Privacy Policy
1. General
This is the privacy policy of The Accounts Place.
At The Accounts Place we are committed to safeguarding the privacy of visitors to our website. Please read the following policy to understand how we use your personal data.
Whenever you give us personal data, you are consenting to its collection and use in accordance with our Privacy Policy. We will not share your personal information for marketing or any other purposes without your consent unless required by law.
2. Personal Data
In general, you can visit www.accountsplace.com without telling us who you are or giving any personal information about yourself. However, when you register to buy our products or use our services you may be required to provide personal data such as your name, company position, address, telephone number, mobile number, email address, credit card details and age.
If you forward information to us electronically or as a hard copy, we will collect that information and use it for the purposes for which you have provided it. We will never collect sensitive information about you without your explicit consent.
Every time you connect to the site, we store a log of your visit that shows the unique number your machine uses when it is connected to the internet - its IP address. This tells us what your machine has looked at, whether the page request was successful or not and which browser your machine used to view the pages. The use of this data is primarily for statistical purposes.
This helps us to understand which areas of the site are of particular interest and also which pages are not being requested. It also tells us how many people are visiting the site in total. We may attempt to contact you through these details if necessary, including, without limitation, when you are using the wrong paths to access the site or are breaching restrictions on the use of the site.
We may also use this information to block IP addresses where there is a breach of the terms and conditions for use of the site.
3. Cookies
A cookie is a piece of text that is entered into the memory of your browser by a website, allowing the website to store information on a user's machine and later retrieve it. Some Accounts Place pages use cookies so that we can better serve you when you return to the site. Cookies also enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the onsite experience.
Cookies are in no way linked to any personally identifiable information. If a user rejects the cookie, they may still use the site, although some areas may be functionally limited. Most internet browsers allow the use of cookies to be enabled or disabled. For specific instructions to enable or disable cookies on your computer, please refer to the documentation for your browser software.
4. Use of Personal Data
We will process and store your data securely, and we will only keep it for as long as we need it for the purpose(s) for which it was collected. We use your personal data to provide goods and services to you and to let you know about other goods and services in which you may be interested. Personal information may also be collected for the purposes
of improving our website content, providing goods and services, marketing, as part of our customer satisfaction surveys or for market research or other ancillary purposes. If you are making a job application or inquiry, you may provide us with a copy of your CV or other relevant information. We may use this information for the purpose of considering your application or inquiry. Except when you explicitly request otherwise, we may keep this information on file for future reference.
We may also use your personal data to carry out research that will enable us to better understand our users' demographics, interests and behaviour. This research is compiled and analysed on an aggregated basis, without identifying any user individually.
5. Sharing of Personal Data
We may pass your personal data to our associated companies to provide you with the goods and services that you requested.
We may also provide your personal data to companies outside our group, associated companies, our partners or authorised resellers; that may or may not be located outside the European Economic Area to provide you with information about other products or services at your request.
Except as set out above, we will not disclose your personal information except where we are obliged to do so or allowed to do so by law, or where we need to do so in order to run our business (for instance where we outsource services or other people process data for us) If you do not wish us to pass your information to any other companies, please let us know by emailing office@accountsplace.com
6. Security and Access
We endeavour to hold all personal information securely in accordance with our internal security procedures and English law.
Some or all of your data may be stored outside of the EEA. If we do store data outside this area, we will take all reasonable steps to ensure that your data is as safe and secure as it would be within the UK and is treated lawfully and in accordance with the GDPR.
We will only keep your data as long as we need it for the purpose(s) for which it is collected, and/or for as long as we have your permission to hold it.
Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet or any other network can be guaranteed as 100% secure. As a result, while we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot ensure and do not warrant the security of any information you transmit to us, and this information is transmitted at your own risk.
If you want to request any information about your personal data or believe that we are holding incorrect personal data on you, please contact: office@accountsplace.com
7. Notification of Changes
We reserve the right to amend or vary this policy at any time and the revised policy will apply from the date posted on the site. You accept that by doing this the Accounts Place has provided you with sufficient notice of the amendment or variation.
8. Contact Details
If you have any questions about the Site or this Policy, or you wish to make a Subject Access Request, then please contact us as follows, making your request or query clear:
Email: office@accountsplace.com
Postal Address: The Accounts Place, Magenta Building, 2 Brookhill Way, Banbury OX16 3ED
Terms and Conditions
Terms and conditions in respect of the work undertaken by the Accounts Place Limited
Introduction
These terms and conditions set out the general terms under which we undertake our business. The specific conditions relating to particular assignments will be covered in a separate letter of engagement.
Applicable law
This engagement letter, the schedule of services and our standard terms and conditions of business are governed by, and should be construed in accordance with, English law. Each party agrees that the Courts of English law will have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any claim, dispute or difference concerning this engagement letter and any matter arising from it. Each party irrevocably waives any right to object to any action being brought in those Courts, to claim that the action has been brought in an inappropriate forum, or to claim that those Courts do not have jurisdiction.
Bribery Act 2010
In accordance with the requirements of the Bribery Act 2010 we have policies and procedures in place to prevent the business and its partners and staff from offering or receiving bribes.
