The MCS Installations Database

Privacy Policy

This privacy policy tells you what to expect when the Microgeneration Certification Scheme ("MCS") Website and the MCS Installation Database ("we", "us", "website" and "database") collects, stores and processes personal information. It applies to information we collect, store and process about our users and other persons’, whose data is provided to us by users, in particular individuals who own installations installed and certified under the MCS ("users", "other persons" or all together "data subjects").

In this privacy policy we inform how we collect and use personal data, what are privacy rights of data subjects and how they are protected by law.

This privacy policy is provided in a layered format so you can choose the specific areas in which you are particularly interested.


About Us

The MCS was owned by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) until April 2018. In April 2018, the MCS was transferred to the MCS Charitable Foundation, which is operated by The MCS Service Company Limited.
The personal data which has been collected under the MCS to date was also transferred to ownership of MCS Charitable Foundation and The MCS Service Company Limited.

The MCS Service Company Limited is incorporated under the Laws of England and Wales with registration number 07759366 and is based at 8 Fenchurch Place, London, EC3M 4AJ.

The MCS Service Company Limited primarily certifies microgeneration products used to produce electricity and heat from renewable sources. The MCS Service Company Limited also certifies installation companies to ensure the microgeneration products have been installed and commissioned to the highest standard for the consumer. The MCS Service Company Limited owns the database, which enables the creation, amendment, and storage of MCS certificates for systems which have been installed under MCS rules, and the website, which provides for general information regarding MCS, contact details and access to the database.

The MCS Service Company Limited is a data controller of users’ and other persons’ personal data.

The MCS Service Company Limited employ Gemserv Limited to administer the website, the database and all other matters relevant to MCS. Gemserv Limited is regarded as the data processor who process users’ and other persons’ personal data under the written instructions of The MCS Service Company Limited.

Gemserv Limited is incorporated under the Laws of England and Wales with registration number 04419878 and is based at 8 Fenchurch Place, London, EC3M 4AJ.


What data do we collect?

Personal data is any information about data subjects from which they can be identified. It does not include data where their identity has been removed (it is called anonymous data).

We collect, use, store and transfer different kinds of personal data about data subjects which we have grouped together as follows:

Type of Data Subject Category of Personal Data Personal Data
If you are a user, we collect your: (a) Identity Data

(b) Contact Data

(c) Company Data

(d) User Account Data

(e) Technical Data

(f) Usage Data

(g) Customer Care Data

(a) Your first and last name

(b) Your email address and phone number

(c) Name of the company that you represent and your job title

(d) Your username, and password

(e) Technical Data includes internet protocol (IP) address, browser type and version, time zone setting and location, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform and other technology on the devices you use to access this website (such as smart phones, laptops or desktops).

(f) Information about how you use our website, including your traffic data and browsing history.

(g) Your correspondence and feedback to us

If you are another person whose personal data was provided to us by users, we process your: (a) Identity Data

(b) Contact Data

(c) Property Data

(d) Certificate Data

(a) First name and last name

(b) Email address

(c) Property address and postcode

(d) Certificate number and a certificate

If you are a website user, we collect your: (a) Identity Data

(b) Contact Data

(c) Technical Data

(d) Usage Data

(e) Customer Care Data

(f) Demographic Data

(a) First name and last name

(b) Email address

(c) Technical Data includes internet protocol (IP) address, browser type and version, time zone setting and location, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform and other technology on the devices you use to access this website (such as smart phones, laptops or desktops).

(d) Information about how you use our website, including your traffic data and browsing history.

(e) Your correspondence and feedback to us

(f) Your age and gender


How do we collect personal data?

We use different methods for the collection of users’ data through:

Direct interactions. You may give us your Identity, Contact, Company, User Account and Customer Care Data when you:

  • register as a database user,
  • provide documents or information to us,
  • fill in forms on our website or on hard copies,
  • correspond with us by telephone, e-mail or otherwise,
  • complete surveys for research or statistical purposes in relation to the MCS and/or BEIS policy development and research.

Automated technologies or interactions. As you interact with our website, we automatically collect Technical and Usage data about your equipment, browsing actions and patterns. We collect this personal data by using cookies. Please see our Cookie Policy for further details.

