PRIVACY POLICY

Accountants Tax & VAT Limited
Last Updated: March 2026 | Version 1.0

1. Introduction & Scope

Accountants Tax & VAT Limited (‘the Firm’, ‘we’, ‘us’, ‘our’) is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy sets out the basis on which any personal data we collect from you, or that you provide to us, will be processed by us. It applies to all personal data processed by the Firm in connection with our website, our professional services, and any communications we engage in with prospective or existing clients.

We are committed to processing personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner, in full compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Please read this Policy carefully to understand our practices regarding your personal data and how we will treat it.

2. Data Controller

Accountants Tax & VAT Limited is the Data Controller in respect of the personal data collected and processed through this website and in the course of providing our professional services.

Company Name	Accountants Tax & VAT Limited
Registered Address	100 Ralph Road, Birmingham, B8 1NB
Trading Address	53–64 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1QS
Email	contact@accountantstaxandvat.co.uk
Telephone	To be confirmed
ICO Registration No.	To be confirmed upon registration

3. What Personal Data We Collect

Information You Provide Directly:

Full name and preferred form of address
Business name and company registration number (where applicable)
Email address and telephone number
Postal address (personal and business, as appropriate)
Financial information including income details, tax references, VAT registration numbers, and bank account information where required to deliver our services
Details of your enquiry submitted via our contact form, email, or telephone
Identity documents, where required by our Anti-Money Laundering (AML) obligations

Information Collected Automatically:

IP address and approximate geographic location
Browser type, version, and operating system
Device type and screen resolution
Pages visited, time on site, and navigation behaviour
Referral source (how you arrived at our website)

This information is collected via cookies and analytics tools. Please refer to our Cookie Policy for further detail.

4. How We Use Your Personal Data

To provide, administer, and deliver our professional accountancy, tax, and VAT services
To respond to enquiries and correspondence
To carry out client onboarding, including identity verification in accordance with our AML obligations
To prepare, review, and file tax returns, VAT returns, accounts, and statutory documents on your behalf
To communicate with HM Revenue & Customs and other regulatory bodies on your behalf, where instructed
To manage our client relationship, including invoicing and payment processing
To comply with our legal, regulatory, and professional obligations
To improve the functionality and experience of our website
To send relevant service updates or regulatory communications (not marketing, unless separately consented)

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to any third party for commercial purposes.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

Performance of a Contract: Where processing is necessary to perform our professional services agreement with you or to take pre-contractual steps at your request
Legal Obligation: Where processing is required to comply with statutory and regulatory obligations, including those imposed by HMRC, and AML legislation
Legitimate Interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests — operating our website, managing client relationships, and protecting the Firm against fraud or legal claims — provided such interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms
Consent: Where you have provided clear consent to a specific processing activity. You may withdraw consent at any time without detriment

6. How We Store and Protect Your Data

Encryption of data in transit (TLS/SSL) and, where appropriate, at rest
Restricted access to personal data on a strict need-to-know basis
Secure, password-protected systems and cloud-based software with two-factor authentication
Regular review and testing of security procedures and access controls

No method of electronic storage is entirely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of data transmitted over the internet, and any transmission is at your own risk. We will, however, endeavour to use all commercially reasonable means to protect your data.

7. Data Retention

Client files and financial records: Minimum six (6) years from end of engagement, in accordance with HMRC guidance and the Limitation Act 1980
AML identity verification records: Five (5) years from end of the business relationship, per the Money Laundering Regulations 2017
Pre-engagement correspondence and enquiries: Twelve (12) months from date of last contact
Website analytics data: Not exceeding twenty-six (26) months, subject to anonymisation

Upon expiry of applicable retention periods, personal data will be securely deleted or anonymised in accordance with our data destruction policy.

8. Sharing Your Personal Data

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC): Where we are authorised to act as your agent or required by law to disclose information
Companies House: Where required for the preparation and filing of statutory accounts or company documentation
Professional advisers: Including solicitors and other experts engaged in connection with your matter, subject to confidentiality obligations
Cloud accounting and practice management providers: Including Xero, QuickBooks, and Iris, engaged under appropriate data processing agreements
IT, cybersecurity, and hosting providers: Engaged to support the operation of our systems, subject to binding contractual obligations
Regulatory and law enforcement authorities: Where required by law, court order, or legitimate regulatory authority

We do not transfer personal data outside the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area unless adequate safeguards are in place in accordance with UK GDPR requirements.

9. Cookies & Website Analytics

Strictly Necessary Cookies: Required for the website to function and cannot be disabled
Performance & Analytics Cookies: Enable us to understand how visitors use our website (e.g., Google Analytics 4)
Functionality Cookies: Allow the website to remember your preferences and settings

You may manage cookies through your browser settings or our Cookie Settings panel, accessible at any time via the link in the website footer. Please refer to our full Cookie Policy for further detail.

10. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

Right of Access: To request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
Right to Rectification: To request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
Right to Erasure: To request deletion of your data where there is no legitimate reason for continued processing
Right to Restriction: To request restriction of our processing in certain circumstances
Right to Data Portability: To receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
Right to Object: To object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing
Right to Withdraw Consent: To withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us in writing using the details in Section 2. We will respond within one calendar month. We may require proof of identity before processing your request.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at www.ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices and recommend reviewing their policies separately.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or regulatory developments. Any material changes will be communicated by posting an updated version on this page with a revised Last Updated date.

13. Contact Us Regarding This Policy

By post: Accountants Tax & VAT Limited, 53–64 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1QS
By email: contact@accountantstaxandvat.co.uk