public data
- Google: Google Analytics, only with your consent for cookies
To build each report, the location you search (not your name or email) is sent to public data services: Open-Meteo, the Environment Agency, planning.data.gov.uk, DataMapWales, GBIF, OpenStreetMap (Overpass), openrouteservice, PlanIt and postcodes.io.
Some providers are based in or use servers in the United States. Where data leaves the UK, transfers rely on the UK–US data bridge or the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum.
Cookies and similar technologies
We use cookies that are strictly necessary for the site to work, and analytics cookies only if you accept them. You can change your choice at any time: .
| Name | Provider and purpose | Type |
|---|---|---|
| __session, __client_uat and similar | Clerk: keeps you signed in | Strictly necessary |
| _ga, _ga_* | Google Analytics: counts visits and how pages are used (kept up to 2 years) | Analytics, only with consent |
| cookie-consent (browser storage) | Remembers your cookie choice | Strictly necessary |
| hazmap-report-details (browser storage) | Remembers the project details you typed for reports, on this device only | Functional, set when you use the report form |
We use Google Consent Mode. Until you accept, Google Analytics sets no cookies; Google may receive limited, cookieless signals (for example, that a page was viewed) to model overall usage. Vercel Web Analytics sets no cookies.
How long we keep data
- Account and purchase records: while your account is open, and purchase records for 6 years for tax purposes.
- Request counts for abuse prevention: up to 24 hours.
- Analytics: Google Analytics data is kept for 14 months.
- Report details: in your browser until you clear them.
Your rights
You can ask for a copy of your data, or ask us to correct or delete it, restrict or object to its use, or move it to another service. Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time. Email hello@firstrecce.com. If you're unhappy with how we handle your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.
Changes
We'll update this notice when we change how we use data, and show the date at the top.