Privacy Policy

Introduction

shade-code is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care and respect. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data when you interact with our services or visit our website.

We are a financial advisory firm based in Birmingham, United Kingdom, and we process personal information in accordance with UK data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Information We Collect

We collect and process various types of personal information depending on how you interact with us:

Information You Provide Directly

When you engage our services or communicate with us, you may provide:

• Contact details such as your name, email address, postal address, and telephone number
• Financial information including income, expenses, assets, liabilities, and investment holdings
• Identification documents such as passport or driving license copies
• Employment and business information
• Tax-related information including National Insurance number and tax records
• Information about your financial goals, risk tolerance, and preferences
• Any other information you choose to share with us in correspondence or meetings

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

• Technical information such as IP address, browser type, and device information
• Usage data including pages visited, time spent on pages, and navigation patterns
• Cookie data as described in our Cookies Policy

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for specific, legitimate purposes:

Service Delivery

We process your information to provide the financial advisory services you've requested, including analyzing your financial situation, preparing recommendations, implementing strategies, and providing ongoing support.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

As a financial services firm, we're required to collect and maintain certain information to comply with anti-money laundering regulations, tax reporting requirements, and professional conduct standards.

Communication

We use your contact information to respond to inquiries, schedule appointments, send service updates, and maintain our client relationship. We'll only send marketing communications if you've given us permission to do so.

Business Operations

We process data for internal purposes such as improving our services, training staff, managing accounts, and maintaining accurate records.

Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on one or more of the following legal grounds:

• Contract Performance: Processing is necessary to fulfill our service agreement with you
• Legal Obligation: Processing is required to comply with regulatory and legal requirements
• Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as improving services or preventing fraud, provided these interests don't override your rights
• Consent: You've given explicit permission for specific processing activities, such as marketing communications

Information Sharing and Disclosure

We maintain strict confidentiality regarding client information. We only share your data in limited circumstances:

Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in delivering our services, such as technology platforms, professional indemnity insurers, and administrative support services. These providers are contractually bound to protect your information and use it only for specified purposes.

Professional Advisors

With your consent, we may share relevant information with other professionals involved in your financial affairs, such as accountants, solicitors, or investment platforms.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose information when required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, including compliance with tax reporting obligations or anti-money laundering regulations.

Business Transfers

If our business is sold or merged with another organization, your information may be transferred to the new owners, who would be required to handle it in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encrypted data transmission and storage
• Secure access controls and authentication systems
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Staff training on data protection and confidentiality
• Physical security measures for our office premises
• Secure disposal of documents and electronic media

While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but remain committed to maintaining high security standards.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy and to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.

For active clients, we maintain records throughout our engagement and for a period afterward as required by professional standards and regulations. Financial services regulations typically require us to retain client records for at least six years after our relationship ends.

We periodically review our data holdings and securely delete or anonymize information that's no longer needed.

Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have several rights regarding your personal information:

• Right of Access: You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Right to Rectification: You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to Erasure: In certain circumstances, you can request deletion of your data
• Right to Restrict Processing: You can ask us to limit how we use your information
• Right to Data Portability: You can request your data in a structured, commonly used format
• Right to Object: You can object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing
• Rights Related to Automated Decision-Making: You have rights regarding automated decisions that significantly affect you

To exercise these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We'll respond to requests within one month, though complex requests may take longer. We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests.

Please note that some rights are not absolute and may be limited by legal or regulatory requirements. For example, we may be required to retain certain information despite a deletion request.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies. For detailed information about the cookies we use and your choices regarding them, please see our Cookies Policy.

Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to external websites. We're not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third-party sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed at individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we've inadvertently collected such information, please contact us so we can delete it promptly.

International Data Transfers

Your information is primarily stored and processed within the United Kingdom. If we transfer data outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with data protection laws.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We'll post the updated version on our website with a revised date. Significant changes will be communicated directly to active clients.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

shade-code
42 Colmore Row
Birmingham B3 2BS
United Kingdom
Email: [email protected]

Complaints

If you're not satisfied with how we've handled your personal information or responded to your concerns, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection supervisory authority:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk