Norton Peskett Privacy Policy
We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. This privacy policy explains how we use the information we collect about you, how you can instruct us if you prefer to limit the use of that information and procedures that we have in place to safeguard your privacy.
The type of personal information we collect
We currently collect and process the following information:
- Personal identifiers, contacts and characteristics (for example, name and contact details)
- Confirmation of your identity including taking a copy of identification documentation
- Details relating to the matter upon which you are seeking our assistance
How we get the personal information and why we have it
Most of the personal information we process is provided to us directly by you for one of the following reasons:
- To comply with legal obligations imposed upon us
- To enable us to act on your behalf in relation to the matter(s) upon which you have instructed us
We may also receive personal information indirectly, from other organisations involved in a transaction (e.g. other solicitors, the police, estate agents, HMRC, banks).
We use the information that you have given us in order to:
- Undertake the transaction for which you have instructed us
- To contact you from time to time to update you on changes in the law or other matters which may affect you
- We will only use your personal data for the purposes for which we collected it, unless we reasonably consider that we would need to use it for another reason that is compatible with the original purpose
We may share this information with and obtain information about you from:
- Credit reference agencies
- Fraud prevention agencies
- Other entities in relation to and relevant to the matter upon which we are assisting you
We require any third party service providers to take suitable security measures to protect your personal information and to only use your information for the authorised purpose.
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the lawful bases we rely on for processing this information are:
- Your consent. You are able to remove your consent at any time. You can do this by contacting us
- We have a contractual obligation.
- We have a legal obligation.
- We have a vital interest.
- We need it to perform a public task.
- We have a legitimate interest.
How we store your personal information
Your information is securely stored on files and records in our offices, and on our secure computer systems.
We will keep your personal data for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purpose for which we have collected it and to comply with our legal obligations, reporting and accounting requirements.
Following the conclusion of your matter our files are scanned and stored electronically for the time periods detailed below, and physical files are destroyed using a confidential and secure process.
Data Retention:
- Conveyancing and property transactions – 15 years
- Litigation proceedings (including criminal investigations) – minimum of 6 years
- Family proceedings/matters involving children – up to 21 years
- Probate matters (including wills) – 99 years
Your data protection rights
Under data protection law, you have rights including:
Your right of access – You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information
Your right to rectification – You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.
Your right to erasure – You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances and subject to our legal obligations to retain information for the timescales referred to above.
Your right to restriction of processing – You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
Your right to object to processing – You have the the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
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, in certain circumstances.
You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you.
Please contact the Data Protection Officer if you wish to make a request.
How to complain
If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to us by writing to the Data Protection Officer, Mr Matthew Breeze, Norton Peskett Solicitors, 148 London Road North, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 1HF (email: m-breeze@nortonpeskett.co.uk)
You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data.
The ICO’s address:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Helpline number: 0303 123 1113
ICO website: https://www.ico.org.uk