Log In

Don't have an account? Sign up now

Lost Password?

Sign Up

Malayali Markets Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 28 July 2026

On this page

1. Introduction

Malayali Markets respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and share personal information when you visit or use the Malayali Markets website, create an account, publish a business listing, contact another user, submit a review or otherwise use our services.

Malayali Markets is an online marketplace that helps customers discover and contact independent businesses and service providers. Malayali Markets does not directly provide the advertised services, employ the businesses listed on the website or process payments between customers and businesses.

By using Malayali Markets, you acknowledge that your personal information will be handled as described in this Privacy Policy.

2. Who is responsible for your information?

Malayali Markets is operated by an individual as a sole operator under the trading name Malayali Markets.

For the purposes of UK data-protection law, Malayali Markets is the controller of the personal information described in this Privacy Policy.

Trading name: Malayali Markets
Trading address: [ADDRESS TO BE ADDED]
Privacy contact: support@malayalimarkets.com
Company registration number: Not applicable
ICO registration number: [TO BE ADDED IF APPLICABLE]

Questions or requests concerning personal information should be sent to the email address above.

3. Who may use Malayali Markets?

Malayali Markets is intended only for people aged 18 or over.

The website may be used by:

  • visitors browsing the website;
  • customers looking for services;
  • independent businesses and service providers advertising their services; and
  • registered users communicating with businesses or submitting reviews.

You must not create an account or use features that require registration if you are under 18.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that an individual under 18 has created an account or provided personal information, we may delete the account and associated information.

4. Information we collect

The information we collect depends on how you use the website.

4.1 Account and contact information

When you register or manage an account, we may collect:

  • your name;
  • email address;
  • telephone number;
  • username;
  • encrypted or securely stored password credentials;
  • home, correspondence or business address;
  • postcode or general location;
  • account type;
  • profile photograph; and
  • information you provide through your account dashboard.

We do not have access to your password in readable form where it is stored using appropriate password-security measures.

4.2 Business and listing information

If you create a business profile or service listing, we may collect:

  • business or trading name;
  • business owner or representative’s name;
  • business address and service area;
  • telephone number and email address;
  • business description;
  • services offered;
  • prices or pricing information;
  • opening hours;
  • website and social-media details;
  • business logo and photographs;
  • qualifications, licences, memberships or certificates;
  • insurance information;
  • identification or verification documents; and
  • other information submitted as part of a listing or verification process.

You should provide only information that is accurate, relevant and lawful to publish.

4.3 Enquiries, messages and communications

When you contact another user or communicate with Malayali Markets, we may collect:

  • the content of messages and enquiries;
  • sender and recipient details;
  • dates and times of communications;
  • attachments and uploaded files;
  • emails sent to customer support;
  • complaint and dispute information; and
  • records of actions taken in response.

Messages sent through Malayali Markets may be stored and reviewed where reasonably necessary to provide the service, investigate a complaint, protect users, prevent misuse or comply with legal obligations.

4.4 Reviews and ratings

When you submit a review or rating, we may collect:

  • your name, username or account identifier;
  • the business being reviewed;
  • your rating;
  • the content of your review;
  • the date of submission; and
  • information used to assess whether the review is genuine.

Reviews may remain visible after the reviewer closes their account where keeping the review is necessary to preserve the integrity of the marketplace. Where appropriate, the reviewer’s name or account details may be removed or anonymised.

4.5 Technical and usage information

When you visit or use the website, we or our service providers may collect:

  • Internet Protocol address;
  • browser type and version;
  • device type;
  • operating system;
  • approximate location derived from an IP address;
  • pages visited;
  • links or features used;
  • login and session information;
  • referring website;
  • dates and times of visits;
  • error and security logs; and
  • cookie or similar technology identifiers.

4.6 Verification information

Malayali Markets may carry out independent checks concerning a business’s identity, qualifications, professional memberships, licences or insurance.

Where verification is offered or required, we may collect copies of relevant documents and information about the result of the check.

Verification does not amount to a guarantee that a business is suitable, competent, trustworthy or able to perform a particular service. Customers remain responsible for conducting their own checks before appointing a business.

Please do not upload medical information, information about religious or political beliefs, criminal-record information or other sensitive personal information unless Malayali Markets has specifically requested it and there is a lawful and necessary reason to provide it.

4.7 Information received from other people

We may receive information about you from another user, for example where:

  • a customer sends an enquiry to your business;
  • a user submits a complaint;
  • someone reports a listing, message or review;
  • a business responds to a complaint; or
  • a person provides evidence relating to a dispute.

