Privacy policy

This Privacy Notice sets out how Abacus Professions Finance Ltd ('APF') will use your personal data. Your personal data is data which by itself or with other data available to us can be used to identify you. We use your personal data in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

APF is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. If we ask you to provide information by which you can be identified when using this website, it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

What we collect

When you visit our website your Internet Protocol (IP) address which is a string of numbers unique to your computer is recorded. We use this to receive and send information from and to you over the internet and to monitor your usage of our website. When you make an enquiry, you will be asked to provide some personal data which will be entered into our confidential computerised database. At anytime you may ask for this to be amended, updated or deleted from our records.

What do we do with the information collected

The information may be used to respond to enquiries, to understand your needs and provide you with the services you requested, Internal record keeping, to fulfil any legal or regulatory requirements including exchanging information with other companies and organisations for the purposes of fraud and money laundering detection and credit risk. Personal data is not transmitted to third parties and will not be used for automated decision making including profiling without your express consent. We may periodically send promotional emails about new products, special offers or other information which we think you may find interesting using the email address which you have provided (you do have the option to opt out of this by emailing info@abacuspf.co.uk).

Security

APF takes all reasonable measures to ensure that the data it holds is secure and has in place physical and electronic procedures to safeguard information we collect.

Use of cookies

See our cookie policy.

Other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. APF does not accept any responsibility for privacy policies of external sites. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

Your personal information

The types of personal data we collect and use

To assist you in finding products that meet your needs, we'll use your personal data for the reasons set out below.

The sources of personal data collected indirectly are mentioned in this statement. The personal data we use may be about you may include:

• Full name and personal details including contact information (e.g. home address and address history, email address, home and mobile telephone numbers);
• Date of birth and/or age (e.g. to make sure that you're eligible to apply);
• Financial details (e.g. salary and details of other income, expenditure and details of accounts with other providers);
• Information from credit reference or fraud prevention agencies, electoral roll, court records of debt judgements and bankruptcies and other publicly available sources;
• Family, lifestyle or social circumstances (e.g. the number of dependants you have);
• Employment details/employment status for credit and fraud prevention purposes; and
• Personal data about other named applicants. You must have their authority to provide their personal data to us and share this Privacy Notice with them beforehand together with details of what you've agreed on their behalf.

Providing your personal data

You must provide your personal data so we can assist you in finding products that meet your needs (unless you're a customer and we already hold your details).

Using your personal data: the legal basis and purposes

We'll process your personal data:

1. As necessary to perform our contract with you and source products that meet your needs:
   a. To take steps at your request prior to entering into it;
   b. To manage and perform that contract;
   c. To notify you when your product is near expiry;
   d. To update our records; and
2. As necessary for our own legitimate interests or those of other persons and organisations, e.g.:
   a. For good governance, accounting, and managing and auditing our business operations;
   b. To search at credit reference agencies (CRA's) at your home address;
   c. To monitor emails, calls and other communications;
   d. To send you marketing communications
3. As necessary to comply with a legal obligation, e.g.:
   a. When you exercise your rights under data protection law and make requests;
   b. For compliance with legal and regulatory requirements;
   c. For establishment and defence of legal rights; and
   d. For activities relating to the prevention, detection and investigation of crime;
   e. To verify your identity, make credit, fraud prevention and anti-money laundering checks;
4. Based on your consent, e.g.:
   a. When you request us to disclose your personal data to other people;
   b. To send you marketing communications where we've asked for your consent to do so.

You're free at any time to change your mind and withdraw your consent. The consequence might be that we can't do certain things for you.

Sharing of your personal data

Subject to applicable data protection law we may share your personal data with:

• Product providers in relation to our seeking to source products that meet your needs;
• Companies and other persons providing services to us;
• Our legal and other professional advisors;
• Fraud prevention agencies;
• Government bodies and agencies in the UK and overseas (e.g. HMRC and with regulators e.g., the Financial Conduct Authority, the Information Commissioner's Office);
• Courts, to comply with legal requirements, and for the administration of justice;
• In an emergency or to otherwise protect your vital interests;
• To protect the security or integrity of our business operations;
• To other parties connected with your Product application e.g. other people named on the application who will see your transactions;
• When we restructure or sell our business or its assets or have a merger or re-organisation; and
• Anyone else where we have your consent or as required by law.

Identity verification and fraud prevention checks

The personal data we've collected from you at application or at any stage will be shared with fraud prevention agencies who will use it to prevent fraud and money-laundering and to verify your identity. If fraud is detected, you could be refused certain services, finance or employment in future. We may also search and use our internal records for these purposes.

Criteria used to determine retention periods (whether or not you become a customer)

The following criteria are used to determine data retention periods for your personal data:

• Retention in case of queries. We'll retain your personal data as long as necessary to deal with your queries (e.g. if your application is unsuccessful);
• Retention in case of claims. We'll retain your personal data for as long as you might legally bring claims against us; and
• Retention in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements. We'll retain your personal data based on our legal and regulatory requirements.

Your rights under applicable data protection law

Your rights are as follows:

• The right to be informed about our processing of your personal data;
• The right to have your personal data corrected if it's inaccurate and to have incomplete personal data completed;
• The right to object to processing of your personal data;
• The right to restrict processing of your personal data;
• The right to have your personal data erased (the “right to be forgotten”);
• The right to request access to your personal data and information about how we process it;
• The right to move, copy or transfer your personal data (“data portability”)

Contact

If you have question, want to exercise your rights or make a complaint, please contact us.

You can also make a complaint to the Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 SAF, telephone 0303 123 1113, www.ico.org.uk

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so.

You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the General Data Protection Regulation 2018. Please email info@abacuspf.co.uk write to Abacus Professions Finance Ltd; 105 Upper Gungate, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 8AX.

Updated January 2023