Privacy Policy
What is the purpose of this notice?
To describe how we collect and use personal data about you in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
What we need
Chambers & Co Accountants LLP (Chambers & Co) will be what’s known as the “Controller of the personal data you provide to us. We only collect basic personal data about you which does not include any special categories of personal information about you (known as Special Category Data). This does however include name, address, e-mail, telephone number, financial information (where you provide it to us).
Why we need it
We need to know your basic personal data in order to provide the services you have asked us to perform for you. We will not collect any personal data from you we do not need to provide and oversee this service to you.
What we do with it
We only ever use your personal data with your consent, or where it is necessary:
- to enter into, or perform, a contract with you
- to comply with a legal duty
- where we have a legitimate interest
Examples of such data are: name, address, date of birth, National Insurance Number, UTR, e mail address, phone number, job title.
In any event, we’ll only use your information for the purpose or purposes it was collected for (or for closely related purposes).
Data Sharing
Where you provide us with your personal data for performance of a contract (e.g. completing your tax return), as part of our performance of the contract, it is necessary to share the data with organisations such as HMRC or Companies House.
Legitimate Business Interests
We may process personal information for certain legitimate business purposes, which include some or all of the following:
- In order to provide the service/s you have contracted with us to provide to you
- where the processing enables us to carry out, enhance, modify, personalise or otherwise improve our services/communications for the benefit of our clients
- to identify and prevent fraud
- to enhance the security of our network and information systems
- to better understand how people interact with our websites
- to provide postal or electronic communications which we think will be of interest to you
- to determine the effectiveness of promotional campaigns and advertising.
Whenever we process data for these purposes we will ensure that we always keep your personal data rights in high regard and take account of these rights at all times.
When we process your personal data for our legitimate interests, we will make sure that we consider and balance any potential impact on you (both positive and negative), and your rights under data protection laws. Our legitimate business interests do not automatically override your interests – we will not use your personal data for activities where our interests are overridden by the impact on you (unless we have your consent or are otherwise required or permitted to by law). You have the right to object to this processing if you wish, and if you wish to do so please . Please bear in mind that if you object this may affect our ability to carry out tasks above for your benefit.
Where we keep it
We are based in the UK and we store our data within the EU. Some organisations which provide services to us transfer our data outside of the EU (servers are located in the USA), but we will only allow them to do if your data is adequately protected.
How long we keep it
We will only use and store information for so long as it is required for the purposes it was collected for. How long information will be stored depends on the information in question and what it is being used for.
We continually review what information we hold and delete what is no longer required. We will not retain your data for any longer than necessary.
Taxation: we will retain historic taxation data & information for as long as you are a client, and for 6 years after you cease to be a client. We do this in order to provide the service you have asked us to perform on your behalf.
Shareholder & director information: we will retain historic & current data & information for as long as you are a client, and for a minimum of 6 years after you cease to be a client. We do this in order to provide the service you have asked us to perform on your behalf. Where a shareholder leaves, but the company remains as our client, we will retain historic shareholder data for 6 years after the company ceases to be a client.
Payroll: We will retain payroll & related taxes data for 6 years for ongoing clients, and for one year after the tax year in which you cease to be a payroll client.
What we would also like to do with it
We would, however, like to use your name and e-mail address to inform you of information we consider to be relevant to you or your business, and our (annual) fee protection service. Marketing information is not shared with third parties and you can unsubscribe at any time via phone, e-mail or on our website.
What are your rights?
We want to ensure that you remain in control of your personal data. Part of this is making sure you understand your legal rights, which are as follows:
- the right to confirmation as to whether we have your personal data and, if we do, to obtain a copy of the personal information we hold (this is known as a data subject access request)
- the data controller is: Peter Chambers, 01273 685978, peterc@chambersand.co.uk
- the right to have your data erased (though this will not apply where it is necessary for us to continue to use the data for a lawful reason)
- the right to have inaccurate data rectified
- the right to object to your data being used for marketing or profiling; and
- where technically feasible, you have the right to personal data you have provided to us which we process automatically based on your consent or the performance of a contract. This information will be provided in a common electronic format.
Please keep in mind that there are exceptions to the rights above and, though we will always try to respond to your satisfaction, there may be situations where we are unable to do so.
If you wish to raise a complaint on how we have handled your personal data, you can contact Peter Chambers, the data privacy manager who will investigate the matter.
If you are not satisfied with our response or believe we are processing your personal data not in accordance with the law you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues.