Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Spark Offing ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or use our accounting services.

We are registered as a data controller under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy complies with UK data protection laws and regulations.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We may collect the following types of personal information:

• Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, postal address
• Business Information: Company name, VAT number, company registration details, business address
• Financial Information: Bank account details, financial statements, transaction records, tax information
• Identity Information: National Insurance number, passport details, driver's license information
• Communication Data: Records of our communications with you, including emails, phone calls, and meeting notes

2.2 Technical Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect:

• IP address and browser information
• Device type and operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on our site
• Referring websites and search terms
• Cookie and tracking information (see our Cookie Policy)

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 Lawful Basis for Processing

We process your personal information under the following lawful bases:

• Contract Performance: To provide accounting services as agreed in our service contract
• Legal Obligation: To comply with tax, accounting, and regulatory requirements
• Legitimate Interest: To improve our services, conduct business communications, and ensure service quality
• Consent: For marketing communications (where you have opted in)

3.2 Purposes of Data Processing

We use your information to:

• Provide bookkeeping, tax preparation, payroll, and VAT services
• Communicate with you about our services
• Comply with HMRC reporting requirements
• Maintain accurate client records
• Send newsletters and marketing communications (with consent)
• Improve our website and services
• Detect and prevent fraud

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 Third-Party Service Providers

We may share your information with trusted third parties who assist us in operating our business:

• Cloud Storage Providers: For secure data storage and backup
• Accounting Software Providers: For processing financial data
• IT Support Services: For technical maintenance and security
• Professional Advisors: Legal and regulatory consultants

4.2 Regulatory Authorities

We may be required to share your information with:

• HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
• Companies House
• Other regulatory bodies as legally required
• Law enforcement agencies when legally obligated

4.3 Data Protection Measures

All third parties we work with are required to:

• Maintain appropriate data security measures
• Process data only for specified purposes
• Comply with UK data protection laws
• Delete data when no longer required

5. Data Security

We implement robust security measures to protect your personal information:

• Encryption: All sensitive data is encrypted both in transit and at rest
• Access Controls: Strict access controls ensure only authorized personnel can access your data
• Regular Backups: Secure, encrypted backups are maintained
• Security Training: All staff receive regular data protection and security training
• Physical Security: Our offices have appropriate physical security measures
• Regular Audits: We conduct regular security audits and assessments

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for the following periods:

• Client Records: 6 years after the end of our business relationship (as required by professional standards)
• Tax Records: As long as legally required by HMRC (typically 6-20 years depending on the type of record)
• Marketing Data: Until you unsubscribe or request deletion
• Website Data: As outlined in our Cookie Policy

After the retention period expires, we securely delete or anonymize your personal information unless we are legally required to retain it longer.

7. Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights:

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the details provided in Section 10.

Please note that some rights may be limited where we have a legal obligation to retain your information or where retention is necessary for the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims.

8. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies. For detailed information about our use of cookies, please see our Cookie Policy.

We use Google Analytics and other web analytics tools to understand how visitors use our website. This helps us improve our services and user experience. These tools may collect information such as your IP address, browser type, referring website, and pages visited.

9. International Transfers

Some of our service providers may be located outside the UK. When we transfer your personal data internationally, we ensure adequate protection through:

• Adequacy decisions by the UK government
• Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the UK authorities
• Binding Corporate Rules
• Certification schemes approved by UK authorities

10. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us:

If you are not satisfied with our response to your data protection concerns, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at https://ico.org.uk.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on our website
• Sending an email notification to our mailing list subscribers
• Including a notice in our next communication with active clients

The "Last updated" date at the top of this policy indicates when the most recent changes were made.