Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
Last reviewed: 3 August 2026 · Version 1.0
1. Who We Are
Mortgage Compare ("we", "our", "us") is operated by Compare Finance Tech Ltd, a UK company registered in England and Wales (Company Number: 16649525). We provide an advanced mortgage comparison platform with AI-powered affordability calculations, criteria matching, and property analysis tools.
Compare Finance Tech Ltd Registered Office: 128 City Road, London, United Kingdom, EC1V 2NX ICO Registration: ZB959426 Contact: Use our contact form
2. Our Services
Our platform provides comprehensive mortgage and property services including:
- Affordability Calculator: Advanced calculations using HMRC-compliant tax rates, essential expenditure modeling, and LTI rules for 7 major UK lenders
- AI-Powered Criteria Matching: Intelligent mortgage criteria analysis using OpenAI's GPT-4o-mini model
- Property Insights: AI-generated property and area analysis combining EPC data, Land Registry information, and local market insights
- Address Search: UK address autocomplete using Ordnance Survey data
- Mortgage Rate Comparisons: Current rates and lender information
- Educational Resources: Guides, calculators, and mortgage advice
3. The Data We Collect
| Category | Details | Mandatory? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Information | Income details (guaranteed/non-guaranteed), credit card debt, loan payments, essential expenditure, student loan plans | Yes (for calculations) | You (via forms) |
| Property Information | Property addresses, values, EPC ratings, loan amounts, LTV ratios | Yes (for calculations) | You (via forms) & Third-party APIs |
| Household Data | Number of dependents, region, first-time buyer status, repayment type preferences | Yes (for calculations) | You (via forms) |
| AI Interaction Data | Mortgage criteria queries, property insight requests, AI conversation logs | No (optional features) | You (via AI tools) |
| Contact Details | Email address, name (if provided) | No (for contact only) | You (via contact forms) |
| Technical Data | IP address, browser type, device info, session data, usage analytics | No (automatic) | Your device/browser |
Third-Party Data Sources
- Ordnance Survey API: UK address data and coordinates
- EPC Database: Energy Performance Certificate information
- OpenAI API: AI processing for criteria and property analysis
- Land Registry: Property transaction data (via SPARQL queries)
4. Why We Use Your Data & Legal Bases (UK GDPR)
| Purpose | Legal Basis |
|---|---|
| Providing affordability calculations and mortgage analysis | Legitimate interests – providing the service you requested |
| AI-powered criteria matching and property insights | Legitimate interests – enhancing service quality and accuracy |
| Processing via third-party APIs (OpenAI, Ordnance Survey, etc.) | Legitimate interests – technical service delivery |
| HMRC-compliant tax and student loan calculations | Legal obligation and legitimate interests – accuracy and compliance |
| Responding to contact form queries and support | Legitimate interests – customer service |
| Website analytics, security, and service improvement | Legitimate interests – business operations and security |
| Linking to third-party lender calculators | Legitimate interests – providing comprehensive comparison service |
Note: We do not require explicit consent for most data processing as our services rely on legitimate interests. However, you can object to processing or withdraw from our services at any time.
5. Marketing Communications
Currently, we do not send marketing communications. Our platform operates as an information service without account registration or email marketing. If we introduce these features in the future, we will:
- Never assume consent - you must actively opt in
- Provide clear unsubscribe options in every email
- Honor opt-out requests immediately
- Continue sending essential service messages even if you opt out of marketing
6. Your GDPR Rights
Under UK GDPR, you have comprehensive rights over your personal data:
- Right to Access: Get a copy of your personal data
- Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
- Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten")
- Right to Restrict Processing: Limit how we use your data
- Right to Data Portability: Get your data in a portable format
- Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
- Rights regarding AI: Explanation and human review of automated decisions
For detailed information on exercising these rights, see our GDPR Rights page or contact us.
7. Data Retention
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Calculator inputs and results | Session only (not stored permanently) |
| Contact form submissions | 2 years for query resolution and follow-up |
| AI interaction logs | 6 months for service improvement (anonymized) |
| Technical logs and analytics | 12 months for security and optimization |
8. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data:
- Encryption: TLS 1.3 for data in transit, AES-256 for data at rest
- Access Controls: Role-based access with principle of least privilege
- Third-Party Security: Vetted providers (Vercel, OpenAI) with strong security practices
- Data Minimization: We collect only what's necessary for service delivery
- Regular Reviews: Security assessments and updates to protection measures
9. Third-Party Data Sharing
| Recipient | Purpose | Safeguards |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI (GPT-4o-mini) | AI-powered criteria and property analysis | Data Processing Agreement, anonymized where possible |
| Vercel (hosting) | Website hosting and serverless functions | EU-US Data Privacy Framework, SOC 2 compliance |
| Ordnance Survey | UK address validation and coordinates | UK-based, API-only access, no data retention |
| External Lender Sites | Direct links to lender calculators | No data shared - users visit independently |
Important: We never sell your personal data. All third-party processing is governed by data processing agreements and conducted only for service delivery purposes.
10. Contact Us & Complaints
For privacy-related questions, data requests, or complaints:
Primary Contact: Use our contact form Company: Compare Finance Tech Ltd Registered Office: 128 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX ICO Registration: ZB959426
If you're not satisfied with our response, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or call 0303 123 1113.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data practices. Material changes will be highlighted and posted with at least 30 days notice.
This policy should be read alongside our Terms of Service and GDPR Rights page.
Questions or Concerns?
We're committed to transparency and protecting your privacy. If anything in this policy is unclear or you have questions about how we handle your data, please don't hesitate to contact us.