Where you provide information about another person, you must have an appropriate reason and authority to do so.

5. How we collect information

We collect personal information through:

  • account registration;
  • profile and account dashboards;
  • business and service-listing forms;
  • messages and enquiries sent through the website;
  • review and rating forms;
  • emails sent to Malayali Markets;
  • complaint and dispute processes;
  • verification submissions;
  • website server logs;
  • necessary cookies; and
  • analytics tools, where permitted.

We do not currently collect information through newsletter subscriptions, social-media login or payment processing.

6. How and why we use personal information

We use personal information only where we have an appropriate lawful basis.

6.1 Creating and managing accounts

We use account and contact information to:

  • register users;
  • authenticate logins;
  • maintain account security;
  • provide account dashboards;
  • allow users to edit profiles;
  • process account-deletion requests; and
  • communicate about important account or service matters.

Lawful basis: Performance of our contract with the user and our legitimate interests in operating a secure marketplace.

6.2 Publishing listings and profiles

We use business and listing information to:

  • create and display business profiles;
  • publish services, prices and contact details;
  • enable customers to find relevant businesses;
  • organise listings by category or location; and
  • maintain the accuracy and usefulness of the marketplace.

Lawful basis: Performance of our contract with the business user and our legitimate interests in operating the marketplace.

6.3 Connecting customers with businesses

We use names, contact details, messages and enquiry information to:

  • allow customers to contact businesses;
  • deliver enquiries;
  • enable responses between users; and
  • keep an appropriate record of communications made through the platform.

Lawful basis: Performance of our contract with registered users and our legitimate interests in facilitating communications between customers and businesses.

6.4 Reviews and ratings

We use review information to:

  • publish genuine customer feedback;
  • help users make informed decisions;
  • moderate inappropriate or misleading content;
  • investigate disputed or allegedly false reviews; and
  • protect the reliability of the review system.

Lawful basis: Our legitimate interests in operating a transparent and trustworthy marketplace.

6.5 Business verification

We may use submitted information and documents to:

  • confirm identity;
  • check qualifications, licences, professional memberships or insurance;
  • investigate suspected false claims;
  • display a verification status; and
  • protect customers and the integrity of the platform.

Lawful basis: Performance of our contract where verification forms part of the service, our legitimate interests in reducing fraud and improving trust, and compliance with legal obligations where applicable.

6.6 Complaints, disputes and investigations

We may use account information, messages, uploaded files, reviews and other relevant records to:

  • investigate complaints;
  • moderate user conduct;
  • investigate fraud, abuse or breaches of our terms;
  • protect users and the public;
  • respond to legal claims;
  • cooperate with regulators or law-enforcement authorities; and
  • establish, exercise or defend legal rights.

Lawful basis: Our legitimate interests in protecting users and the platform, compliance with legal obligations and, where necessary, the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

Malayali Markets may help users communicate about complaints or disputes but does not process payments and is not responsible for resolving financial disputes between customers and businesses.

6.7 Website operation, security and fraud prevention

We use technical and account information to:

  • operate and maintain the website;
  • keep users signed in;
  • detect suspicious activity;
  • prevent unauthorised access;
  • protect against spam, fraud and misuse;
  • diagnose technical problems; and
  • enforce our terms and policies.

Lawful basis: Our legitimate interests in maintaining a safe, secure and functional website and, where applicable, performance of our contract with users.

6.8 Website analytics

Where analytics is enabled and any required consent has been obtained, we may use information about website visits to:

  • understand how visitors use the website;
  • measure website traffic;
  • identify popular pages and features;
  • diagnose performance issues; and
  • improve the website.

Lawful basis: Consent where analytics uses non-essential cookies or similar technologies.

Users may withdraw their consent through the website’s cookie settings where available.

6.9 Legal and regulatory requirements

We may use and retain information where reasonably necessary to:

  • comply with a court order or legal obligation;
  • respond to a lawful request from a public authority;
  • maintain records required by law;
  • protect legal rights; or
  • establish, exercise or defend a legal claim.

Lawful basis: Compliance with a legal obligation or our legitimate interests in protecting our legal rights.

7. Public information

Malayali Markets is a public marketplace. Information included in a public profile, listing or review may be visible to anyone, including people who do not have an account.

Publicly visible information may include:

  • business owner or representative’s name;
  • business name;
  • business telephone number;
  • business email address;
  • business or service location;
  • profile photograph or business logo;
  • business description;
  • services and prices;
  • opening hours;
  • qualifications or verification status;
  • reviews and ratings; and
  • customer name or username associated with a review.

