Legal
Privacy Policy
This page explains what personal information AK Smart Accounting Ltd collects, why we need it, where it is stored and what rights you have under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. It is written in plain English on purpose — if anything is unclear, ask us and we will explain it.
Last updated: placeholder date — to be confirmed before launch.
Who we are
AK Smart Accounting Ltd is the data controller for the personal information described on this page. Our registered office address, company number and ICO registration number are placeholders pending confirmation and will be published here before the site goes live.
You can contact us about anything on this page by email at info@aksmartaccounting.co.uk or by phone on 0161 706 2179.
What information we collect
We only collect what we need to answer your enquiry and, if you become a client, to carry out the accountancy work you have engaged us for.
- Enquiry details you submit through our forms: name, email address, phone number, business type, services you are interested in and anything you write in the message field.
- Client records: company and personal tax details, bookkeeping records, payroll data, bank transaction data and correspondence needed to prepare and file your accounts and returns.
- Identity documents collected for anti-money-laundering checks, as required of accountancy practices.
- Technical data: IP address, browser type and pages visited, collected only where you have accepted analytics cookies.
Why we use it, and our lawful basis
We rely on legitimate interests to respond to enquiries you send us, contract to deliver the services in your engagement letter, and legal obligation for anti-money-laundering checks and statutory record keeping. Where we use analytics or marketing cookies, we rely on your consent, which you can withdraw at any time through the cookie preferences panel on this site.
Where your data is stored
Enquiry and client data is stored in our practice management, bookkeeping and email systems, which are hosted on secure cloud infrastructure within the UK or European Economic Area. Where a supplier processes data outside the UK, we put appropriate safeguards in place, such as the UK International Data Transfer Addendum.
Access is limited to members of the practice who need it to do their work. Systems are protected with access controls, encryption in transit and multi-factor authentication where supported.
Who we share it with
We share data with HMRC and Companies House where required to file on your behalf, and with the software providers who host our accounting, payroll and communication systems as data processors under contract. We do not sell personal data and we do not share it for third-party advertising.
How long we keep it
Enquiries that do not become engagements are deleted within a placeholder period of 12 months. Client records are kept for at least six years after the end of the engagement, in line with HMRC requirements and professional guidance, then securely deleted or destroyed.
Your rights
Under UK data protection law you can ask us for a copy of the personal data we hold about you, ask us to correct it, ask us to delete it where we are not required to keep it, object to or restrict certain processing, and ask for your data in a portable format.
To make a request, email info@aksmartaccounting.co.uk. We will respond within one month. If you are unhappy with how we handle your data you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.
Cookies
Essential cookies keep the site working and are always on. Analytics and marketing cookies are only set if you accept them. You can change your choice at any time using the cookie preferences panel, reachable from the link in the footer.