Privacy Policy
Watergates Ltd (“Watergates”, “us”, “our”, or “we”) are committed to protecting and safeguarding the privacy of personal data. This privacy policy outlines how and why Watergates collects and uses personal information whilst also highlighting individuals’ and organisations rights related to this data. This policy refers to the personal data which has been provided to us, by individuals themselves or by others. However not restricted to this, it also relates to information which we have obtained from publicly available sources such as Companies House. We may use such information provided to us for any number of purposes as described within this privacy statement or as otherwise stated at the time of collection or throughout completion stages.
Personal data refers to any information which relates to an identified or identifiable person/person. Watergates processes and holds data for various purposes however we hold a policy to be transparent about how and why we process personal data. The basis of processes, the use of information and retention period may differ in accordance with each individual purpose.
Please give Attention to
It is very important that this privacy policy has been read with care. This is because of the information it contains, it stipulates how we will use personal information whilst also highlighting your personal rights under data protection laws.
Please note that as our website may contain links to other third-party websites. Such websites have their own privacy policies and therefore we cannot accept liability or responsibility for their policies or how they process your information.
When and how personal data is shared
Personal Data is only shared when we at Watergates are legally permitted in doing so. When information is shared with others, we put contractual arrangement and security mechanisms in place to protect such data in compliance with our confidentiality, data protection and security standards.
Law enforcement agencies or other government/regulatory agencies or third-party organisations may request authority to obtain disclosure of personal data, this will only be disclosed by us where we are permitted to do so in accordance to the application of regulation or law.
Third party organisations may be used to ensure we can continue providing services or information to meet the needs and requirements of our clients. We use third party organisations to support our managing and running of internal IT systems and processes. Other third-party organisations may include auditors or other Professional advisors.
Consent
For certain processes we may require your consent to ensure compliance with data protections laws where applicable; if this is the case we will ask for your consent in accordance to laws or regulations. You have the right to withdraw consent at any given time, however the implication of this needs to be taken into consideration. If you withdraw consent relating to any advisory or statutory services that we have or are required to provide then this is likely to impact directly on our ability to provide those advisory or statutory services to you.
Transmission, storage and security of your personal information
Unfortunately, no data transmission over the internet or any website can be guaranteed to be secure from intrusion. However, we maintain commercially reasonable physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect your personal information in accordance with applicable data protection laws.
All information within our control is stored on our secure servers (or secure hard copies) and accessed and used subject to our security policies and standards.
Where Watergates discloses your personal data to a third party, we require that third party to have appropriate technical and organisational measures in place to protect your personal data.Where we have given you (or where you have chosen) a password which enables you to access certain parts of our website or any other portal we operate, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential and for complying with any other security procedures that we notify you of. We ask you not to share a password with anyone.
Retention of your personal information
We will retain your personal information for a duration that is of reasonable necessary in accordance to the purpose it is required. This may result in us holding your personal information whilst we are completing the required duties or until we are able to securely provide you back that information. We will keep electronic copies of the data in accordance with accounting, taxation and regulatory/legal requirements.
We maintain a data retention policy which we apply to all data in our care. Where your personal information is no longer required we will ensure it is securely deleted and physical copies are handed back to you or a verbal/written request is made to you to collect the information.
Your rights
Data protection laws provide individuals with rights over personal data and data controllers are responsible for fulfilling such rights. In this case we at Watergates are data controllers where we decide how and why data is processed, and therefore you have the right to require us to:
- provide you with further details on the use we make of your personal information
- provide you with a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- update any inaccuracies in the personal information we hold about you
- delete any of your personal information that we no longer have a lawful ground to use
- where processing is based on consent, stop that particular processing by withdrawing your consent
- object to any processing based on our legitimate interests unless our reasons for undertaking that processing outweigh any prejudice to your data protection rights
- restrict how we use your personal information whilst a complaint is being investigated
- transfer your personal information to a third party in a standardised machine-readable format
In certain circumstances, we may need to restrict your rights in order to safeguard the public interest (e.g. the prevention or detection of crime) and our interests (e.g. requirements for completing statutory accounts).