Search engines may index public pages. This means information may continue to appear in search-engine results for a period after it has been changed or removed from Malayali Markets.

Users should not publish home addresses, private contact details or other information they do not want to be publicly available unless that information is necessary for their listing.

8. Automated recommendations and ranking

Malayali Markets may use automated systems to organise, recommend or rank listings based on factors such as:

  • service category;
  • location;
  • relevance to a search;
  • listing completeness;
  • reviews or ratings;
  • verification status;
  • availability; or
  • user activity.

These recommendations are intended to help users find relevant listings. They do not normally produce legal or similarly significant effects about an individual.

Malayali Markets does not guarantee that a particular listing will appear in a particular position or receive a particular number of enquiries.

9. Who we share information with

We may share personal information with the following categories of recipient where necessary.

9.1 Other users and the public

Information is shared with other users where this is necessary to publish a listing, send an enquiry, exchange messages, display a review or otherwise provide the marketplace.

Public profile and listing information is available to website visitors.

9.2 Website and hosting providers

Our website is hosted using services provided by IONOS. Information may be stored or processed through the hosting infrastructure associated with our website and email services.

9.3 WordPress and website technology providers

The website uses WordPress and may use WordPress themes, plugins and supporting technology to provide functions such as:

  • account registration;
  • profiles and dashboards;
  • business listings;
  • messages;
  • reviews;
  • security;
  • backups; and
  • website administration.

Some providers may process limited personal information on our behalf. We aim to use providers only where there are appropriate privacy and security arrangements.

9.4 Analytics providers

Where enabled with the appropriate consent, we may use Google Analytics to understand website traffic and usage.

Google may process information such as device details, online identifiers, IP-address-related information and website interaction data in accordance with its own terms and privacy documentation.

9.5 Professional advisers and authorities

We may share information with:

  • legal advisers;
  • insurers;
  • IT and cybersecurity specialists;
  • courts and tribunals;
  • regulators;
  • law-enforcement bodies; and
  • other public authorities,

where reasonably necessary to comply with the law, investigate wrongdoing, protect users or defend legal rights.

9.6 Business changes

If Malayali Markets is sold, transferred, reorganised or becomes operated through a new legal entity, relevant personal information may be disclosed to professional advisers and transferred to the new operator, subject to appropriate safeguards.

We do not sell personal information to advertisers or data brokers.

10. Payments

Malayali Markets does not process payments between customers and businesses.

Customers and businesses arrange payment independently using a method agreed directly between them. Malayali Markets does not collect or store payment-card information relating to these transactions.

Any payment provider chosen by a customer or business will process information under its own privacy policy and terms. Users should check the legitimacy and security of a payment method before transferring money.

Malayali Markets is not responsible for payment information provided directly to another user or an external payment provider.

11. Cookies and analytics

The website uses cookies and similar technologies that are necessary for functions such as:

  • account login;
  • authentication;
  • session management;
  • security;
  • remembering essential user choices; and
  • maintaining the operation of the website.

Strictly necessary cookies cannot normally be disabled through the website because the relevant service may not function correctly without them.

Where Google Analytics or another non-essential analytics technology is used, it will be activated only where any consent required by law has been obtained.

Further details, including cookie names, purposes, providers and durations, should be provided in the Malayali Markets Cookie Policy or cookie-preference tool.

Malayali Markets does not currently use cookies for targeted advertising or remarketing.

12. Marketing communications

Malayali Markets does not currently send marketing newsletters, promotional text messages or similar direct-marketing communications.

We may send essential service communications concerning:

  • account security;
  • changes to the website;
  • enquiries and messages;
  • moderation actions;
  • complaints;
  • changes to terms or policies; and
  • other important administrative matters.

These are service messages rather than marketing messages.

If marketing communications are introduced in the future, this Privacy Policy will be updated and appropriate choices and unsubscribe options will be provided.

13. International transfers

Malayali Markets aims to use UK-based hosting where available. However, some service providers, including Google and providers of WordPress technology, may process or provide access to personal information from countries outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal information is transferred outside the UK, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that an appropriate transfer mechanism or safeguard is in place. Depending on the provider and destination, this may include:

  • a UK adequacy regulation;
  • the UK International Data Transfer Agreement;
  • the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses; or
  • another transfer mechanism permitted by UK data-protection law.

Users may contact us for further information about the safeguards relevant to a particular provider.

14. How long we keep information

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including security, complaint-handling and legal purposes.

