Privacy Policy

Finniston and Company Chartered AccountantsLast updated: May 2026

1. Introduction

Finniston and Company Chartered Accountants ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data when you visit our website or use our professional services.

We are the Data Controller responsible for your personal data under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Who We Are

Finniston and Company Chartered AccountantsWedderburn House 1 Wedderburn Road London NW3 5QR

Email:  finnisco@aol.com Mobile: 0771 004 3011 Office hours: 9am to 6pm

Our principal partner is Bernard Finniston LLB CA, a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. We have been in practice since 1983.

3. What Personal Data We Collect

We collect personal data in two ways: through our website, and in the course of providing professional services.

3.1 Website contact form

When you use the contact form on our website, we collect:

  • First name and last name

  • Email address

  • Your message

3.2 Professional services

In providing accountancy, tax, payroll, VAT, and bookkeeping services, we may collect and process a broader range of personal and financial data, including:

  • Full name, address, date of birth, and National Insurance number

  • Financial records, income details, and bank information

  • Business records, invoices, and payroll data

  • HMRC and Companies House registration details

  • VAT registration numbers and VAT return information

  • Tax return information (personal and corporate)

  • Contact details (email, phone, address)

4. How We Use Your Data

4.1 Website enquiries

We use the information submitted via our contact form to respond to your enquiry and provide information about our services.

Lawful basis: Legitimate interests (responding to a direct enquiry) and, where relevant, taking steps at your request prior to entering into a contract (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(b)).

4.2 Professional services

We use client data to:

  • Prepare annual accounts for HMRC and Companies House

  • Complete personal and corporate tax returns

  • Process payroll using payroll software

  • Register for VAT and submit VAT returns

  • Set up and support accounting systems (Excel, QuickBooks, Sage, Xero)

  • Provide bookkeeping support and recommendations

  • Comply with our legal and regulatory obligations as a firm of Chartered Accountants

Lawful basis: Performance of a contract (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(b)); compliance with legal obligations (Article 6(1)(c)); and where applicable, legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f)).

5. How We Share Your Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We may share information with the following parties where necessary:

  • HMRC and Companies House - for statutory filing obligations (tax returns, annual accounts, VAT returns, payroll submissions)

  • Accounting and tax software providers - including Making Tax Digital-compliant filing software, QuickBooks, Sage, and Xero, who act as Data Processors on our behalf

  • Squarespace Inc. - our website platform provider, who processes contact form submissions as a Data Processor

  • Regulatory or legal authorities - where required by law or in connection with our professional regulatory obligations as members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland

All third-party processors are required to handle your data securely and only for the purposes for which it was shared.

6. How Long We Keep Your Data

Data type

Retention period

Website contact form enquiries

12 months from date of enquiry

Client records (accounts, tax, VAT, payroll)

7 years from the end of the relevant tax year or financial period, in line with HMRC requirements

Payroll records

3 years from the end of the tax year they relate to (statutory minimum)

After the applicable retention period, data is securely deleted or destroyed.

7. How We Protect Your Data

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure. We work primarily by phone, email, and video call, and handle client data electronically in a lean, secure manner.

Please be aware that email is not an entirely secure method of communication. If you are sending us sensitive financial or personal information, please contact us to discuss a secure transfer method.

8. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website is built and hosted on Squarespace, which may use cookies and similar technologies to ensure the site functions correctly and to collect basic analytics data such as page visits and traffic sources.

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the website.

For full details of how Squarespace handles data and cookies, please refer to the  Squarespace Privacy Policy .


9. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

  • Right of access - to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you

  • Right to rectification - to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data

  • Right to erasure - to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances

  • Right to restrict processing - to ask us to limit how we use your data

  • Right to object - to object to our use of your data in certain circumstances

  • Right to data portability - to receive your data in a structured, commonly used format

Please note that some of these rights are subject to legal or regulatory obligations that may require us to retain certain records.

To exercise any of your rights, please contact us:

Email:  finnisco@aol.com Post: Finniston and Company, Wedderburn House, 1 Wedderburn Road, London NW3 5QR

We will respond to all requests within 30 days.

10. Right to Complain

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

  • Helpline: 0303 123 1113

  • Post: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF

We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns directly before you contact the ICO, so please do reach out to us in the first instance.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Any updates will be published on this page with a revised "last updated" date. We encourage you to check this page periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or about how we handle your personal data, please contact us:

Finniston and Company Chartered Accountants: Wedderburn House | 1 Wedderburn Road | London NW3 5QR Email:  finnisco@aol.com Mobile: 0771 004 3011 Office hours: 9am to 6pm