Privacy Policy

At 11pm on 31st December 2020, EU GDPR will no longer apply to personal data held or processed within the UK. Instead, “UK GDPR” will apply to such data. The provisions of UK GDPR are essentially the same as EU GDPR and therefore the following rights continue to apply. We confirm that we do not normally hold or process your data outside the UK but if we do we will ensure there are sufficient “adequacy” arrangements or “safeguards” in place to protect your rights. 

 

PRIVACY NOTICE

BACKGROUND:

GGP Law understands that your privacy is important to you and that you care about how your personal data is used. We respect and value the privacy of all of our clients and will only collect and use personal data in ways that are described here, and in a way that is consistent with our obligations and your rights under the law.

1. Information About us:

GGP Law Limited is a limited company registered in England and Wales under company number 8230946 registered address: 17 – 19 Cardiff Street, Aberdare, CF44 7DP, VAT number: 541 0636 75 Data Protection Officer: Kelly Wells, e-mail address: [email protected], telephone number: 01685 885500 postal Address: 17 – 19 Cardiff Street, Aberdare, CF44 7DP. We are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

2. What Does This Notice Cover?

This Privacy Information explains how we use your personal data: how it is collected, how it is held, and how it is processed. It also explains your rights under the law relating to your personal data.

3. What is Personal Data?

Personal data is defined by the General Data Protection Regulation (EU Regulation 2016/679) (the “GDPR”) as ‘any information relating to an identifiable person who can be directly or indirectly identified in particular by reference to an identifier’. Personal data is, in simpler terms, any information about you that enables you to be identified. Personal data covers obvious information such as your name and contact details, but it also covers less obvious information such as identification numbers, electronic location data, and other online identifiers.The personal data that we use is set out in Part 5, below.

4. What Are My Rights?

Under the GDPR, you have the following rights, which we will always work to uphold:

a) The right to be informed about our or collection and use of your personal data. This Privacy Notice should tell you everything you need to know, but you can always contact us to find out more or to ask any questions using the details in Part 11.

b) The right to access the personal data we hold about you. Part 10 will tell you how to do this.

c) The right to have your personal data rectified if any of your personal data held by us is inaccurate or incomplete. Please contact us using the details in Part 11 to find out more.

d) The right to be forgotten, i.e. the right to ask us to delete or otherwise dispose of any of your personal data that we have. Please contact us using the details in Part 11 to find out more.

e) The right to restrict (i.e. prevent) the processing of your personal data.

f) The right to object to us using your personal data for a particular purpose or purposes.

g) The right to data portability. This means that, if you have provided personal data to us directly, we am using it with your consent or for the performance of a contract, and that data is processed using automated means, you can ask us for a copy of that personal data to re-use with another service or business in many cases.

h) Rights relating to automated decision-making and profiling. We do not use your personal data in this way For more information about our use of your personal data or exercising your rights as outlined above, please contact us using the details provided in Part 11.Further information about your rights can also be obtained from the Information Commissioner’s Office or your local Citizens Advice Bureau.If you have any cause for complaint about our use of your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

5. What Personal Data Do You Collect?

We may collect some or all of the following personal data (this may vary according to your relationship with us and the type of matter in which you have instructed us):

• Name;

• Date of birth;

• Gender;

• Address;

• Email address;

• Telephone number;

• Business name;

• Job title;

• Profession;

• Payment information;

• National Insurance number;

• Savings and investment data;

• Assets that you own or in which you have an interest;

• Health records;

• Social Services history;

• Educational history;

• Employment records;

• Tax records;

• Previous convictions;

• Passport information;

• Photographs;

• Religion;

• Sexual orientation;

 

Your personal data is obtained from both you and the following third parties:

• Local Authorities;

• H.M.R.C.;

• Crown Prosecution Service;

• Police;

• Health Boards and Trusts;

• G.P. surgeries;

• Land Registry;

• Opponents parties and their legal representatives;

• Drug testing companies;

 

6. How Do You Use My Personal Data?

Under the GDPR, we must always have a lawful basis for using personal data. This may be because the data is necessary for our performance of a contract with you, because you have consented to our use of your personal data, or because it is in our legitimate business interests to use it.

