At ESP, we are committed to safeguarding and preserving the confidentiality and privacy of our customers, suppliers, service providers and employees, and visitors to our website.

This ‘Privacy and Cookie policy’ explains how we manage your personal data, provided by you or collected while visiting our website.

Personal data is any information which – on its own or combined with other available information – enables us to identify you as an individual, such as your name, an identification number or your location.

Our policy complies with the latest data and privacy laws, and includes:

  • The information we collect
  • How we process it
  • How long we keep it
  • The legal grounds for collecting, processing and maintaining the information
  • Your rights as a ‘data subject’ relating to the information we collect, maintain and record, and how you can apply those rights
  • Contact information for requests concerning about personal data and enquiries about this policy.

We will only process your personal data and information where legally entitled to do so.

What information do we collect?

Cookies

Cookies collect information about your computer when you visit our website so we can improve your experience. 

The table below lists the cookies we use and their purpose.

Cookie Name of cookie Purpose
Google Analytics _ga, _gat, _gid Collects anonymised information about how visitors use our site, including the number of visitors, how they arrive at our site, and the pages they visit.

From this, we compile reports to help us improve the site.

AV Calculator MemberName Used by our website’s AVCalculator function.
Twitter guest_id, personalization_id, lang Used by our website’s Twitter feed.

When you contact us by phone, email or the enquiry form, we collect and process your name, address, phone number, email address, and other information you provide.

  • Reporting a gas leak on one of our networks:

    We will ask you to confirm your name, the address where you believe there may be a gas leak and a contact phone number.

  • Requesting a replacement or relocated gas or water meter:

    We will ask you for your name, address and contact details, and you will be required to enter into a contract to carry out the work.

  • Requesting a new gas or electricity supply to your property:

    We will ask you for your name, address and contact details, and you will be required to enter into a contract to carry out the work.

  • Reporting a power cut, water supply interruption or water quality concern: 

    We will ask you for your name, the address where you believe there may be a power cut, water supply interruption or quality concern and a contact phone number.

  • Joining our priority customer database:

    People who are of pensionable age, chronically sick, disabled, have a long-term medical condition, have hearing or visual impairments or other communication needs, or otherwise vulnerable are entitled to register for our priority customer database to ensure priority following a power cut, gas leak, water supply interruption or quality concern.

  • Cross Utility Priority Service Register:

    Ofwat and Ofgem have jointly initiated a data sharing project to allow for the sharing of PSR data held by energy suppliers with water providers, with the aim of improving the support of vulnerable individuals. In these instances your information will have been shared with us by an energy supplier e.g. your electricity or gas supplier.

  • Registering your property for a water account:

    Information you provide to set up your account and any further information provided
    while your account is in existence, or as needed to be able to provide the services to you.

  • Careers at ESP Utilities:

    When you submit a CV or ask a question using our Careers@espug.com email address, you will be providing personal, and sometimes sensitive personal data.

How do we process the information?

When you:

  • Report a gas leak on one of our networks:

    We record and keep your information for 12 months on a secure, electronic database, accessible only to people authorised to process the data. We only pass your data to a third party if it’s needed for checking and repairing the gas leak. We delete your information after 12 months.

  • Request a replacement or relocated meter:

    Your information forms part of a contract. We record and keep your information for six years on a secure, electronic database, accessible only to people authorised to process the data. We only pass your data to a third party if it’s needed for the meter replacement and/or relocation work. We delete your information six years from when the work was completed.

  • Report a power cut, water supply interruption or water quality concern:

    We record and keep your information for 12 months on a secure, electronic database, accessible only to people authorised to process the data. We only pass your data to a third party if it’s needed for checking and restoring the power, the water supply or quality. We delete your information 12 months from when the work was completed.

  • Join our priority customer register:

    As sensitive personal data, we keep your information for as long as you are on our priority customer register, on a secure, electronic database, accessible only to people authorised to process the data. We only pass your data to a third party if it’s needed for checking and repairing a power cut or gas leak, water supply interruption or quality concern.

  • Request a new electricity or gas supply to your property:

    Your information forms part of a contract. We record and keep your information for six years on a secure, electronic database, accessible only to people authorised to process the data. We only pass your data to a third party if it’s needed for carrying out the installation and/or connection. We delete your information six years from when the work was completed.

  • Access careers at ESP Utilities:

    Our HR Manager reviews and replies to all enquiries about careers and employment with us. We record and keep your information for nine months on a secure, electronic database, accessible only to people authorised to process the data. We delete your information nine months from either when we receive your enquiry or the outcome of an interview.

  • Registering your property for a water account:

    Your information forms part of a contract. We record and keep your information for as long as your account is in existence or as needed to be able to provide water services to you on a secure, electronic database, accessible only to people authorised to process the data. We only pass your data to a third party if it’s needed for billing purposes, reporting failures and where PSR data must be used to provide a service..

What are the legal grounds for collecting, processing and maintaining the information?

  • If you report a gas leak on one of our networks:

    We are required to provide a safe and secure network, and continuity of supply under our gas transportation license from OFGEM, and the Gas Act 1989’s safety regulations.

  • If you report a power cut, water supply interruption or water quality concern:

    We are required to provide a safe and secure network, and continuity of supply under our electricity distribution license from OFGEM and our water appointment granted by Ofwat.

  • If you or a person acting on your behalf has joined our priority customer register:

    We prioritise vulnerable customers following a power cut, gas leak, water supply interruption or quality concern as an OFGEM-licensed Independent Gas Transporter and Independent Distribution Network Operator, and an Ofwat licenced New Appointment and Variation under the Water Industry Act 1991.

  • If you request a new gas or electricity supply to your property:

    You are required to enter into a contract with us.

  • If you access careers at ESP Utilities:

    Your information is collected, processed and maintained for entering into a contract, to ensure you are qualified and the best match for any vacancy we may have, and to confirm that you are eligible to work in the UK.

  • If you register your property for a water account: 

    You are required to enter into a contract with us.

What are my rights and how can I exercise them?

You have the right :

  • to request confirmation of and / or a copy of the personal data we hold about you. Our security
    procedures mean that we may request proof of identity before we reveal information, including your
    e-mail address and possibly your address.
  • to correct any errors in your personal data
  • to contact us to limit the processing of your personal data
  • to object to the processing of your personal data
  • to request the deletion of your personal data
  • to lodge a complaint with the data protection authority about our collection and use of your personal
    information. For more information, please contact your local data protection authority at How to make a data protection complaint
  • to withdraw your consent at any time. Withdrawing your consent will not affect the lawfulness of any
    processing we conducted prior to your withdrawal, nor will it affect processing of your personal
    information conducted in reliance on lawful processing grounds other than consent.

In addition to the above legal rights you may at any time:

  • close your water account through your account settings. If you do so, your account will be deactivated
    however, we may retain archived copies of your information as required by law or for legitimate
    business purposes (including to help address fraud and spam)
  • update your details by emailing us at customerservices@espug.com
  • unsubscribe from receiving marketing emails that you have subscribed to from us by clicking the
    “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any email. Once you do this, you will no longer receive any emails
    from us

Who can I contact if I have a question about this policy?

You can contact us about this Privacy and Cookies policy by emailing info@espug.com.

 

Last reviewed: 08 February 2024