Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 01/01/2025
Last Updated: 10/02/2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to New Forest Wills. We are a paralegal firm providing will writing, probate, power of attorney, and trust services. Protecting your personal data is important to us, and this Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our services, you agree to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy.

2. Data We Collect

We collect and process only the necessary personal data required to provide our legal services. This may include:

A. Personal Information

Full name
Address
Email address
Phone number
Date of birth

B. Identity Verification

Passport, driving licence, or other proof of identification (where required for legal purposes)

C. Financial Information

Payment details for processing transactions
Information on estate assets, property ownership, and liabilities (for will drafting and probate services)

D. Special Category Data (only where necessary and with explicit consent)

Health conditions (if relevant for power of attorney or trust planning)

We do not collect or process any unnecessary personal data.

3. How We Collect Your Data

We collect data directly from you through:

Consultations (in person, phone, email, or online)
Will writing and estate planning appointments
Legal service agreements and forms

We may also receive information from:

Executors, beneficiaries, or legal representatives (with consent)
Publicly available sources (for legal verification, if required)

We do not collect data from third-party marketing companies.

4. Purpose of Data Processing

We use your data for the following lawful purposes:

Providing legal services, including will writing, probate assistance, power of attorney, and trusts.
Fulfilling contractual obligations, ensuring accurate documentation.
Meeting legal compliance, such as obligations under UK estate and probate law.
Processing payments securely.
Communicating with you about your legal documents and services.

We do not use your personal data for automated decision-making or profiling.

5. Legal Basis for Processing Your Data

Under UK GDPR, we process your data under the following legal bases:

Contractual Necessity – To deliver the legal services you request.
Legal Obligation – To comply with UK wills, probate, and estate administration laws.
Legitimate Interests – To maintain service records and manage client relationships.
Consent – Where required, such as for processing sensitive personal data (e.g., health-related provisions in wills).

6. Data Sharing & Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or rent your data. However, we may share your data with:

Third-party will drafting specialists – To ensure legal accuracy and validation.
Regulatory bodies – If required by UK law (e.g., HMRC, probate courts).
Payment processors – To handle transactions securely.

We will only share necessary data and ensure third parties comply with data protection laws.

7. Data Retention Policy

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to:

Fulfill our contractual and legal obligations.
Comply with UK regulatory requirements.

Retention Periods

Wills & estate planning documents – Retained for up to 6 years after our last interaction.
Financial records – Retained for 7 years for tax and legal compliance.
General inquiries – Deleted after 12 months if no service is provided.

After these periods, data is securely destroyed.

8. Your Data Protection Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights:

Right to Access – Request a copy of the data we hold about you.
Right to Rectification – Correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to Erasure (“Right to Be Forgotten”) – Request data deletion where legally applicable.
Right to Restrict Processing – Ask us to limit how we use your data.
Right to Object – Opt out of certain uses, such as marketing.
Right to Data Portability – Request transfer of your data to another service provider.

To exercise your rights, contact us at newforestwills@gmail.com.

9. Data Security Measures

We implement strict security measures to protect your personal data, including:

Encryption of sensitive information.
Access restrictions, ensuring only authorized personnel handle data.
Regular security reviews to prevent unauthorized access.

If a data breach occurs, we will notify you and report it to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in line with UK GDPR.

10. Cookies & Website Tracking (If Applicable)

If we use cookies or analytics on our website, we:

Only collect necessary browsing data for website functionality.
Provide an opt-in mechanism where required.

For details, refer to our Cookies Policy (if applicable).

11. Contact Information & Complaints

If you have any privacy concerns, contact us at:

Email: newforestwills@gmail.com
Phone: 01590 682199
Address: Sway, Lymington SO41 6DX

If you’re not satisfied with our response, you can file a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at www.ico.org.uk.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this policy to reflect legal changes or business practices. Any updates will be posted on our website with the effective date clearly stated.

Last updated: 10/02/2025