In May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force across the EU. This includes obligations for small businesses about how they handle their clients’ data.

In response, this statement sets out Luke Finley Editorial’s data protection policy. ‘I/me/my’ is Luke Finley Editorial and ‘you/your’ is any client or prospective client.

Your personal data

I may collect and store personal data so that I can to communicate with you, including:

• name, job title, email address, postal address, telephone number

I usually keep this data after I’ve worked with you: I often work with clients more than once, so I may need the contact details again. If you want me to delete any of this data please let me know.

Invoicing

If you’re paying me for a service, for tax purposes I have to:

• send you an invoice which includes your name and postal address
• keep invoicing records for at least 5 years from 31 January after the service was provided (31 January is HMRC‘s tax return deadline)

Agreeing a project

I set out the proposed terms of our contract by email, based on the information you’ve given me about what editorial services you need, and usually in the same email that quotes you a price for the project. I make it clear in this email that acceptance of the quoted price for the quoted services constitutes the contract between us. I also give you the opportunity to ask for any adjustments you want to the quoted terms before we agree to go ahead.

Your work

I use a password-protected PC to store your files.

I also use Microsoft OneDrive. This enables me to access files that are stored on my PC from other devices. This access is protected with the same password I use for my PC. No copies of your work or personal details are stored locally on any device which I use to do this.

I sometimes use other file-sharing/cloud storage applications, including Dropbox, TransferWise and Google Docs: for example, if a file is too large to send as an email attachment. I will always ask for your consent before doing this.

Any original files that you share with me remain your property. Any versions of these files that I’ve formatted, edited or changed in any other way are my property until you’ve paid for the work we’ve agreed on. Once you’ve paid, these files also become your property. I may choose to send edited versions to you before you’ve paid – e.g. if I have queries I need to you answer. I never share any of these files with anyone else unless you ask me to.

I keep files and emails (and other written communication, if relevant) relating to completed projects on the same PC. It’s useful to have this record of past projects in case we work together again. If we don’t, I eventually archive these files and emails. I may eventually delete older archives because of lack of storage space.

If you want me to delete any of your files immediately or you have any other requests about their storage please let me know.

If you contact me about working together but we decide not to proceed for any reason, I may keep the information you’ve provided in your query, including contact details, anything you tell me about the nature of your written material, and the type of editing work you’ve asked about. I keep this information for business analysis purposes only and never share it with anyone. If don’t want me to keep this information please let me know.

Marketing

I may use the contact details you’ve provided to contact you again about obtaining further work. Please tell me if you don’t want me to.

I keep a list of possible future clients who I intend to contact for marketing purposes. This contains only publicly available details (e.g. from an organisation’s website), and occasionally individuals’ names and contact details which I’ve been given by the organisation itself (e.g. when ringing up to ask who I should speak to about obtaining work).

This information is recorded for my use only and I never share it with anyone else.

Website

www.lukefinley-editorial.co.uk uses cookies. For more details, see my Cookie policy. This does not involve recording personal details.

If you use the contact form on my website, any data you’ve chosen to include in your message is forwarded to my email address, luke@lukefinley-editorial.co.uk. This is then stored as described above.

I may link to other websites from my website. I have no control over any such websites, and no responsibility for how they handle any data you provide to them.