Whereby we need to collect personal data from you by law, or under the terms of a contract we have with you and you fail to provide that data when requested, we may not be able to perform the contract we have or are trying to enter with you (for example, to provide you with access to the database). In this case, we may have to cancel a service you have with us, but we will notify you if this is the case at the time.

We do not collect any Special Categories of Personal Data about data subjects, nor do we collect any information about criminal convictions and offences.


How we receive personal data?

If you are a user, we may also receive additional information about you from:

  • Credit Reference Agency engaged by us to verify the information you have provided and to prevent and detect fraud,
  • MCS Certification Bodies,
  • Ofgem as the Administrator of the Renewable Heat Incentive and Feed-in Tariff schemes (Ofgem),
  • Chartered Trading Standards Institute Approved Consumer Codes (CTSI), including but not limited to:
  • The Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC),
  • The Home Insulation & Energy Systems Contractors Scheme (HIES),
  • The Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF).

If you are another person who owns installations that are installed and certified under the MCS, we will receive your personal data from a user who will provide it on our database.


How do we use personal data?

We will only use your personal data when the law allows us to, most commonly, in the following circumstances:

  • Where we need to deliver services under your request in accordance with specific terms and conditions,
  • Where it is necessary for our legitimate interests and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests; and/or
  • Where we need to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation.

Below we have listed the ways describing reasons we use your personal data for and the legal basis we rely on to do so.

Please note that we may process your personal data for more than one lawful basis depending on the specific purposes for which we are using your data.

Type of Data Subject Purpose Type of Data Lawful Basis for Processing Retention Period
If you are a user, we will use your personal data: (a) To supply services you request, including the registration for the database, its usage and troubleshooting.

(b) To charge for services requested.

(c) To manage our relationship with you, including notification about changes to our privacy policy, Terms and Conditions and services, manage any concerns or requests that you raise to us.

(d) To carry out investigations in relation to compliance and complaints regarding our services, as well as site inspections and audits.

(e) To prevent and detect criminal activities.

(f) To complete a survey for purely research and statistical purposes.

(g) To use data analytics to improve our website, services, customer relationships and experiences, and to secure our website

(a) Identity, Contact, Company, User Account and Customer Care Data

(b) Identity, Contact, Company, and User Account

(c) Identity, Contact, Company, and User Account

(d) Identity, Contact, Company, and Customer Care Data

(e) Identity, Contact, Company, and User Account

(f) Identity, Contact, Company, User Account and Customer Care Data

(g) Technical and Usage Data

(a) Performance of MCS Installation Database services in accordance with Terms and Conditions.

(b) Performance of MCS Installation Database services in accordance with Terms and Conditions.

(c) Performance of MCS Installation Database services in accordance with Terms and Conditions.

(d) As necessary for our legitimate interests allowing us to provide our customers with requested information, and in relation to the detection and prevention of fraud.

(e) As necessary for our legal and regulatory obligations, in regard to regulations from Ofgem and BEIS.

(f) As necessary for our legitimate interests allowing us to study how customers use our services and to help us to develop these.

(g) Necessary for our legitimate interest to keep our website updated and relevant to customers.

(a) For or the duration of the service contract.

(b) For the duration of the service contract and up to seven years following for tax/financial/other regulatory purposes.

(c) For the duration of the service contract.

(d) For up to 25 years as required for longer by regulatory authorities, including Ofgem and BEIS.

(e) For up to 25 years as required for longer by regulatory authorities, including Ofgem and BEIS.

(f) For the duration of the campaign/survey and at the maximum one year.

(g) Technical Data – 13 months maximum; and Usage Data – Indefinitely (anonymous format).

If you are another person whose data was provided to us by a user, we will process your personal data:

(a) As we are requested to do so by law and the contract with a user.

(b) As we are required to do by the contract with a user in your interest in the receipt of an MCS Certificate.

(a) Identity, Contact, Property and Certificate Data

(b) Certificate Data

(a) Performance of MCS Installation Database services in accordance with Terms and Conditions

(b) As necessary for our legal and regulatory obligations, in regard to regulations from Ofgem and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)

(a) For the duration of the service contract, or up to 25 years for regulatory purposes

(b) For the duration of the service contract, or up to 25 years for regulatory purposes

If you are a website user, we will collect your personal data:

(a) In responding to your request when you contact us.

