I understand that when you share your contact details with me, I must look after this information (your personal data) and comply with the General Data Protection Regulation and data protection laws. I need to tell you what I am collecting, why and what I am using your information for. I also need to tell you who is the ‘Controller’ of the information collected so, it is Lyndsey Clark. You can contact me at lyndsey@ltclark.co.uk.
What do I collect about you and why?
Collaboration with inspiring clients, designers, builders and other freelance colleagues is one of the greatest joys of my work. When you visit my website and choose to ‘Get in touch’ for collaboration, a project or even just a chat, you choose to provide me with your name and email address to enable me to contact you. I can promise that I do not send you a regular newsletter, and I do not directly market my services to you. I do send you an email when I post a new blog, but only if you have subscribed to receive these notifications by providing me with your email address.
When we collaborate and formally work together, I will need to collect your name, contact details and address for invoicing purposes. You may provide limited personal information in any contracts we agree.
In using my website, like many websites, some details may be collected about your IP Address (your device’s electronic address) or a cookie (a small file) may be dropped onto your computer to collect some information about your use of the website. The cookies are those that are essential to the site working and for limited analytics to ensure my website is performing. I do use scripts or native social media buttons to link you to my social media and these may build profiles of your use. I would recommend you read the privacy and cookie notices on each social media platform for more information.
When visitors leave comments on a blog post, WordPress collects the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection. An anonymised string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment. If you leave a comment you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.
What allows me to collect this (or the lawful basis)
Typing your name and email address on my website form to ‘get in touch’, subscribing to my blog post notifications or providing contact details if you call me, is with you consent. Unless we are collaborating on a project, you can tell me you no longer wish to me to contact you or you wish to ‘unsubscribe’ at any time by emailing me at lyndsey@ltclark.co.uk.
If we are collaborating, I will have a legitimate interest in collecting a little more information as I cannot operate my business or invoice without these details. I also have a legal obligation to keep certain financial information for HMRC.
When we do work together it is often through a contract and if I hold any information for this reason, the law around contracts will be my lawful basis.
Storing and keeping your information
Keeping your personal information and contact information safe and secure is important to me. I understand how frustrating it can be when others do not keep personal information safe and secure.
I use Microsoft 365 for emails and contact details. Any work or contract are held in my OneDrive online storage facility. Where possible I will store your information in the UK, however, service providers, such as Microsoft may use storage facilities elsewhere. I use FreeAgent accounting software for accounts and invoicing and you may be interested to learn that FreeAgent are part of the NatWest Group PLC. I will ensure that contracts and licences are in place for any service providers I use.
In general I will keep your information for the length of time required by law, for example financial records must be kept for 6 years, otherwise it will be kept for 12 months after we stop working together. If you have consented to allow me to use your information for contacting you, it will be kept until you inform me that you no longer wish to receive these. When I no longer need to keep your information, I will dispose of it securely.
Will I share your information?
I do need to share my accounts information with my appointed accountant, and they will have restricted, secure access to this information. Otherwise I will not share your information with anyone unless I am required to do this by law, or I am ordered to do so by a Court or a Sheriff of the Court in Scotland.
Your rights
You have a number of rights for your personal information. You can ask to see the personal information that I hold about you (known as a Subject Access Request), or even ask me to correct it or delete it. You are not required to pay a fee for exercising your rights. If you ask me for a copy of your information I have one month to respond to you. To do this you can contact me at lyndsey@ltclark.co.uk.
More information on your rights can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.ico.org.uk.
How to complain
I have to tell you how to make a complaint, but I am positive you will not need to do this. To raise a complaint on how I have handled your information, you can contact me at lyndsey@ltclark.co.uk and I will look into this.
If you are not satisfied with my response or believe I am using your information in a way that is not in accordance with the law you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, Telephone 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or by email to casework@ico.org.uk.
