Do I Need to Register Under the Data Protection Act?

If you take personal details from customers, it is a legal requirement that you register under the Data Protection Act 1998. The Data Protection Act has eight main principles that you must comply with.

Visit www.dataprotection.gov.uk for more information.

Although it is a legal requirement to register under the Data Protection Act if you handle customer details, it is not a legal requirement to have a privacy policy.

A privacy policy informs customers of your registration under the Data Protection Act and your procedure for taking, processing and storing their details. Put simply, it is a confidence statement for your customers. However, the absence of a privacy policy may affect the views and confidence of customers visiting your web site.

If you publish a privacy policy, you should link it from the home page (if not every page) where it can be easily found.

Can I Find Out What Company's Know About Me?

You - as a consumer - have a legal right to know what companies know about you. Contact the company(s) in writing and ask them to send a copy of what they know about you. You should ask:

• What information they have
• What it is being used for
• How it was obtained
• If it is being passed onto third parties

The company may wish to issue a security check to confirm your identity.