Privacy Policy

Last updated: April 2026

SmartHomeCost is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains clearly and honestly what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights as a user. We do not sell your personal data to anyone.

1. Who we are

SmartHomeCost is a free, independent consumer tool operated from the United Kingdom. Our website is located at smarthomecost.co.uk. If you have any questions about this privacy policy, you can contact us at hello@smarthomecost.co.uk.

2. What information we collect

SmartHomeCost is designed to be used without creating an account or providing any personal details. However, some information may be collected automatically when you visit our site:

Usage data — pages visited, time spent on the site, browser type, and device type. This is collected in anonymised form to help us understand how the site is being used.
IP address — your approximate location may be inferred from your IP address for analytics purposes. We do not store or share individual IP addresses.
Cookies — we use minimal cookies to help the site function and to understand traffic patterns. See Section 5 for more detail.

The information you enter into our True Cost Calculator (such as appliance prices, energy ratings, and usage habits) is processed entirely within your browser. This data is never sent to our servers and we never see it.

3. How we use your information

Any information we collect is used only to:

Understand how visitors use SmartHomeCost so we can improve it
Monitor the performance and stability of the website
Comply with legal obligations where required

We do not use your information for targeted advertising, profiling, or any automated decision-making.

4. Affiliate links

SmartHomeCost includes links to third-party retailers such as Currys, AO.com, Very.co.uk, Hughes Electrical, Appliances Direct, Appliance Centre, PRC Direct, Electrical Discount UK, Reliant, and Go Electrical. These are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. This comes at no extra cost to you — you pay exactly the same price as you would going directly to the retailer.

When you click an affiliate link, you will be taken to the retailer's own website. That retailer's privacy policy will then apply to any data you provide during your purchase. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before completing a transaction.

Our affiliate partnerships are managed through Awin, Amazon Associates UK, and Skimlinks. These networks may set cookies on your device to track referrals and ensure we receive credit for any qualifying purchases. You can read each network's privacy policy at awin.com/gb/privacy, amazon.co.uk privacy, and skimlinks.com/privacy-policy.

5. Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. SmartHomeCost uses the following types of cookies:

Essential cookies — necessary for the website to function correctly. These cannot be disabled.
Analytics cookies — help us understand how visitors use the site. All data collected is anonymised.
Affiliate tracking cookies — set by Awin, Amazon Associates, and Skimlinks when you click a retailer link, to track whether a purchase was made. These are only activated when you click an affiliate link.

You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings at any time. Please note that disabling cookies may affect how some parts of the site work.

6. Third-party services

We may use the following third-party services to help operate SmartHomeCost:

Analytics provider — to understand site traffic in anonymised form
Awin, Amazon Associates, and Skimlinks affiliate networks — to manage retailer referral links and commissions
Web hosting provider — to serve the SmartHomeCost website

Each of these providers has their own privacy policy and data handling practices. We only work with providers who meet appropriate data protection standards.

7. Your rights under UK GDPR

As a UK resident, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right to access — you can request a copy of any personal data we hold about you
Right to erasure — you can ask us to delete your personal data
Right to rectification — you can ask us to correct inaccurate data
Right to object — you can object to how we use your data
Right to restrict processing — you can ask us to limit how we use your data
Right to data portability — you can ask for your data in a portable format

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@smarthomecost.co.uk. We will respond within 30 days.

If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113.

8. Data retention

We retain anonymised analytics data for a maximum of 26 months, after which it is automatically deleted. We do not retain any personal data beyond what is necessary for the purposes described in this policy.

9. Children's privacy

SmartHomeCost is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time as the site grows or if legal requirements change. Any updates will be posted on this page with a revised "last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

11. Contact us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this privacy policy or your personal data, please get in touch:

Email: hello@smarthomecost.co.uk
Website: smarthomecost.co.uk