Privacy of the individual is paramount and we adhere to the General Data Protection Regulations which came into force on 25 May 2018 (GDPR) and seek to protect our client’s data in accordance with the legislation, our professional and confidentiality obligations. We ensure that we practise the highest standards of confidentiality and care with our data processing, procedures systems and processes.
In accordance with the Law Society’s guidance, a transaction file will normally be electronically kept on our case management system for 6 years which is what we class as a reasonable time. After such time it will be deleted unless there is a legitimate reason to store it for longer. We are not obliged to keep it for over 6 years.
We will keep a record of our client’s name, correspondence address, contact details, property details including price, mortgage details including a note of sums borrowed, which bank, rate, where applicable records of our telephone conversations, e-mail exchanges together with a record of communication with the solicitor acting for the other party and mortgage lender (if any), transaction details, a note of your instructions and legal documents relating to the transaction. We request the personal details on the client questionnaire so that we can carry out our instructions, communicate with our clients, comply with legislation and we class this data as being held for a legitimate interest. Our clients have a right to see what data we hold on them.
We will not store bank details for longer than necessary and will destroy them securely at the end of the transaction and these will not be kept for 6 years. We do not accept them electronically.
Our clients have a right to make a subject access request which is a request to find out what data we hold for them. Under the GDPR our clients are legally entitled to ask us what data we hold on you and how it is held, to have it rectified in the event of an error and subject to legislation to have it erased or anonymised. No charge will be made for such requests.
We will not share data with any third party without consent unless required by legislation or a legitimate interest. Our clients can withdraw their consent at any time subject to legislation. We will discuss with our clients the implications of withdrawing consent.
Please feel free to inspect our detailed GDPR privacy policy at our offices or request an e-mailed copy or we would be happy to post it to you. Please would you advise us if you have any access, communication issues or disabilities that we can assist with in making our policies easily and readily accessible to you.