The VA customer privacy notice

This privacy notice tells you what to expect us to do with your personal information.

• Contact details
• What information we collect, use, and why
• Lawful bases and data protection rights
• Where we get personal information from
• How long we keep information
• Who we share information with
• How to complain

Contact details

Telephone

07734823092

Email

michelle@theva.me

What information do we collect, use, and why

We collect or use the following information to provide and improve products and services for clients:

• Names and contact details
• Addresses
• Occupation
• Payment details (including card or bank information for transfers and direct debits)
• Transaction data (including details about payments to and from you and details of products and services you have purchased)
• Usage data (including information about how you interact with and use our website, products, and services)
• Audio recordings (eg, calls)
• Records of meetings and decisions
• Website user information

We collect or use the following personal information for the operation of client or customer accounts:

• Names and contact details
• Addresses
• Purchase or service history
• Information used for security purposes
• Marketing preferences

We collect or use the following personal information for information updates or marketing purposes:

• Names and contact details
• Profile information
• Marketing preferences

We collect or use the following personal information for research or archiving purposes:

• Names and contact details
• Purchase or client account history
• Website and app user journey information

 

We collect or use the following personal information to comply with legal requirements:

• Name
• Contact information
• Identification documents
• Client account information
• Any other personal information required to comply with legal obligations

We collect or use the following personal information for dealing with queries, complaints or claims:

• Names and contact details
• Address
• Purchase or service history
• Video recordings of public areas
• Audio recordings of public areas
• Video recordings of private or staff only areas
• Audio recordings of private or staff only areas
• Call recordings
• Financial transaction information
• Correspondence
• Location data

Lawful bases and data protection rights

Under UK data protection law, we must have a “lawful basis” for collecting and using your personal information. There is a list of possible lawful bases in the UK GDPR. You can find out more about lawful bases on the ICO’s website.

Which lawful basis we rely on may affect your data protection rights, which are briefly set out below. You can find out more about your data protection rights and the exemptions which may apply on the ICO’s website:

• Your right of access - You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information. You can request other information, such as details about where we get personal information from and who we share personal information with. There are some exemptions, which means you may not receive all the information you ask for. You can read more about this right here.
• Your right to rectification- You have the right to ask us to correct or delete personal information you think is inaccurate or incomplete. You can read more about this right here.
• Your right to erasure- You have the right to ask us to delete your personal information. You can read more about this right here.
• Your right to restriction of processing- You have the right to ask us to limit how we can use your personal information. You can read more about this right here.
• Your right to object to processing- You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data. You can read more about this right here.
• Your right to data portability- You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you. You can read more about this right here.
• Your right to withdraw consent– When we use consent as our lawful basis you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. You can read more about this right here.

If you make a request, we must respond to you without undue delay and in any event within one month.

To make a data protection rights request, please contact us using the contact details at the top of this privacy notice.

Our lawful bases for the collection and use of your data

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information to provide and improve products and services for clients are:

• Consent - we have permission from you after we gave you all the relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. To be clear, you do have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.
• Contract – we have to collect or use the information so we can enter into or carry out a contract with you. All of your data protection rights may apply except the right to object.
• Legitimate interests – we’re collecting or using your information because it benefits you, our organisation or someone else, without causing an undue risk of harm to anyone. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to portability. Our legitimate interests are:
  • We may process personal information under the lawful basis of legitimate interests, where it is necessary to support the operation and development of our services, and where such interests are not overridden by the rights and freedoms of the individuals whose data we handle. Our legitimate interests include: Providing and delivering services to our clients and fulfilling contractual obligations. Improving and developing our services, systems, and processes to better meet the needs of our clients. Managing client relationships, including responding to enquiries, providing support, and maintaining accurate records. Monitoring usage patterns and trends to enhance the user experience and the quality of our offerings. Protecting the security and integrity of our systems and preventing fraud or misuse. We ensure that any use of personal information under this basis is proportionate, relevant, and respects the data subject\'s rights and interests. Where appropriate, we conduct balancing tests to ensure our legitimate interests do not unfairly impact individuals’ privacy.

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information for the operation of client or customer accounts are:

• Contract – we have to collect or use the information so we can enter into or carry out a contract with you. All of your data protection rights may apply except the right to object.

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information for information updates or marketing purposes are:

• Consent - we have permission from you after we gave you all the relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. To be clear, you do have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information for research or archiving purposes:

• Contract – we have to collect or use the information so we can enter into or carry out a contract with you. All of your data protection rights may apply except the right to object.

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information are to comply with legal requirements:

• Contract – we have to collect or use the information so we can enter into or carry out a contract with you. All of your data protection rights may apply except the right to object.
• Legal obligation – we have to collect or use your information so we can comply with the law. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to erasure, the right to object and the right to data portability.

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information for dealing with queries, complaints or claims are:

• Contract – we have to collect or use the information so we can enter into or carry out a contract with you. All of your data protection rights may apply except the right to object.

Where do we get personal information from

• Directly from you
• Publicly available sources

How long do we keep information?

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to carry out the purposes for which it was collected, including providing our services, maintaining client relationships, complying with legal and financial requirements, and handling any disputes or audits.

Typical retention periods at The VA include:

• Client and project data – retained for the duration of our working relationship and up to 6 years thereafter, to support service records, future collaboration, or dispute resolution.
• Financial and invoicing records – retained for 6 years in line with HMRC requirements.
• Marketing and email list data – retained until you withdraw your consent or after a period of inactivity (typically 12–24 months), in line with best practice.
• General enquiries or contact form submissions – retained for up to 12 months, unless further communication or action is required.

When data is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymise it. You have the right to request the deletion of your personal information at any time, subject to any legal obligations we must fulfil.

Who we share information with

Others we share personal information with

• Organisations we’re legally obliged to share personal information with.

How to complain

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal data, you can make a complaint to us using the contact details at the top of this privacy notice.

If you remain unhappy with how we’ve used your data after raising a complaint with us, you can also complain to the ICO.

The ICO’s address:           

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113

Website: https://www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint

Cookies and Tracking

 

Our website only uses "cookies" to enhance your experience on our website. Your web browser places cookies on your hard drive for record-keeping purposes and sometimes to track information about you. You may choose to set your web browser to refuse cookies, or to alert you when cookies are being sent. If you do so, note that some parts of the website may not function properly for you.