Privacy Policy

Last updated: 30 September 2026

Happy Pens Archive (HPA) is a fountain pen archive with tools for collectors. This policy explains how we use personal information when you visit happypens.co.uk, use an account or My Cabinet, contact us or participate in public features. Details of the website operator and how to contact us appear below.

1. Information we use

Depending on how you use HPA, we process:

• Account information: your username, email address, profile details, registration information, account role and settings. Passwords are stored in hashed form.
• Collection records: the pens, favourites, groups, examples, notes, purchase details, expenses, values, sales and personal rankings you save in My Cabinet, together with collection statistics calculated from those records.
• Correspondence: your name, email, message, optional country or location, related page information and records needed to handle your enquiry. Messages sent while signed in may be linked to your account.
• Public contributions: information provided for feedback, stories, Collectors Showcase or other public features, and records of publication permissions where applicable.
• Technical information: IP addresses, browser and request information, login attempts, session identifiers and security records used to operate and protect the website.

Information comes from what you provide, your use of HPA and the technical systems supporting the website. Required fields are identified in the relevant form. Without the necessary information, we may be unable to provide the requested function. Optional collection details and permission to publish feedback are not required to send a private message.

2. How and why we use information

We use account and collection information to provide your chosen tools, maintain your records and administer access. We use correspondence to respond to enquiries, handle corrections and suggestions, and maintain the archive. Technical information supports website delivery, security, troubleshooting and backups.

Our legal grounds are:

• Legitimate interests: providing and administering the archive and collector tools, communicating with visitors, displaying information deliberately submitted for public features such as Showcase, and protecting HPA and its users against misuse. This also covers necessary maintenance and the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims. We must balance these interests against your rights and reasonable expectations.
• Consent: publishing optional feedback and any other processing for which we specifically request consent, including cookies where consent is legally required.
• Legal obligation: processing necessary to meet applicable legal requirements, including handling data protection requests.

3. Private records and public features

My Cabinet holds records for managing your collection. Features such as Collectors Showcase allow selected information to be shared publicly. Authorised administrative access may be needed for support, maintenance, security or privacy requests.

Sending a message does not publish it. Public feedback requires both your permission and approval by HPA. We may publish the message or a faithful excerpt with the public name, country or location and date associated with the feedback. The feedback card does not display your contact email.

You can withdraw feedback publication permission using the contact details below. We will stop the consent-based publication under our control. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of earlier processing; any continued retention of private correspondence requires a separate valid purpose and legal ground.

Public information may be indexed or copied by others. We do not control independent third-party copies, but will take any further steps required by law.

4. Providers and international processing

We use Namecheap for website hosting and Google Gmail for correspondence. Website messages are stored in the website database and may also appear in email notifications and replies. We use UpdraftPlus software to create website and database backups.

Service providers involved in hosting, email delivery, security and backup storage may process information needed to supply those services. Information may also be disclosed where legally required or where necessary and lawful to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

These services can involve processing outside the United Kingdom, including in the United States. Namecheap publishes its processing and contractual transfer terms in its Data Processing Addendum. Google describes its transfer arrangements, including Google LLC’s participation in the UK Extension to the EU–US Data Privacy Framework for covered transfers, in its data transfer information. You can contact us for further information about recipients and the transfer arrangements relevant to your data, including copies of applicable safeguards.

5. Cookies and external content

Cookies and similar technologies support login, sessions, remembered choices and form security. The contact form uses the cookie hpa_contact_session for up to one day. Login cookies and other stored preferences may remain between visits, depending on the function and choices used.

The website provides a cookie preference interface. You can also inspect, block or delete cookies through your browser. Blocking cookies needed for a requested function may prevent that function from working. Technologies requiring consent must be used on that basis; necessary technologies are used to provide the relevant service.

Pages use externally hosted Google Fonts. Loading external fonts or embedded content, such as a YouTube video, sends connection information to the provider, including your IP address and browser information. Providers may also use their own cookies or account information when their content loads. Google’s practices are explained in its Privacy Policy.

Following an external link takes you to a separate website governed by its own privacy information.

6. Retention and deletion

We keep personal information for as long as it is needed for its purpose. We determine this by considering:

• whether an account and its collection records are still needed to provide the service;
• whether correspondence has been resolved and relevant follow-up remains necessary;
• whether a publication remains in use and evidence of permission is still needed;
• whether security incidents, disputes, legal requirements or recovery needs justify continued retention.

Information no longer needed for a lawful purpose is deleted or anonymised. Published feedback remains subject to your right to withdraw consent.

Account closure, removal of public content and erasure of personal information are distinct actions. Some correspondence, permission records or security information may be retained after account closure where there is a valid legal reason. Deletion from the live website does not immediately remove earlier backup copies or email correspondence.

We consider relevant systems when handling a valid erasure request. Data awaiting removal from backups is kept beyond ordinary use and must not be reintroduced into active use following restoration. Applicable legal obligations and exceptions may justify retaining particular records.

7. Your choices and rights

You can use available account controls to manage your information and shared content. You can also contact us to request access to your personal information, correction, erasure or restriction of its use. Data portability applies where its legal conditions are met. These rights are subject to applicable conditions and exceptions.

Right to object: you may object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to processing based on legitimate interests. We will stop that processing unless there are lawful grounds to continue.

Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

We may reasonably verify your identity before handling a request. We normally respond within one month, subject to applicable rules on clarification, identity verification and permitted extensions. Requests are normally free. Where the law permits, a manifestly unfounded or excessive request may be refused or a reasonable fee charged. We will explain any such decision.

If you have a data protection complaint, contact us below. We acknowledge these complaints within 30 days and investigate and communicate the outcome without undue delay. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

8. Contact and updates

Happy Pens Archive is operated by Deniss Vasilenko, the controller of personal information processed through HPA.

For privacy questions, requests, withdrawal of consent or complaints, email happypensdv@gmail.com. No HPA account is required.

We update this policy when relevant practices change. The date above identifies the latest revision. Where necessary, we provide additional information or request a new choice at the relevant point.