Fidelis Books Ltd (company number 16622540) is a chartered certified accountancy practice supervised by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA, firm registration number 2000002906) for accountancy and anti money laundering purposes. Our registered office and trading address is 4th Floor, Silverstream House, 45 Fitzroy Street, Fitzrovia, London W1T 6EB.
We are the data controller for the personal data described in this policy. You can contact us about data protection matters at info@fidelisbooks.co.uk. We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office as a data controller under reference ZC044523.
2. Scope of this policy
This policy explains how we collect and use personal data when you:
visit our website or contact us through it;
become a client, or are a contact of a client, such as a director, business owner, or authorised representative; or
are a supplier, subcontractor, or job applicant.
If you are an existing client, this policy sits alongside the terms of your engagement letter and our client due diligence procedures. It explains our general approach to data protection; it does not replace those documents.
3. Information we collect
Contact and enquiry details you give us through the website, such as your name, email address, phone number, and the content of your message.
Technical and usage data collected through cookies (see our Cookie Policy).
For clients: identity and verification documents, financial and accounting records, tax reference numbers, bank details, and other information we need to provide accountancy, tax and advisory services and to meet our anti money laundering obligations.
For suppliers and subcontractors: contact and payment details. Where a subcontractor processes client personal data on our behalf, such as our overseas bookkeeping subcontractor, this is governed by a separate written subcontractor agreement and, where personal data leaves the UK, an International Data Transfer Agreement.
4. Why we use your information, and our lawful basis
To respond to enquiries and provide our services: performance of a contract, or steps taken at your request before entering into one.
To meet our legal and regulatory obligations, including client identification and ongoing monitoring under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017, and our obligations to HMRC, Companies House and ACCA: legal obligation.
To keep the website secure and understand how it is used: legitimate interests, or consent where our Cookie Policy says consent is needed.
To send relevant updates about our services to existing clients: legitimate interests, subject to your right to opt out at any time. For anyone who is not already a client, we will only do this with your consent.
5. Who we share information with
We may share personal data with:
our regulator, ACCA, and, where required by law, HMRC, Companies House, the National Crime Agency, law enforcement bodies, and our professional indemnity insurers;
software and service providers who process data on our behalf under contract, including Xero, Engager, HubDoc, A2X, Adfin, Inform Direct and Google Workspace;
our bookkeeping subcontractor, who supports day to day bookkeeping tasks under a written subcontractor agreement; and
professional advisers, such as our own accountants or lawyers, where necessary.
We do not sell personal data.
6. International transfers
Our bookkeeping subcontractor is based outside the UK. Where personal data is transferred to them, this takes place under an International Data Transfer Agreement incorporating UK GDPR safeguards, and only to the extent needed for them to carry out bookkeeping tasks on our instructions.
7. How long we keep information
Retention periods depend on the type of data and our legal obligations. In particular:
client due diligence records: a minimum of 5 years from the end of the business relationship, under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017;
accounting and tax records: generally 6 years, in line with Companies Act and HMRC record keeping requirements;
website enquiries that do not lead to an engagement: 12 months.
8. Your rights
Depending on the circumstances, you can ask us to give you access to your personal data, correct it, erase it, restrict how we use it, object to certain processing, or provide it to you or another organisation in a portable format. Some of these rights are limited where we are required by law to keep records for a set period, for example client due diligence and accounting records.
A subject access request is normally free of charge. We will only charge a fee, or decline to act, where a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, and we will only search for information to the extent that is reasonable and proportionate to the request.
9. How to complain
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, please contact us first at info@fidelisbooks.co.uk so we can look into it. We will acknowledge your complaint within 30 days and keep you updated while we investigate.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at any time, at ico.org.uk or 0303 123 1113.
10. Children
Our services and website are aimed at businesses and adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children.
11. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top of this page shows when it was last revised.
12. Contact us
Fidelis Books Ltd 4th Floor, Silverstream House 45 Fitzroy Street, Fitzrovia London W1T 6EB