Privacy Policy

Last updated: 28 February 2026

1. Who We Are

Off Grid 4 Less (offgrid4less.com) is an independent off-grid energy price comparison and community website operated from the United Kingdom. For any privacy-related queries, contact us at info@offgrid4less.com.

2. Data We Collect

2.1 Account Information

When you register an account, we collect:

  • Username and display name
  • Email address
  • Password (stored securely using bcrypt hashing — we cannot see your password)
  • Optional: location, bio, website
  • IP address at registration and login (for security purposes)

2.2 User-Generated Content

Content you voluntarily submit, including product reviews, forum posts, and comments.

2.3 Price Alert Subscriptions

If you subscribe to price alerts, we collect your email address and the product categories you are interested in.

2.4 Technical Data

We automatically collect basic technical data when you visit the website, including:

  • Pages visited and time spent (anonymous analytics)
  • Referral source (how you found us)
  • Browser type and device information

3. Cookies and Local Storage

3.1 Session Cookies (Strictly Necessary)

We use session cookies to maintain your login state and provide essential website functionality. These cookies are strictly necessary for the website to operate and do not require consent under UK GDPR/PECR. They are automatically deleted when you close your browser.

3.2 Local Storage

We use browser local storage (not cookies) to remember your preferences, such as:

  • Cookie consent preference
  • Recently viewed products
  • Chat assistant conversation history

This data stays on your device and is not transmitted to our servers.

3.3 Third-Party Cookies

We do not use third-party advertising or tracking cookies. We do not use Google Analytics. Our analytics are first-party and anonymised.

4. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data to:

  • Provide and maintain your account
  • Display your profile and user-generated content
  • Send email notifications you have opted into
  • Send price drop alerts if you have subscribed
  • Moderate content and enforce our community guidelines
  • Prevent abuse, spam, and fraudulent activity
  • Improve our website and services

5. AI Content Moderation

We use artificial intelligence (powered by Anthropic's Claude) to automatically screen user-submitted content for potential violations of our community guidelines. This includes checking for spam, hate speech, sexual content, and other prohibited material.

The AI system processes the text content you submit (not your personal information). Results are logged for audit purposes and to help improve moderation accuracy. A human moderator reviews content flagged by the AI system.

6. Data Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties. We may share data in the following limited circumstances:

  • Service providers: We use third-party services for email delivery and AI content moderation, which process data on our behalf
  • Legal requirements: We may disclose data if required by law or to protect our rights
  • Public content: Product reviews and forum posts are publicly visible by design

7. Data Retention

  • Account data: Retained for the lifetime of your account. If you delete your account, personal data is anonymised but public content (reviews, posts) may be retained under our content licence
  • Price alert subscriptions: Retained until you unsubscribe
  • Moderation logs: Retained for 12 months for audit purposes
  • Session cookies: Deleted when you close your browser

8. Your Rights (UK GDPR)

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation, you have the right to:

  • Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
  • Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data
  • Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal obligations and our content licence)
  • Restriction: Request that we limit processing of your data
  • Portability: Request your data in a portable format
  • Objection: Object to processing of your data for certain purposes

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@offgrid4less.com. We will respond within 30 days.

9. Data Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your personal data, including:

  • HTTPS encryption for all connections
  • Bcrypt password hashing (we never store passwords in plain text)
  • CSRF protection on all forms
  • Rate limiting on login attempts
  • Regular security reviews

10. Children's Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under 16 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has created an account, please contact us and we will delete it.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify registered members of significant changes via email or on-site notification. The "last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when the policy was most recently revised.

12. Contact

For privacy-related questions, data requests, or complaints, please contact us at:

Off Grid 4 Less
Email: info@offgrid4less.com
Contact form: offgrid4less.com/contact

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe your data rights have been violated.