Privacy Notice

This Privacy Notice explains how ValueAdd Business Solutions Ltd collects, uses, stores and shares personal information.

We take privacy seriously and only use personal information where we have a lawful reason to do so.

1. Who we are

ValueAdd Business Solutions Ltd is a bookkeeping, accountancy and virtual assistance business based in Scotland.

For the purposes of data protection law, ValueAdd Business Solutions Ltd is usually the “data controller” for the personal information we collect and use.

In some circumstances, we may act as a “data processor” when we process personal information on behalf of a client. This may happen, for example, when we provide payroll, bookkeeping, finance administration or virtual assistance services using information supplied by that client.

Our details are:

ValueAdd Business Solutions Ltd
Registered office: 22 Montrose Street, Glasgow, G1 1RE
Company number: SC399676
ICO registration number: ZB267289
Email: sayhello@valueaddvirtual.co.uk
Telephone: 0141 442 0042
Website: www.valueaddvirtual.co.uk

2. What personal information we collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with us.

We may collect and use:

• Your name.

• Your business name.

• Your job title or role.

• Your email address.

• Your telephone number.

• Your postal address or business address.

• Information you provide through our website forms.

• Information you provide when you contact us by email, telephone, social media, video call or another method.

• Details about your business and the services you ask us to provide.

• Identification and verification information needed for anti-money laundering checks.

• Accounting, bookkeeping, VAT, payroll, pension and tax information.

• Bank details where needed to provide services, process payments or reconcile records.

• Client portal, software access and user account details.

• Marketing preferences.

• Website usage information, where cookies or analytics tools are used.

• Recruitment information, such as CVs, covering letters and interview notes, if you apply to work with us.

We may also collect personal information about employees, directors, shareholders, suppliers, customers or other contacts of our clients where this is necessary to provide our services.

3. How we collect personal information

We may collect personal information:

• Directly from you.

• From your business or employer.

• From our clients, where they provide information needed for us to deliver services.

• Through website forms.

• Through email, telephone, video calls, meetings or messages.

• Through accounting, payroll, tax, practice management, document management and client portal systems.

• From third-party verification providers used for anti-money laundering checks.

• From publicly available sources, such as Companies House or business websites, where relevant.

• Through cookies or similar technologies on our website.

4. Why we use personal information and our lawful basis

We only use personal information where we have a lawful basis under UK data protection law.

The lawful bases we are most likely to rely on are:

• Contract, where we need to use your information to provide services or take steps before entering into a contract.

• Legal obligation, where we need to use your information to comply with legal, tax, accounting, payroll, anti-money laundering or regulatory obligations.

• Legitimate interests, where we have a reasonable business reason to use your information and this does not unfairly affect your rights.

• Consent, where we ask for your clear permission, for example for certain marketing or non-essential cookies.

5. Website enquiries

When you contact us through the website, by email, by telephone or by booking a call, we use your personal information to respond to your enquiry.

This may include your name, business name, email address, telephone number and the details of your enquiry.

Our lawful basis is usually legitimate interests, as we have a legitimate interest in responding to enquiries and communicating with potential clients.

If your enquiry leads to work being carried out, our lawful basis may also include contract.

6. Providing services to clients

We use personal information to provide bookkeeping, accountancy, payroll, VAT, pension, tax, virtual assistance and related business support services.

This may include contact details, business information, financial records, invoices, receipts, payroll records, pension information, VAT records, tax information, bank transaction data and correspondence.

Our lawful basis may be:

• Contract, where we need the information to provide services under our agreement with you.

• Legal obligation, where we must process information to meet legal, tax, accounting, payroll, anti-money laundering or regulatory requirements.

• Legitimate interests, where processing is necessary to provide, manage and improve our services.

7. Anti-money laundering checks

We are required to carry out checks for anti-money laundering purposes.

This may include identity information, address information, date of birth, ownership information, company details and verification checks.

Our lawful basis is legal obligation.

Where special category data or criminal offence information is processed as part of required checks, we will only process this where permitted by law.

8. Payroll and pension services

Where we provide payroll or pension administration services, we may process employee names, addresses, dates of birth, National Insurance numbers, pay details, tax codes, pension information, statutory payment information, student loan information and other payroll-related records.

Depending on the circumstances, we may process this information as either a data processor for our client or as a data controller where we have our own legal or regulatory obligations.

Our lawful basis may be contract, legal obligation or legitimate interests.

9. Tax, VAT and accounting records

We may process personal information contained in accounting records, tax records, VAT returns, payroll reports, invoices, bank transactions, receipts, expenses, management accounts and related documents.