Our intended retention periods are:

Active accounts

Account information is retained while the account remains active.

Closed or deleted accounts

When an account is deleted, information that is no longer needed will be deleted or anonymised within a reasonable period.

Limited account information may be retained for up to six years after account closure where reasonably necessary to respond to complaints, prevent repeated misuse, establish or defend legal claims or comply with legal obligations.

Messages and enquiries

Messages and enquiries may normally be retained while the relevant accounts remain active and for up to six years afterwards where necessary for complaint investigation, safeguarding, fraud prevention or legal claims.

Messages that are no longer required may be deleted earlier.

Uploaded files and verification documents

Verification documents and other uploaded files will be retained only for as long as necessary to complete the verification, maintain an appropriate verification record, investigate a complaint or meet legal requirements.

Where a full copy is no longer needed, we may retain only the result of the verification and delete the underlying document.

Listings

Listings are retained while active. Removed or expired listings may be retained for a limited period for restoration, moderation, fraud prevention, complaint investigation or legal purposes.

Reviews

Reviews may remain published for as long as they continue to provide a relevant and lawful record of a user’s experience.

Where an account is deleted, a review may be anonymised rather than removed, unless there is a valid reason requiring its deletion.

Complaints and disputes

Complaint and dispute records may be retained for up to six years after the matter has been closed, or longer where legal proceedings, regulatory requirements or continuing risks make this necessary.

Technical and security logs

Routine website and security logs will normally be retained for a shorter period appropriate to security and diagnostic needs, unless a log must be retained longer because it relates to suspected fraud, abuse, a security incident or a legal claim.

We may retain information for longer where required by law, a court order, an ongoing investigation or the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

Retention periods will be reviewed periodically. Information will be deleted or anonymised when it is no longer reasonably required.

15. Account deletion

Registered users may delete their account using the available account settings or by contacting support@malayalimarkets.com.

Deleting an account does not necessarily result in the immediate deletion of every record.

We may retain limited information where necessary to:

  • investigate previous messages or complaints;
  • prevent fraud or repeated misuse;
  • maintain the integrity of reviews;
  • protect other users;
  • establish, exercise or defend legal claims; or
  • comply with legal obligations.

Public listings associated with the account will normally be removed or deactivated. Reviews may be anonymised and retained where appropriate.

Information that no longer needs to identify the user may be anonymised.

16. Your data-protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

  • request access to your personal information;
  • ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
  • ask us to delete personal information;
  • ask us to restrict how information is used;
  • object to processing based on legitimate interests;
  • receive certain information in a portable format;
  • withdraw consent where processing is based on consent; and
  • complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

These rights are not absolute. In some circumstances, we may lawfully retain or continue using information, for example where it is required for a legal claim, complaint investigation, fraud prevention or legal obligation.

To exercise a right, contact:

support@malayalimarkets.com

We may ask for information reasonably necessary to confirm your identity before responding.

We will normally respond within one month, although the period may be extended where permitted by law for a complex or numerous request.

17. Complaints

Please contact us first if you have concerns about how your information has been handled:

Email: support@malayalimarkets.com

You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office.

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
United Kingdom

18. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against:

  • unauthorised access;
  • accidental loss;
  • alteration;
  • improper disclosure;
  • destruction; and
  • misuse.

These measures may include access controls, password protection, encryption in transit, software updates, backups, monitoring and restrictions on administrative access.

No internet service can guarantee complete security. Users are responsible for choosing a strong password, protecting their login details and notifying us promptly if they believe their account has been compromised.

19. Third-party websites and services

Listings, profiles or messages may include links to websites, social-media pages, payment providers or other services operated by third parties.

Malayali Markets does not control those services and is not responsible for their privacy practices. Users should read the privacy policy of the relevant third party before providing personal information.

20. Accuracy of information

Users are responsible for ensuring that the personal and business information they submit is accurate and kept up to date.

Businesses can update or remove their listing information through their account dashboard, subject to any records that Malayali Markets must retain for legal, security or complaint-handling purposes.

21. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when:

  • the website or its features change;
  • new service providers are introduced;
  • our data-handling practices change; or
  • legal or regulatory requirements change.

The latest version will be published on the website with an updated revision date.

Where a change materially affects registered users, we may also provide notice through the website, account dashboard or email.

22. Contact us

Questions, requests and complaints about this Privacy Policy or the use of personal information should be sent to:

Malayali Markets
Address: [ADDRESS TO BE ADDED]
Email: support@malayalimarkets.com