Privacy Policy | CHAMBERLAINS

Chamberlains (Accountancy & Taxation) Limited

Last updated: 17 October 2026

1. Who We Are

This Privacy Policy explains how Chamberlains (Accountancy & Taxation) Limited ("Chamberlains", "we", "us" or "our") collects, uses, stores and protects personal information in connection with our accountancy, taxation, business advisory and related professional services.

Ground Floor, 5 The Pavilions, Cranmore Drive, Shirley, Solihull, B90 4SB. For privacy enquiries, contact Kevin Hall on 01564 771545.

We act as a data controller for much of the personal information processed in providing our services. In some circumstances we act on behalf of another controller, subject to applicable instructions and agreements. We comply with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Personal Information We Collect

Information depends on the services provided and may include:

Names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses and contact details.
Dates of birth, National Insurance numbers, Unique Taxpayer References and identification information.
Employment, payroll, pension and benefits information.
Financial records, bank details, income, expenditure, assets, liabilities and taxation information.
Company ownership, directorship, partnership and shareholder information.
Accounting records, invoices, receipts, contracts and supporting documents.
Correspondence, instructions and communication records.
Identity verification and anti-money laundering information.
Information about employees, directors, shareholders and other relevant individuals.

Where necessary and lawful, we may process special-category or criminal-offence data, subject to additional legal conditions and safeguards.

3. Where We Obtain Personal Information

We may receive information directly from you through meetings, calls, correspondence, electronic communications, our website and documents supplied for our services. We may also obtain information from:

Employers, businesses, directors, partners and authorised representatives.
HM Revenue & Customs, Companies House and public authorities.
Banks, financial institutions, pension providers and professional advisers.
Accounting, payroll and bookkeeping providers.
Public registers and other authorised sources.

We handle information about third parties in accordance with applicable data protection requirements.

4. How We Use Personal Information

We process personal information to:

Prepare accounts, financial statements, management information and tax returns.
Provide bookkeeping, VAT, payroll and taxation services.
Maintain statutory and company records.
Communicate with clients, authorities and authorised third parties.
Manage engagements, appointments, deadlines and workflows.
Perform identity verification, anti-money laundering and regulatory checks.
Maintain records, invoice clients and collect payments.
Operate, maintain and secure our business systems.
Improve the efficiency and administration of professional services.
Establish, exercise or defend legal rights.

Processing must have an appropriate lawful basis and be necessary and proportionate for its purpose.

Electronic Payroll Documents and Payslips

Where we provide payroll services on behalf of an employer, we may prepare and distribute payslips and related payroll documents directly to employees using secure electronic delivery methods, including protected links to approved document storage services.

This may involve processing employees' names, contact details, payroll information, salary, deductions and other information necessary to provide the agreed service.

The employer ordinarily acts as the data controller and Chamberlains acts as its data processor, following the employer's documented instructions. We use appropriate access restrictions and security measures to protect payroll information and prevent unauthorised disclosure.

Employees should contact their employer regarding the accuracy of their payroll information and the employer's privacy arrangements.

5. Our Lawful Bases for Processing

Depending on the purpose and data subject, we may rely on:

Contractual necessity: processing objectively necessary to enter into or perform a contract with the individual.
Legal obligation: processing necessary to comply with tax, company, anti-money laundering or other legal duties.
Legitimate interests: necessary and balanced interests in accurate records, client administration, system security and efficient professional services.
Consent: where consent is the appropriate basis; it may be withdrawn without affecting prior lawful processing.

No single lawful basis automatically applies to every person or activity. A contract with a company does not automatically establish contractual necessity for its employees or directors. Additional conditions apply to special-category and criminal-offence data.

6. Technology, Cloud Services and Artificial Intelligence

Sumetrix includes an AI-assisted feature, Sumetrix Intelligence, which supports authorised staff with general accountancy, taxation and technical questions.

This general-purpose AI assistant is not authorised to access Chamberlains' client databases, tax records, payroll records or client documents. File uploads and client-data retrieval are disabled for this feature. Staff are instructed not to submit confidential client information or personal data through it.

Separately, we use Azure Document Intelligence where necessary to extract information from scanned documents as part of authorised professional services. Such processing is subject to appropriate contractual, security and data-protection safeguards.

We do not use these services to make solely automated decisions producing legal or similarly significant effects.

7. Who We Share Personal Information With

Where necessary and lawful, recipients may include:

HMRC, Companies House and other authorities.
Banks, pension providers and financial institutions.
Solicitors, professional advisers and authorised representatives.
Employers, companies, directors and other authorised parties.
Accounting, payroll, document-management, hosting, IT-security and cloud providers.
External AI providers, where processing is authorised.
Other recipients required by law or necessary for professional services.

Technology providers may include Microsoft, Thomson Reuters, Xero, Zoho, OpenAI and Anthropic, depending on the service in use. Not every provider receives every category of information. Appropriate contractual, confidentiality and security arrangements apply. We do not sell personal information.

8. International Transfers of Personal Information

Some technology providers operate internationally. Information may be stored, accessed or processed outside the UK. Where the UK GDPR restricted-transfer rules apply, we use an appropriate mechanism, which may include UK adequacy regulations, the International Data Transfer Agreement, the UK Addendum to EU Standard Contractual Clauses or another lawful mechanism.

Where required, we assess destination-specific risks and any necessary supplementary measures. Contractual safeguards alone do not replace assessments where required. Information about applicable safeguards may be requested using our contact details.

9. How Long We Keep Personal Information

We retain information only as long as reasonably necessary for professional, legal, regulatory and contractual purposes. Our normal period for completed client records is generally six years, subject to shorter or longer periods where required by law, professional duties, engagement circumstances or potential claims.

External technology providers may have separate operational retention periods under their terms and applicable law. Some AI API providers retain inputs and outputs for limited periods, subject to exceptions. We review and securely delete, anonymise or dispose of information when retention is no longer justified.

10. Information Security and Confidentiality

We use proportionate technical and organisational measures against unauthorised access, loss, alteration and disclosure, including:

Individual authentication and access controls.
Restricted employee access according to responsibilities.
Secure cloud systems, encryption where appropriate and secure communications.
Backup and recovery arrangements.
Staff confidentiality duties and data protection awareness.
Security monitoring, maintenance and access reviews.
Contractual security obligations for providers.

We maintain electronic and, where necessary, physical records. No system can guarantee absolute security; safeguards are reviewed in light of risks.

11. If You Do Not Provide Information

Some information is necessary for our services or legal duties. Without it, we may be unable to begin or complete an engagement, meet statutory requirements or provide particular services. We will explain where information is legally or contractually required.

12. Your Data Protection Rights

Subject to legal conditions and exemptions, you may have rights to:

Access your personal information and obtain a copy.
Correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Request erasure where legally applicable.
Restrict processing in certain circumstances.
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or other applicable grounds.
Data portability where legal requirements apply.
Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent.
Protections concerning solely automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects.

Rights are not absolute. We may need to retain information for legal or professional obligations. Contact us to exercise your rights; we will respond within applicable statutory timescales.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We review this policy periodically and update it when our services, technology, legal obligations or processing arrangements change. Where material changes affect individuals, we will take appropriate steps to inform them. The current version is available on our website. Last updated: 17 October 2026.

14. Contact Information

Kevin Hall, Chamberlains (Accountancy & Taxation) Limited, Ground Floor, 5 The Pavilions, Cranmore Drive, Shirley, Solihull, B90 4SB. Telephone: 01564 771545.

15. Complaints

Please contact us first if you have concerns. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO): Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Telephone: 0303 123 1113. Website: https://ico.org.uk.