Our lawful basis may be contract, legal obligation or legitimate interests.

10. Managing client relationships

We use personal information to manage our relationship with clients. This includes onboarding, correspondence, service reviews, billing, payment collection, credit control, complaints and client support.

Our lawful basis may be contract, legal obligation or legitimate interests.

11. Newsletter and marketing

If you sign up to receive our newsletter or marketing updates, we will use your name and email address to send those communications.

For individuals, we will usually rely on consent unless another lawful basis clearly applies.

For business contacts, we may rely on legitimate interests where the marketing is relevant, proportionate and permitted by applicable electronic marketing rules.

You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by using the unsubscribe link in the email or by contacting us.

We will not sell your personal information to third parties.

12. Recruitment

If you apply to work with us, we will use the information you provide to assess your application, communicate with you and carry out recruitment checks.

This may include your name, contact details, CV, work history, qualifications, interview notes and references.

Our lawful basis is usually legitimate interests and, where necessary, contract or legal obligation.

13. Suppliers and professional contacts

We may use supplier and professional contact information to manage business relationships, receive services, make payments and keep records.

Our lawful basis is usually contract or legitimate interests.

14. Website usage and cookies

We may use cookies and similar technologies to operate the website, improve user experience, understand website performance and support marketing activity.

Strictly necessary cookies may be used without consent.

Non-essential cookies, such as analytics or marketing cookies, should only be used where appropriate consent has been obtained.

Further details are set out in our Cookie Policy.

15. Who we share personal information with

We may share personal information where necessary with:

• Accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, tax and practice management software providers.

• Cloud storage and document management providers.

• Client portal providers.

• Payment processors and direct debit providers.

• Anti-money laundering verification providers.

• HMRC.

• Companies House.

• Pension providers.

• Banks and financial institutions.

• Professional advisers, including accountants, lawyers, insurers and consultants.

• IT, website, email, hosting and cybersecurity providers.

• Website form, analytics and email marketing service providers.

• Subcontractors or associates who support us in delivering services.

• Regulators, professional bodies or public authorities where required.

• Debt recovery or legal advisers where necessary to manage unpaid fees or disputes.

We only share information where we have a lawful reason to do so and, where required, appropriate safeguards are in place.

16. International transfers

Some of the systems and service providers we use may store or process personal information outside the UK.

Where personal information is transferred outside the UK, we will take steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place. This may include using providers that rely on UK adequacy regulations, approved contractual terms or other lawful transfer mechanisms.

17. How long we keep personal information

We only keep personal information for as long as necessary.

Retention periods depend on the type of information, why we hold it and any legal, tax, regulatory or professional obligations that apply.

As a guide:

• Website enquiry records are usually kept for up to 12 months where the enquiry does not lead to work being carried out.

• Newsletter records are kept until you unsubscribe or ask us to remove your details.

• Client service records are usually kept for at least 6 years after the end of the relevant client relationship or accounting period, unless a longer period is required for legal, tax, regulatory, professional indemnity or dispute purposes.

• Anti-money laundering records are kept for the period required by law.

• Payroll and accounting records are kept in line with applicable tax, employment, accounting and statutory requirements.

• Recruitment records for unsuccessful applicants are usually kept for up to 6 months after the recruitment process ends, unless we agree to keep them for longer.

• Supplier records are kept for as long as needed for accounting, tax, contractual and business purposes.

When information is no longer needed, we will delete it, anonymise it or securely archive it.

18. Your rights

Under data protection law, you have rights in relation to your personal information.

These may include the right to:

• Be informed about how your personal information is used.

• Access the personal information we hold about you.

• Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.

• Ask us to delete your personal information in certain circumstances.

• Ask us to restrict how we use your information in certain circumstances.

• Object to our use of your information in certain circumstances.

• Ask for your information to be transferred to you or another provider in certain circumstances.

• Withdraw consent where we rely on consent.

These rights are not absolute and may not apply in every situation.

To make a request, please contact us using the details in this notice.

We may need to verify your identity before responding.

19. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we handle your personal information, please contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Information Commissioner’s Office
Website: www.ico.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 123 1113

20. Security

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration or destruction.

We use a range of organisational and technical measures, which may include secure systems, access controls, password protection, multi-factor authentication where appropriate, staff confidentiality obligations and secure document handling procedures.

No system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, but we take data protection and confidentiality seriously.

21. Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, security or content of third-party websites. You should read their own privacy notices before providing personal information to them.

22. Children

Our website and services are intended for business users and adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through the website.

23. Changes to this Privacy Notice

We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time.