Commissions or other benefits
In some circumstances, commissions or other benefits may become payable to us in respect of transactions which we arrange for you. Where this happens we will notify you in writing of the amount and terms of payment. The same will apply where the payment is made to or transactions are arranged by a person or business connected with ours. We will not reduce the fees we would otherwise charge by the amount of the commissions or benefits.
Communication
Unless you instruct us otherwise we may, where appropriate, communicate with you and with third parties via email or by other electronic means. The recipient is responsible for virus checking emails and any attachments.
With electronic communication there is a risk of non-receipt, delayed receipt, inadvertent misdirection or interception by third parties. We use virus-scanning software to reduce the risk of viruses and similar damaging items being transmitted through emails or electronic storage devices. However, electronic communication is not totally secure and we cannot be held responsible for damage or loss caused by viruses nor for communications which are corrupted or altered after despatch. Nor can we accept any liability for problems or accidental errors relating to this means of communication especially in relation to commercially sensitive material. These are risks you must bear in return for greater efficiency and lower costs. If you do not wish to accept these risks please let us know and we will communicate by paper mail, other than where electronic submission is mandatory.
Any communication by us with you sent through the post system is deemed to arrive at your postal address two working days after the day that the document was sent.
Confidentiality
Communication between us is confidential and we shall take all reasonable steps to keep confidential your information except where we are required to disclose it by law, by regulatory bodies, by our insurers or as part of an external peer review. Unless we are authorised by you to disclose information on your behalf this undertaking will apply during and after this engagement.
We may, on occasions, subcontract work on your affairs to other tax or accounting professionals. The subcontractors will be bound by our client confidentiality terms.
We reserve the right, for the purpose of promotional activity, training or for other business purpose, to mention that you are a client. As stated above we will not disclose any confidential information.
Conflicts of interest
We will inform you if we become aware of any conflict of interest which could impact on our relationship with you. Where conflicts are identified which cannot be managed in a way that protects your interests then we regret that we may be unable to provide further services.
If there is a conflict of interest that is capable of being addressed successfully by the adoption of suitable safeguards to protect your interests then we will adopt those safeguards. Safeguards may include measures such as separate teams, physical separation of teams, and separate arrangements for storage of and access to information. Where possible this will be done on the basis of your informed consent.
We reserve the right to act for other clients whose interests are not the same as or are adverse to yours, subject of course to the obligations of confidentiality referred to above.
Consumer credit
If, during the provision of professional services to you, you need advice or services on areas from us that fall within Consumer Credit activity, we may have to refer you to someone who is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as we are not authorised to undertake this activity.
Data Protection Act 1998
We confirm that we will comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 when processing personal data about you and your family. In order to carry out the services of this engagement and for related purposes such as updating and enhancing our client records, analysis for management purposes and statutory returns, legal and regulatory compliance and crime prevention we may obtain, process, use and disclose personal data about you. You shall ensure that any disclosure of personal data to us complies with the DPA.
We shall use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data. We shall not sub-contract any processing of personal data unless the sub-contractor has agreed that the personal data continues to be subject to an appropriate level of protection. To the extent we act as data processor for you, we shall only process personal data in accordance with your instructions.
We shall answer your reasonable enquiries to enable you to monitor compliance with this clause.
Intellectual property rights
We will retain all copyright in any document prepared by us during the course of carrying out the engagement save where the law specifically provides otherwise.
Interpretation
If any provision of this engagement letter, schedules of services or standard terms and conditions is held to be void, then that provision will be deemed not to form part of this contract and the remainder of this agreement shall be interpreted as if such provision had never been inserted.
In the event of any conflict between these terms of business and the engagement letter or appendices, the relevant provision in the engagement letter or schedules will take precedence.
Investment services
Investment business is regulated under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and the Financial Services Act 2012.
If, during the provision of professional services to you, you need advice on investments, including insurances, we may have to refer you to someone who is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority or the Prudential Regulation Authority or licensed by a Designated Professional Body as we are not authorised to give such advice.
Lien
In so far as permitted to do so by law or professional guidelines, we reserve the right to exercise a lien over all funds, documents and records in our possession relating to all engagements for you until all outstanding fees and disbursements are paid in full.
Limitation of liability
We will provide our services with reasonable care and skill. Our liability to you is limited to losses, damages, costs and expenses caused by our negligence or wilful default.
Exclusion of liability for loss caused by others
We will not be liable if such losses, penalties, surcharges, interest or additional tax liabilities are due to the acts or omissions of any other person or due to the provision to us of incomplete, misleading or false information or if they are due to a failure to act on our advice or a failure to provide us with relevant information.
Exclusion of liability in relation to circumstances beyond our control
We will not be liable to you for any delay or failure to perform our obligations under this engagement letter if the delay or failure is caused by circumstances outside our reasonable control.
Exclusion of liability relating to the discovery of fraud, etc.
We will not be responsible or liable for any loss, damage or expense incurred or sustained if information material to the service we are providing is withheld or concealed from us or wrongly misrepresented to us or from fraudulent acts, misrepresentation or wilful default on the part of any party to the transaction and their directors, officers, employees, agents or advisers.