(b) In order to analyse who uses our website and keep it updated and relevant.

(a) Identity Data, Contact Data, and Customer Care Data.

(b) Technical Data and Usage Data.

(a) As necessary for our legitimate interest, to contact you in relation to your query in relation to MCS services.

(b) As necessary for our legitimate interest to keep our website updated and relevant to customers.

(a) For up to one year.

(b) Technical Data – 13 months maximum; Usage Data – Indefinitely (anonymous format); and Demographic Data – for up to one year, and longer if stored in an anonymous format.


Cookies

Cookies are small files saved to your computer’s hard drive that track, save and store information about your interactions and usage of our website and database. Cookies allow us to store your preferences to correctly present content, options or functions throughout our website. They also enable us to see information like how many people use our website and database, and what pages they tend to visit.

Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.

You can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when websites set or access cookies. If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of this website or the database may become inaccessible or not function properly. If you would like more information about this practice, including how to prevent it, please visit www.aboutcookies.org, www.allaboutcookies.org or optout.networkadvertising.org

How to delete cookies

Please be aware that deleting cookies will impact on the functionality of our website.

Our site will not use cookies to collect personally identifiable information about you. However, if you wish to restrict or block the cookies which are set by our website, or indeed any other website, you can do this through your browser settings. The Help function within your browser should tell you how.

You can visit www.aboutcookies.org which contains information on how to remove cookies from all the major browsers.

Cookies used within our website

This is a list of the cookies set by our website, and what each is used for.

Session hash – Used to authenticate users on the website

Google Analytics – Used to understand how users navigate through our website, the service is provided by Google Inc. We then use the information gathered to compile reports to improve the functionality and user experience of our website. All information collected is anonymous.


To whom do we disclose personal data?

We do not disclose personal data to anyone, except when we need to share it with:

  • External third parties who provide specific services to us, such as website and database design and management, data storage, online phone helpline and payments processing.
  • Credit Reference Agency for the prevention and detection of fraud or non-compliance with the Domestic RHI and the Feed-in Tariffs schemes.
  • Regulators and judicial authorities who require reporting of processing activities in certain circumstances. More specifically, we may need to disclose personal data of installation companies to:
  • Ofgem for reporting, monitoring, application processing, compliance and complaints handling purposes for the administration of the Domestic and Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive and the Feed-in Tariff Scheme, as well as in support of any criminal or civil investigations carried out by relevant authorities.
  • MCS Certification Bodies for reporting, monitoring, application processing, compliance and complaints handling purposes for the administration of the MCS, as well as in support of any criminal or civil investigations carried out by relevant authorities.
  • Feed-in Tariff Licensees for reporting, monitoring, application processing, compliance and complaints handling purposes for the administration of the Feed-in Tariff Scheme, as well as in support of any criminal or civil investigations carried out by relevant authorities.
  • BEIS for meeting our legal obligations in relation to periodic provision of information to BEIS that will use the information for market research purposes to develop: (i) its understanding of the deployment and performance of renewable energy technologies in relation to the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme and the Feed-in Tariff scheme, and (ii) the impact of Government policies upon these schemes. In particular, the data will be used to make contact with installers in order to conduct surveys or consensuses and to assist with technical research. Individuals’ personal data may be also disclosed to BEIS for statistical and research purposes in order to conduct research projects, including engineering, social, economic and statistical, for the evaluation and development of policy, to enable delivery partners to effectively identify and investigate potential cases of fraud and non-compliance, and to improve the quality of data which is used in policy development.
  • CTSI, including but not limited to RECC, HIES, and GGF for reporting, monitoring, application processing, compliance and complaints handling purposes for the administration of the MCS, as well as in support of any criminal or civil investigations carried out by the relevant authorities.

We may also provide third parties with aggregate and non-attributable information about installation companies, installation owners, and product companies.

Where applicable, we require all external third parties to respect the security of your personal data and to treat it in accordance with the law. We do not allow our third party service providers to use your personal data for their own purposes and only permit them to process your personal data for specified purposes and in accordance with our instructions.


