Legal
How we collect, use and protect your personal data.
The controller of your data is VA4U Virtual Assisting and we can be contacted on:
We're committed to treating your personal data with respect, transparency and care. Under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, you have a statutory right to raise a data protection concern directly with us before going to the ICO.
Our full complaints process is set out in our Data Protection Complaints Notice, including timescales, what to expect, and your rights around automated decisions. A copy of this notice is available on our website, or by emailing us directly if you'd prefer it sent to you.
We may collect the following types of personal data:
Special Category Data: We do not collect any special category data such as health data, religious beliefs, race, political opinions or criminal convictions.
Aggregated Data: We may use anonymised aggregated data to understand website usage, for example, the percentage of visitors accessing a specific page.
We collect data directly when you:
We may also collect data through automated technologies such as cookies. Please see our Cookie Policy for more information. Where you need to share passwords or login details with us, we collect these directly from you using encrypted tools such as LastPass or dedicated password sharing services, never over plain text or email. We may also receive data from third parties such as analytics providers (Google Analytics) and publicly available sources such as Companies House.
We rely on contract performance, legitimate interests, legal obligations and consent as our lawful basis for processing. Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time by contacting us or clicking 'unsubscribe'.
Yes, our website uses cookies to distinguish you from other users and improve your experience. Please refer to our Cookie Policy for full details.
Our website may link to third-party websites, tools and apps. We are not responsible for their privacy policies. When you leave our website, we encourage you to read the privacy policy of every site you visit.
We only share your data where necessary with:
All third parties are required to keep your data secure and may only process it for specified purposes in line with our instructions.
We use AI tools to support efficiency in our work. Any AI tools we use are handled in compliance with the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. All AI outputs are reviewed by a real person, no decisions are made solely by AI. The tools we use are:
We may from time to time use other AI tools to assist with our services. Where we do so, we will ensure any personal data is handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable data protection legislation. No identifiable personal data is input into these tools without appropriate safeguards in place.
Limitations of AI: Although we take care to use reliable AI tools, they are not without limitations and we do not guarantee their accuracy, completeness, or suitability. We independently review and verify AI-generated outputs before relying on them.
Your rights regarding our use of AI: you can request further details about how we use AI in your particular case, object to any decision made solely by AI that has a legal or similarly significant effect on you, and ask us to review or correct how your personal data is processed by any AI tool. Email hello@va4uvirtualassisting.co.uk to exercise any of these rights.
No. We do not use automated systems to make decisions about you without human involvement. Every decision affecting our clients and visitors is made by a real person.
No. We do not use digital identity verification services or participate in any Smart Data schemes regulated under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. If this changes, we will update this policy to explain what data is shared, why, and how you can opt out or withdraw consent.
We do not transfer your data outside the United Kingdom and European Economic Area (EEA).
We have strong security measures in place. Only authorised individuals with a need to know are granted access to your data. In the rare event of a personal data breach, we have procedures in place and will notify you and any applicable regulator as required by law.
Where you need to share passwords or login details with us to carry out your services, these are treated as personal data and are used only for the specific work agreed with you, never for any other purpose. We do not share passwords or login details over unencrypted channels such as plain text or email; where possible, these are shared using encrypted tools such as LastPass or dedicated password sharing services. We keep a record of when access was given and used, so both parties have a clear account of what happened with any shared credentials. We are also happy to sign a confidentiality agreement (sometimes referred to as an NDA) on request, in addition to the protections already set out in this policy.
We only retain your data as long as necessary. By law we must keep basic customer information for six years after they cease being customers for tax purposes. For other data, we consider the type and sensitivity of data and applicable legal requirements to determine the appropriate retention period.
Passwords and login details are not retained once the agreed work is complete or access is no longer required, whichever is sooner. Records of when access was given and used are kept for as long as needed to resolve any dispute or query, and are then deleted.
Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete data.
Ask us to delete your personal data where there is no good reason to keep it.
Object to the processing of your data in certain situations.
Request that we restrict processing under specific circumstances.
Request transfer of your data to you or a third party.
Withdraw consent at any point where we rely on it.
To make a Subject Access Request, email hello@va4uvirtualassisting.co.uk with the subject line "DSAR Request". We'll respond within one calendar month. If your request is complex or repetitive, we may apply proportionality rules under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, which allow us to limit the scope or extend the response time, we'll always explain why and keep you informed. If you're unhappy with our response, you can raise a concern with the ICO at www.ico.org.uk.
We review our privacy policy regularly and may update it from time to time. Please keep us updated if your personal data changes. If you have any questions, get in touch.
Questions about your data? We're always happy to help.
hello@va4uvirtualassisting.co.uk