This exclusion shall not apply where such misrepresentation, withholding or concealment is or should (in carrying out the procedures which we have agreed to perform with reasonable care and skill) have been evident to us without further enquiry.
Indemnity for unauthorised disclosure
You agree to indemnify us and our agents in respect of any claim (including any claim for negligence) arising out of any unauthorised disclosure of our advice and opinions, whether in writing or otherwise. This indemnity will extend to the cost of defending any such claim, including payment at our usual rates for the time that we spend in defending it.
Limitation of aggregate liability
Where the engagement letter specifies an aggregate limit of liability, then that sum shall be the maximum aggregate liability of this company, its directors agents and employees to all persons to whom the engagement letter is addressed and also any other person that we have agreed with you may rely on our work. By signing the engagement letter, you agree that you have given proper consideration to this limit and accept that it is reasonable in all the circumstances. If you do not wish to accept it you should contact us to discuss it before signing the engagement letter.
You have agreed that you will not bring any claim of a kind that is included within the subject of the limit against any of our directors or employees; on a personal basis.
Limitation of Third Party Rights
The advice and information we provide to you as part of our service is for your sole use and not for any third party to whom you may communicate it unless we have expressly agreed in the engagement letter that a specified third party may rely on our work. We accept no responsibility to third parties, including any group company to whom the engagement letter is not addressed, for any advice, information or material produced as part of our work for you which you make available to them. It may not be used or relied upon for any other purpose or by any other person other than you without our prior written consent. A party to this agreement is the only person who has the right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce any of its terms.
If our advice is disclosed to any third party (with or without our consent), then we accept no responsibility or liability to that third party for any consequences that may arise to them, should they rely on the advice.
If it is proposed that any documents or statement which refer to our name are to be circulated to third parties, please consult us before they are issued.
Money Laundering Regulations 2007
In accordance with the Proceeds of Crime Act and Money Laundering Regulations 2007 you agree to waive your right to confidentiality to the extent of any report made, document provided or information disclosed to the National Crime Agency (NCA).
You also acknowledge that we are required to report directly to the NCA without prior reference to you or your representatives if during the course of undertaking any assignment the person undertaking the role of Money Laundering Reporting Officer becomes suspicious of money laundering.
As with other professional services firms, we are required to identify our clients for the purposes of the UK anti-money laundering legislation. We may request from you, and retain, such information and documentation as we require for these purposes and/or make searches of appropriate databases. If we are not able to obtain satisfactory evidence of your identity, we will not be able to proceed with the engagement.
Copies of such records will be maintained by us for a period of at least five years after we cease to act for the business.
Period of engagement and termination
Unless otherwise agreed in the engagement covering letter our work will begin when we receive your implicit or explicit acceptance of that letter. Except as stated in that letter we will not be responsible for periods before that date.
Each of us may terminate this agreement by giving not less than 21 days notice in writing to the other party except where you fail to cooperate with us or we have reason to believe that you have provided us or HMRC with misleading information, in which case we may terminate this agreement immediately. Termination will be without prejudice to any rights that may have accrued to either of us prior to termination.
In the event of termination of this contract, we will endeavour to agree with you the arrangements for the completion of work in progress at that time, unless we are required for legal or regulatory reasons to cease work immediately. In that event, we shall not be required to carry out further work and shall not be responsible or liable for any consequences arising from termination.
Professional rules and statutory obligations
We will observe and act in accordance with the ethical guidelines of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) We do this on the basis that whilst not practising members, we are ACCA qualified and continue to adhere to these guidelines. In particular, you give us the authority to correct errors made by HMRC where we become aware of them. We will not be liable for any loss, damage or cost arising from our compliance with statutory or regulatory obligations.
Provision of Services Regulations 2009
In accordance with our professional body rules we are required to hold professional indemnity insurance. Details about the insurer and coverage can be found at www.accountsplace.com or at our offices.
Reliance on advice
We will endeavour to record all advice on important matters in writing. Advice given orally is not intended to be relied upon unless confirmed in writing. Therefore, if we provide oral advice (for example during the course of a meeting or a telephone conversation) and you wish to be able to rely on that advice, you must ask for the advice to be confirmed by us in writing.
Retention of papers
You have a legal responsibility to retain documents and records relevant to your tax affairs. During the course of our work we may collect information from you and others relevant to your affairs. We will return any original documents to you if requested. Documents and records relevant to your affairs are required by law to be retained as follows:
Individuals, trustees and partnerships
- with trading or rental income: 5 years and 10
months after the end of the tax year;
- otherwise: 22 months after the end of the tax
year.
Companies, LLPs and other corporate entities
- 6 years from the end of the accounting
period;
Whilst certain documents may legally belong to you we may destroy correspondence and other papers that we store, electronically or otherwise, which are more than 7 years old. You must tell us if you require the return or retention of any specific documents for a longer period.
Timetable
The services we undertake to perform for you will be carried out on a timescale to be determined between us on an ongoing basis.
The timing of our work will in any event be dependent on the prompt supply of all information and documentation as and when required by us.
