Data Protection Policy

1. Who we are and scope

Landlord Tax Enquiry is an information-only business that supports landlords facing HMRC tax and compliance enquiries by providing general information and educational materials. We do not act as agents, advisers, or representatives and we do not provide tax or legal advice. This policy covers personal data processed through our website, our information materials, and our communications.

2. Key definitions

Controller: the organisation that determines the purposes and means of processing. Processor: a person or organisation that processes personal data on behalf of the controller. Personal data: any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. Special category data: data revealing health, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade union membership, genetic or biometric data, or sex life or sexual orientation. Processing: any operation performed on personal data. Breach: a security incident resulting in the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data (ICO definition).

3. Our role and responsibilities

Landlord Tax Enquiry acts as controller for personal data collected through our website, contact forms, and direct communications. Where a trusted service provider processes personal data for us (for example, secure email or hosting), that provider acts as our processor under a written contract that includes UK GDPR-compliant terms. We do not jointly determine purposes with third parties unless expressly stated.

4. Lawful bases for processing

• Legitimate interests: to respond to your enquiry and to operate and improve our information-only services, maintain security, manage queries and complaints, and keep appropriate records. This is the basis we rely on when you simply get in touch — there is no contract or obligation at that stage.
• Contract: only if you take our paid service (for example, a case review) — we then process the information needed to carry out that work for you. This does not make us your tax agent, and we never deal with HMRC on your behalf.
• Legal obligation: to comply with laws including UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, PECR, tax and company records laws, and to respond to lawful requests from authorities.
• Consent: for specific optional activities, such as certain cookies or electronic communications under PECR. You can withdraw consent at any time.

5. Categories of personal data we process

Contact details (name, email address, telephone number); enquiry context (general information in your message); and technical data (basic server and application logs, IP address, user agent, and first-party cookie preferences). We ask that you do not include special category data or criminal offence data. If such data is provided inadvertently, we will minimise and delete where appropriate.

6. How we collect personal data

We collect personal data directly from you (for example, when you email us) and automatically via our website through limited first-party cookies and logs. We do not buy or sell personal data and we do not use third-party advertising cookies.

7. Retention and deletion

We retain personal data only as long as necessary: general correspondence and routine enquiries, 24 months; engagement and complaint records, 6 years after closure; web and application logs, 12 months. On expiry, personal data is securely deleted or anonymised unless we must retain it to meet a legal obligation or to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

8. Data security and access controls

We apply proportionate technical and organisational measures, including access controls, need-to-know restrictions, secure configurations, patching, encryption-in-transit for email transport where supported, and secure disposal. We maintain records of processing activities and review controls periodically. Processors are required to implement appropriate security and to notify us of any personal data breach without undue delay.

9. International transfers

If you consent to analytics, our analytics provider (Google Analytics) may process limited, aggregated usage data on servers outside the UK/EEA (including the United States); analytics is off unless you opt in. Where personal data is transferred outside the UK to a country without a UK adequacy regulation, we implement appropriate safeguards — typically the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses and, where relevant, additional measures based on a transfer risk assessment.

10. Your UK GDPR rights

Subject to legal limits and exemptions, you have the right: to be informed; to access; to rectification; to erasure; to restrict processing; to data portability; to object to processing based on legitimate interests; and rights in relation to automated decision-making and profiling (which we do not perform). To exercise your rights, contact us at contact@landlordtaxenquiry.co.uk. We will respond within one month, or notify you if more time is needed for complex requests.

11. Data breach reporting and notification

We record all suspected or confirmed personal data breaches in a breach log; assess risk to individuals and determine notifiability; notify the ICO without undue delay and, where feasible, within 72 hours of becoming aware, if the breach is likely to result in a risk to individuals’ rights and freedoms; communicate the breach to affected individuals without undue delay where it is likely to result in a high risk; and take appropriate remedial and mitigation steps.

12. Cookies, analytics, and PECR

Our website uses first-party cookies only, and we do not use third-party advertising cookies. See our Cookie Policy. We comply with PECR for electronic communications and obtain consent where required.

13. Complaints and escalation

If you have concerns about our handling of personal data, please contact us first at contact@landlordtaxenquiry.co.uk. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at www.ico.org.uk. Our separate Complaints & Feedback Policy explains how we handle complaints.

14. Governance, review, and contact

This policy is approved by senior management and reviewed at least annually or when there is a relevant legal, regulatory, or operational change. Cross-references: Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, Complaints & Feedback Policy. Contact: contact@landlordtaxenquiry.co.uk.