 

Your personal data will be used for the following purposes:

• To enable us to enter into a retainer/contract with you;

• To effectively represent you in any matter in respect of which you have instructed us;

• To provide you with appropriate advice;

• Communicating with you. This may include responding to emails or calls from you.

• Supplying you with information by email and/or post that you have opted-in to (you may unsubscribe or opt-out at any time by contacting us by e-mail or letter)

With your permission and/or where permitted by law, we may also use your personal data for marketing purposes, which may include contacting you by email and/or telephone and/or text message and/or post with information, news, and offers on our services. You will not be sent any unlawful marketing or spam. We will always work to fully protect your rights and comply with our obligations under the GDPR and the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, and you will always have the opportunity to opt-out.

 

7. How Long Will You Keep My Personal Data?

We will not keep your personal data for any longer than is necessary in light of the reason(s) for which it was first collected. Your personal data will therefore be kept for the following periods:

• Property sale and purchase for 12 years;

• Wills – indefinitely unless we are advised that the Testator has died or we are satisfied that the deceased could no longer be alive.

• Trust – for 6 years after the Trust has ended.

• Where we are instructed on behalf of a child until that child reaches the age of 21;

• Evidence of identity under money laundering regulation – 5 years

• In all other cases for 6 years

 

8. How and Where Do You Store or Transfer My Personal Data?

We will only store or transfer your personal data within the European Economic Area (the “EEA”). The EEA consists of all EU member states, plus Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. This means that your personal data will be fully protected under the GDPR or to equivalent standards by law.

 

9. Do You Share My Personal Data?

We will not share any of your personal data with any third parties for any purposes save as set out below:

• In some limited circumstances, we may be legally required to share certain personal data, which might include yours, if we are involved in legal proceedings or complying with legal obligations, a court order, or the instructions of a government authority

• Periodically, we are audited for a variety of compliance purpose. In the process of being audited the reputable organisations with whom we engage may require sight of the data we hold about you. These organisations include Recognising Excellence for the purposes of our Lexcel standard, Paul Lane for the purposes of our Investors in People standard and our Accountants, Bevan and Buckland who carry out audits on our accounts, including our client accounts and designated deposit accounts on behalf of the Solicitors Regulation Authority;

• Lenders and financial institutions may also wish to audit individual client files. These organisations will be contractually entitled to access your files for audit purposes but we shall, in any event, notify you if your file has been selected for audit.

• Others having access to your data include our I.T. consultants, currently Red Drum and our Case Management provider, currently Peapod. Our accounts system is managed by Red Monkey and this company will also have access to limited personal data. We have entered into appropriate third party Data Protection Agreements with each of the above organisations to ensure that your data is held to at least the standard that we hold and process it ourselves.

 

10. How Can I Access My Personal Data?

If you want to know what personal data we have about you, you can ask us for details of that personal data and for a copy of it (where any such personal data is held). This is known as a “subject access request”. All subject access requests should be made in writing and sent to the email or postal addresses shown in Part 11. To make this as easy as possible for you, a Subject Access Request Form is available for you to use. You do not have to use this form, but it is the easiest way to tell us everything we need to know to respond to your request as quickly as possible. There is not normally any charge for a subject access request. If your request is ‘manifestly unfounded or excessive’ (for example, if you make repetitive requests) a fee may be charged to cover our administrative costs in responding. We will respond to your subject access request within 14 days and, in any case, not more than one month of receiving it. Normally, we aim to provide a complete response, including a copy of your personal data within that time. In some cases, however, particularly if your request is more complex, more time may be required up to a maximum of three months from the date we receive your request. You will be kept fully informed of our progress.

 

11. How Do I Contact You?

To contact us about anything to do with your personal data and data protection, including to make a subject access request, please use the following details for the attention of Kelly Wells: e-mail address:[email protected]. Telephone number: 01685 885500. Postal Address: 17 – 19 Cardiff Street, Aberdare, CF44 7DP.

 

12. Changes to this Privacy Notice:

We may change this Privacy Notice from time to time. This may be necessary, for example, if the law changes, or if we change our business in a way that affects personal data protection.Any changes will be made available by publication on our website: www.ggplaw.co.uk.