Privacy Policy

At Burkin Associates Limited, we believe looking after your personal information is just as important as looking after our clients.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it and the choices you have. We have written it in plain English because we want it to be easy to understand.

Burkin Associates Limited operates under the trading names Burkin Associates, Red House Coaching and Kingfisher Cottage.

Who is responsible for your information?

Burkin Associates Limited is the data controller for the purposes of UK data protection law.

What information do we collect?

The information we collect depends on how you interact with us.

This may include:

• your name, email address and telephone number
• details you provide when you contact us
• information needed to arrange coaching, consultancy, venue hire or a stay at Kingfisher Cottage
• emails and other correspondence between us
• information you choose to share during coaching
• business information where we provide consultancy services
• information about how you use our website through cookies and analytics

We do not collect payment card details through our website.

Coaching information

During coaching you may choose to share sensitive information about your wellbeing, relationships or personal circumstances.

We only collect information that is relevant to our work together and treat it with the highest level of confidentiality.

Where this involves sensitive personal information, we process it with your explicit consent and in accordance with UK GDPR.

How do we use your information?

We only use your information where we have a legitimate reason to do so.

This includes:

• responding to your enquiries
• arranging discovery calls and appointments
• providing coaching, consultancy, venue hire or holiday accommodation
• managing our business records
• sending invoices
• meeting our legal and accounting obligations
• improving our website
• sending our LinkedIn newsletter or other updates where you have chosen to receive them

We will never sell your personal information.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality is a cornerstone of our coaching practice.

Information shared during coaching remains confidential unless:

• you ask us to share it
• we are required to do so by law
• there is a safeguarding concern or a serious risk of harm to you or someone else
• anonymous information is discussed during professional supervision to support good coaching practice

Any commercially sensitive information shared during consultancy work is also treated as confidential unless otherwise agreed.

Who do we share information with?

We only share information where it is necessary to run our business.

This may include:

• Hostinger (website hosting)
• Prosper Digital (website support and development)
• Microsoft 365 (business email and document management)
• Go High Level (customer relationship management and appointment systems)
• Airbnb (holiday accommodation bookings made through their platform)
• our accountant and other professional advisers where required
• regulatory authorities where we are legally obliged to do so

These organisations only receive the information they need to provide their services.

Payments

We currently accept payment by bank transfer following the issue of an invoice.

We do not store payment card information.

Marketing

If you choose to receive updates from us, we may send occasional news, articles or information about our services.

You can unsubscribe at any time.

If you subscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter, your information is also subject to LinkedIn’s own Privacy Policy.

Cookies

Our website uses cookies to help it function properly and to understand how visitors use it.

Some cookies are essential for the website to work.

Others help us improve the website by providing anonymous information about visitor behaviour.

When you first visit our website you will be asked whether you wish to accept non-essential cookies.

You can change your preferences at any time.

How long do we keep information?

We only keep information for as long as it is needed.

As a guide:

• website enquiries that do not become clients are normally kept for up to 12 months
• coaching notes are kept for a limited period before being securely destroyed
• emails and CRM records are retained in line with our business and legal obligations
• accounting records are kept for at least six years
• marketing information is kept until you unsubscribe

Where possible, coaching notes are kept to a minimum and do not routinely contain full identifying information.

Keeping your information secure

We take appropriate steps to protect your information from loss, misuse or unauthorised access.

Although no internet-based system can ever be completely secure, we use trusted providers and appropriate security measures to protect your information.

International transfers

Some of the organisations we work with may store or process information outside the United Kingdom.

Where this happens, appropriate safeguards are in place to ensure your information continues to be protected in accordance with UK data protection law.

Your rights

You have the right to:

• know what information we hold about you
• ask us to correct inaccurate information
• ask us to delete information where appropriate
• object to certain types of processing
• restrict how your information is used in some circumstances
• receive a copy of your information where the law allows
• withdraw your consent where we rely on it

If you would like to exercise any of these rights, simply contact us.

Complaints

If you have any concerns about how we have handled your information, please contact us first and we will do our best to resolve the matter.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

From time to time we may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes to our services or changes in the law.

The latest version will always be available on our website.