Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

startupaccountants.uk is an independent online matching service that connects UK startup founders with qualified accountants in our partner network. Throughout this policy, \'we\', \'us\' and \'our\' refer to startupaccountants.uk as the operator of this website and the controller of the personal data you submit.

For transparency: this site operates under the trading name \'startupaccountants\'. We do not yet operate as a separately incorporated legal entity. If you need to identify a named individual for a data protection request, please contact us at hello@startupaccountants.uk and we will provide one.

2. What we collect

When you submit an enquiry through our lead form, we collect:

• Your full name
• Your phone number
• Your email address
• Your town or postcode
• The page you submitted from (so the accountant knows which service interested you)

We also collect standard web analytics data (pages viewed, approximate location, device type, referring source) through Google Analytics. This data is aggregated and does not identify you personally.

3. Why we collect it

We use your enquiry details for one purpose: to pass them to a carefully selected UK accountancy practice in our network, so that a qualified accountant can contact you directly about your startup\'s accounting needs. We do not sell your data to advertisers, list brokers, or unrelated third parties.

Our lawful basis for processing is your consent, which you give by submitting the enquiry form. You can withdraw consent at any time by emailing us (see section 9).

4. Who we share it with

Your enquiry details are shared with a carefully selected UK accountancy practice in our network for the purpose of them contacting you to discuss your accounting needs. The accountant becomes an independent data controller of your data from that point, and their use of your data is governed by their own privacy policy, which they will share with you.

We also use the following third-party processors to run the site:

• Google (Analytics): aggregated site usage statistics
• Google (Apps Script / Sheets): secure storage of enquiry submissions
• Vercel: website hosting and delivery

We do not transfer your personal data outside the UK or EEA except through these third-party processors, all of whom operate under UK-adequate data protection frameworks.

5. How long we keep it

We retain your enquiry details for up to 24 months in our Google Sheets log, to allow us to respond to follow-up queries, audit the matching process, and resolve any disputes. After 24 months, enquiries are deleted. The accountant you were matched with retains your data under their own retention schedule, which they will disclose to you.

Analytics data is retained for the standard Google Analytics period (26 months by default).

6. Cookies

We use essential cookies required for the site to function and analytics cookies (Google Analytics) to understand how visitors use the site. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies. Your browser can be set to refuse cookies; the site will still work without them.

7. Your rights under UK GDPR

Under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate data
• Request deletion (\'right to be forgotten\')
• Restrict or object to processing
• Port your data to another provider
• Withdraw consent at any time
• Complain to the Information Commissioner\'s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk

To exercise any of these rights, email us at hello@startupaccountants.uk. We will respond within 30 days.

8. Security

We protect your data with HTTPS encryption in transit, restricted access to the enquiry log (only the matching team and the matched accountant see it), and standard Google Workspace security controls. No online service is 100% secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect your information.

9. Contact

For any privacy question, data access request, consent withdrawal, or complaint, email hello@startupaccountants.uk.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be announced at the top of this page, and the \'Last updated\' date will reflect the change. Continued use of the site after changes indicates your acceptance of the updated policy.