Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Podup Limited (“we,” “our,” or “us”), trading as Accountants Guildford, collects, uses, and protects your personal data when you visit our website at accountantsguildford.co.uk (the “Website”). It also outlines your privacy rights and how data protection laws protect you. We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected and that we comply with all applicable laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

If you have any questions or need further information about our data practices, please contact us at help@accountantsguildford.co.uk.

1. Introduction

Purpose of the policy
This Privacy Policy informs you about how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data. We are committed to upholding your privacy rights as required under the GDPR and other applicable data protection regulations.
Data controller
Podup Limited, trading as Accountants Guildford, is the “data controller” of the Website. This means we determine how and why your personal data is processed.

2. Data We Collect

We collect various types of personal data to improve our services and enhance your experience. This data includes:

Personal Data You Provide to Us

Contact information
If you create an account or contact us, we collect personal details such as your name, email address, and phone number.
User-generated data
Data provided by you when you engage with our Website’s features, such as submitting inquiries or interacting with calculators.

Data Collected Automatically

Usage data
This includes information such as your IP address, browser type, device information, and pages visited. We use this data for analytics, security, and to improve our Website.
Cookies and tracking technologies
We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance user experience and gather insights into how users interact with our Website. Please refer to our Cookie Policy for further information.

Data from Third Parties

Partner websites
If you are referred to a third-party service, such as TaxScouts, we may receive data from that Partner. This could include details about the referral and any actions taken on the Partner site.
Marketing and analytics providers
We may receive demographic data, behavioural data, or analytics insights from third-party service providers to better understand our audience and improve the Website.

3. How We Use Your Data

We process your personal data for the following purposes:

Provision of Services

Lead generation and partner connections
We collect and share relevant user data with our Partners (e.g., TaxScouts) to facilitate lead generation and connect users with appropriate third-party accounting services.
Educational and informational purposes
We process certain data to help us understand how users engage with our content and resources, purely for educational purposes.

Site Improvement and Analytics

Site functionality and user experience
Data helps us make improvements to the Website’s design, layout, and functionality based on user preferences and interactions.
Aggregated data analysis
Once your personal data is no longer necessary for specific purposes, it may be anonymised and retained indefinitely in aggregated form. Aggregated data is used strictly for statistical analysis, trend assessment, and website improvement. We ensure that anonymised data cannot be traced back to individual users.

Accuracy Disclaimer

Reliance on user input
Interactive tools such as calculators are designed for illustrative purposes, and results are based solely on the data you provide. These tools are not intended for personalised tax planning, and we recommend verifying any results with a professional.

Communication and Support

Responding to inquiries
We use your contact information to respond to questions, provide support, and communicate about updates to our policies or services.
Marketing and promotions
With your consent, we may send marketing communications to inform you about new services, promotions, or updates. You can opt-out at any time.

Legal Compliance and Security

Compliance obligations
We process certain data to meet legal requirements, such as record-keeping, data protection compliance, and law enforcement requests.
Security and fraud prevention
Data is processed to protect against unauthorised access, fraud, and other security issues.

4. Legal Basis for Processing Data

Our legal grounds for processing personal data under the GDPR include:

Consent
For certain types of data processing (e.g., marketing communications), we rely on your consent.
Contractual necessity
Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract (e.g., providing lead generation services).
Legitimate interests
Processing is based on our legitimate business interests, such as improving our Website, understanding user behaviour, and ensuring security.
Data minimisation
We are committed to collecting only the minimum amount of data necessary for lead generation, website improvement, and service facilitation.
Legal obligations
We may process data as required by law, including GDPR compliance and other regulatory requirements.

Your data may be shared in the following circumstances:

With Partners

Lead generation
We share data such as contact details or activity data with third-party Partners like TaxScouts to facilitate lead generation. Partner Privacy Policies govern any further data use after the referral.

With Service Providers

Third-party processing
We share data with third-party providers who assist us with services like data storage, analytics, and security. These providers are bound by confidentiality agreements and data protection laws.

For Legal Compliance

Legal disclosures
We may disclose data if required by law, legal proceedings, or in response to requests from law enforcement or regulatory authorities.

Corporate Transactions

Business transfers
If Podup Limited undergoes a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your data may be transferred as part of the transaction, in accordance with applicable privacy laws.

6. International Data Transfers

We may transfer your data outside of the UK or EU for processing or storage. In such cases, we ensure data protection by implementing safeguards like Standard Contractual Clauses to comply with GDPR standards.

7. Data Retention

Retention periods
We retain your personal data only as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy. For instance, data associated with an active user account may be retained until the account is deleted.
Anonymised data
After identifiable data is no longer needed, it is anonymised for internal analysis and retained indefinitely in aggregated form to help us better understand usage trends.

Under the GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Access
You have the right to request access to your data and obtain a copy.
Correction
You can request that inaccurate or incomplete data be corrected.
Deletion
You may request that we delete your personal data, where applicable.
Restriction
You have the right to request restriction of data processing in specific circumstances.
Portability
You can request that your data be transferred to another organisation in a structured, commonly used format.
Objection
You have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests.
Withdraw consent
Where we rely on your consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
Right to lodge a complaint
If you believe your rights have been infringed, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) or your local data protection authority. It’s best to contact us first to see if we can resolve your complaint. You can email us via help@accountantsguildford.co.uk.

9. Data Security

We take the security of your personal data seriously and implement various measures to protect it:

Access control
We use access controls and regular monitoring to prevent unauthorised access to your data.
Data breach notification
In the event of a data breach that may impact your data, we will notify you and relevant authorities within 72 hours, as required by GDPR.

10. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Cookies
We use cookies to enhance the user experience and improve Website functionality. Cookies help us understand how users interact with the Website and provide personalised content.
Behavioural tracking transparency
We use Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity to collect anonymised data on how users interact with our Website. This includes information such as pages visited, time spent on the site, and interactions with content. These analytics tools help us understand general usage patterns and improve the Website’s functionality. All data used for behavioural tracking is anonymised.

11. Third-Party Links

External sites
Our Website may contain links to third-party websites. These sites have their own privacy policies, and we are not responsible for their content or privacy practices.
No responsibility
We encourage users to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites they visit via links on our Website.

12. Children’s Privacy

Under 18 restriction
This Website is intended for individuals 18 years or older. We do not knowingly collect personal data from individuals under 18. If we become aware that we have collected such data, we will take steps to delete it promptly.
Parental contact
Parents who believe their child’s data has been collected may contact us to request its deletion.

13. Policy Updates

Changes to the policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any significant changes will be communicated via a notice on the Website.
User acknowledgment
Continued use of the Website following changes to this Policy constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

14. Contact Information

If you have questions or wish to exercise any of your data rights, please contact us at:

Email - help@accountantsguildford.co.uk