Where is personal data stored?

All information about you is stored on our secure servers or, in case of hard copies, in locked cabinets. The information is all stored within the United Kingdom.

Some of our external service providers are based outside the European Economic Area (EEA), therefore the processing of your personal data will involve a transfer of data outside the EEA..

Whenever the transfer of your personal data outside the EEA takes place, we take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and have procedures in place to ensure your data receives the same protection as if it were being processed inside the EEA. If you wish to receive more detailed information about your personal data transfers, please send your request to.


How do we secure personal data?

We have put in place appropriate security measures to prevent your personal data from being accidentally lost, used or accessed in an unauthorised way, altered or disclosed. In addition, we limit access to your personal data to those staff members or other third parties who have a business need to know. They will only process your personal data on our instructions and they are subject to a strict duty of confidentiality.

We have put in place procedures to deal with any suspected personal data breach and will notify you and any applicable supervisory authority of a breach where we are legally required to do so.


How long do we retain personal data for?

We will only retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

To determine the appropriate retention period for personal data, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the personal data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure of your personal data, the purposes for which we process your personal data and whether we can achieve those purposes through other means, and the applicable legal requirements.


What are your privacy rights?

Under certain circumstances, you have rights under data protection laws in relation to your personal data which are as follows:

  • Access to your personal data – This enables you to receive a copy of the personal data we may hold about you and to check how we process it.
  • Correction of your personal data – This enables you to have any incomplete or inaccurate data we may hold about you corrected or completed, though we may need to verify the accuracy of the new data you provide to us.
  • Erasure of your personal data – This enables you to ask us to delete personal data where there is no legitimate reason for us continuing to process it.

 Note, however, that we may not always be able to comply with your request of erasure for specific legal reasons which will be notified to you, if applicable, at the time of your request.

  • Object to processing of your personal data – This enables you to ask us to terminate the processing of your personal data where we are relying on a legitimate interest. In some cases, we may demonstrate that we have compelling legitimate grounds to process your information which override your rights and freedoms.
  • Restriction of processing your personal data – This enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.
  • Transfer of your personal data – This enables you to ask us to transfer your personal data to you or to another service provider. We will provide to you, or another service provider you have chosen, your personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.

Note, however, that this right only applies to automated information which you may have provided under Terms and Conditions to us.

If you wish to exercise any of the rights set out above, please send your request to mcshelpdesk@mcssco.org.uk.

No fee usually required

You will not have to pay a fee to access your personal data (or to exercise any of the other rights). However, we may charge a reasonable fee if your request is clearly unfounded, repetitive or excessive. Alternatively, we may refuse to comply with your request in these circumstances.

What we may need from you

We may need to request specific information from you to help us confirm your identity and ensure your right to access your personal data (or to exercise any of your other rights). This is a security measure to ensure that personal data is not disclosed to any person who has no right to receive it. We may also contact you to ask you for further information in relation to your request to speed up our response.

Time limit to respond

We try to respond to all legitimate requests within one month. Occasionally it may take us longer than a month if your request is particularly complex or you have made a number of requests. In this case, we will notify you and keep you updated.

Your right to lodge a complaint

You have the right to make a complaint at any time to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

We would, however, appreciate the chance to deal with your concerns first before you approach the supervisory authority, so please do contact us in the first instance.


How to contact us?

If you have any questions or would like to know more about the MCS, please do not hesitate to visit our website at https://www.microgenerationcertification.org/ or get in touch with us.

You may contact us by post at The MCS Service Company Limited (MCSSCo), Suite F40, Innovation Centre, Sci-Tech, Daresbury, Keckwick Lane, Daresbury, Cheshire, WA4 4FS, by email at mcshelpdesk@mcssco.org.uk or by phone at +44 (0) 333 103 8130.

For compliance questions in relation to this policy, you may contact us at mcshelpdesk@mcssco.org.uk.


Changes to the policy

This privacy policy applies from 2nd July 2018 until such time it is updated again.

We may revise this privacy policy from time to time. Any revision will be brought to your attention by posting changes on the website and the database. Where appropriate, the changes will be notified to you by email.