9. Changes to our privacy policy
Please note as we strive to improve our services this may result in a change to the content of our website or services which will be without notice. Consequently, this could result in a change to our privacy policy at any time in the future. Therefore, please do review our privacy policy to stay informed with how personal information is being used.
This privacy policy was updated in May 2018.
10. Cookies statement
We use cookies on this website. A cookie is a tiny text file that a website stores on your machine (including any computer, mobile phone or tablet) and reads on subsequent visits. They are widely used in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to website owners. It allows the website to identify you and for example, remember your log in details the next time you visit.
The types of cookies we use:
- Strictly necessary technical cookies
These are cookies that are essential, e.g. to load the website and fulfil actions requested by you.
They also include Session Cookies, which are stored in your computer or device's memory during your browsing session and are automatically deleted from your computer when you leave a website. These cookies usually store a session ID, allowing you to move from page to page without having to log-in repeatedly.
- Performance cookies
These are cookies used to improve a website, for example, for analytics that let companies see how their site is used and where to make improvements.
- Targeting cookies
These cookies are used to collect information about your browsing habits in order to deliver adverts more relevant to you and your interests. They remember that you have visited a website and this information is shared with other organisations such as advertisers.
- Persistent cookies
These are cookies are stored on your computer or device and are not deleted when your browser is closed. Persistent cookies can be used to retain your preferences for a particular website, allowing those preferences to be used in future browsing sessions. Persistent cookies usually assign a unique ID to your browser and they are usually configured to identify you for a prolonged period of time, from days to months or even years.
Why we use cookies
- to ensure you are properly logged in, where this is necessary to use the site
- to store personal registration information so that you do not have to provide it to us again on subsequent visits
- to track your progress through the site so we can make improvements to the service we offer you, and/or
- to remember any preferences which the site may allow you to set.
Managing and deleting cookies
The General Data Protection Regulation ('GDPR') 2018 requires website users to be told about cookies used on the site and to opt into accepting cookies, or to be able to opt out of certain cookies that are not essential to the basic functioning of the website.
You will see the opt in, opt out choices at the top of the screen. You must make a choice.
- Opting In
If you choose to opt in to cookies, we will place a small cookie on your system to help us remember that you have chosen to accept technical, session, performance, tracking, and persistent cookies. This will give you full use of this website now and in the future. You are free open the Cookies tab at any time and change your choice.
- Opting out
If you choose to opt out of accepting all the cookies you are able to refuse, we will disable these cookies. You may find that much of this website, or sections of it, will no longer work. As we place no cookies on your system to remember this opt-out choice, you will see the full cookies banner on every subsequent visit to this website.
You can change your choice at any time by opening the cookies tab at the top of the page.
Using your browser controls to control your cookie settings
Most web browsers (including Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari) allow you to control your cookie settings and to delete any cookies already stored on your computer or other device.
You can control the use of cookies on your device, including deleting and blocking the cookies we and other sites use, through the browser settings on your device, but please note that any changes you make may affect some functionality of this Site. You can find out how to do this by going to the help menu in your browser.
Changes to our cookies statement
We may change the content of our Site or services without notice, and consequently our Privacy Policy and/or Cookies Statement may change at any time in the future. We therefore encourage you to review it from time to time to stay informed of how we are using personal information.
This Cookie Statement was last updated in May 2018.
Redirects to third party sites
Our website sometimes re-directs you to third party sites. As these websites are operated by third parties, we have no control over their use of cookies.
Learn more about cookies
To find out more about the way cookies work, how to see what cookies have been set and how to manage and delete them, visitaboutcookies.org or allaboutcookies.org
Your right to complain
If you are any associated parties are dissatisfied with our use of any of your personal information or with our responses to any request made by you relating to exercising of your data protection rights, or if you feel there has been any breach to any relevant data protection laws, then you have the right to complain to ICO, ICO within the UK have the authority that supervises our processing of your personal information. For further details please refer to ICO website.
Contacting us
We have a senior data protection officer who is responsible for supervising our use of personal information. They can be contacted about privacy related issues directly by:
- Email to uchaka@watergates.co.uk
- Post to the Data Protection Officer, Watergates Building, 109 Coleman Road, Leicester LE5 4LE.
