Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

Great North Building Consultancy Limited

• Company number: 16361667
• Registered office and trading address:
  South Shields Business Works,
  Henry Robson Way
  South Shields
  NE33 1RF
• Telephone: 0191 481 2113
• Email: office@greatnorthbc.co.uk)

We are the data controller for the purposes of data protection law.

2. What personal data we collect

Personal data means any information that can identify you directly or indirectly. We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

• Contact details: name, email address, telephone number
• Business enquiry information: details you provide when contacting us
• Marketing data: email address and preferences where you opt in to receive communications
• Transaction data: billing details, payment information (processed securely by third‑party payment providers)
• Technical data: IP address, browser type and basic usage information

We do not collect special category data (such as health data) via our website.

3. How we collect your data

We collect personal data when you:

• contact us via email, telephone or enquiry forms;
• subscribe to marketing communications;
• instruct us to provide professional services;

interact with our website.

4. Purposes for processing your data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

• to respond to enquiries and provide information about our services;
• to deliver professional services where you formally instruct us;
• to administer contracts, invoicing and payments;
• to send marketing communications where you have opted in;
• to comply with legal, regulatory and professional obligations;
• to manage and improve our website and business operations.

5. Legal basis for processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. We rely on the following legal bases:

• Consent: where you have actively opted in to receive marketing communications. You may withdraw consent at any time.
• Contract: where processing is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract.
• Legitimate interests: where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as responding to enquiries, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights.
• Legal obligation: where processing is required to comply with legal or regulatory obligations.

6. Who we share your data with

We do not sell your personal data. We may share your data with trusted third‑party service providers where necessary, including:

email and communication providers (e.g. Microsoft 365, Mailchimp);
accounting and financial software providers (e.g. FreeAgent);
CRM and practice management systems (e.g. SurveyBooker, Atlassian (owner of Trello));
professional advisers and insurers;
payment processors and IT service providers.

All third parties are required to process your data securely and only in accordance with our instructions.

7. International data transfers

Some of our service providers may store data on servers located outside the UK or EEA. Where this occurs, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy decisions or standard contractual clauses, to protect your personal data.

8. Data retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected:

• marketing data: until you withdraw consent;
• business enquiries: up to 24 months;
• client and transactional records: six years for tax and legal purposes;
• professional service records: up to 15 years to meet insurance and regulatory requirements.

Where a dispute or legal claim arises, data may be retained for longer until the matter is resolved.

9. Your data protection rights

You have the following rights under data protection law:

• the right to be informed;
• the right of access;
• the right to rectification;
• the right to erasure;
• the right to restrict processing;
• the right to data portability;
• the right to object;
• rights relating to automated decision‑making and profiling.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact office@greatnorthbc.co.uk

10. Cookies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies. For full details of how we use cookies and how you can manage your preferences, please see our Cookie Policy.

11. Security

We have appropriate technical and organisational measures in place to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, loss or misuse. However, no online transmission is completely secure.

12. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we use your personal data, please contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO): http://www.ico.org.uk.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page, and where appropriate, notified to you.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact office@greatnorthbc.co.uk.