Last Updated: 28 May 2025

Hardmans Solicitors is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, and share your personal data when you use our website and visit our premises.

1. Who We Are

Hardmans Solicitors is the data controller responsible for your personal data processed through this website and our CCTV system. Our address is:

4-6 Park Street, Deal, Kent, CT14 6AQ

You can contact us regarding data protection matters at:

Email: info@hardmans-law.co.uk
Phone: 01304 373377

2. Personal Data We Collect Through Our Website

We may collect the following types of personal data from you when you use our website:

• Contact Information: If you contact us through our website, we may collect your name, email address, phone number, and any other information you provide in your message.
• Usage Data: We may collect information about how you use our website, such as the pages you visit, the links you click, and the duration of your visit. This information is typically collected through cookies and similar technologies. Please see our separate Cookie Policy \[Link to Cookie Policy if you have one] for more details.
• Technical Data: We may collect your IP address, browser type, operating system, and other technical information about your device.

3. How We Use Your Personal Data (Website)

We may use your personal data collected through our website for the following purposes:

• To respond to your inquiries and provide you with information you have requested.
• To improve our website and user experience.
• For website analytics and monitoring.
• For security purposes.

The legal basis for processing this data is typically our legitimate interests in operating and improving our website and responding to inquiries, or your consent where applicable (e.g., for certain cookies).

4. CCTV on Our Premises

Please be aware that Hardmans Solicitors operates a CCTV system on our premises at 4-6 Park Street, Deal, Kent, CT14 6AQ for the purposes of:

• Protecting the safety and security of our staff, clients, and visitors.
• Preventing and detecting crime and anti-social behaviour.
• Protecting our property and assets.

The CCTV system records images and may include audio.

Legal Basis for Processing CCTV Data (GDPR Article 6(1)(f))

The legal basis for processing personal data through our CCTV system is our legitimate interests in ensuring the safety and security of our premises, personnel, clients, visitors, and assets. We believe these interests do not unduly override your rights and freedoms.

Retention of CCTV Footage

CCTV footage is typically retained for seven days, unless there is an incident that requires the footage to be kept for longer (e.g., for investigation purposes).

Your Rights Regarding CCTV Data

Under the GDPR, you have certain rights regarding your personal data, which may include images of you captured by our CCTV system. These rights include the right to request access to your personal data, the right to erasure in certain circumstances, and the right to restrict processing.

To exercise these rights in relation to CCTV footage, please contact us using the details provided in Section 1. Please note that in some cases, we may need to redact images of other individuals to protect their privacy.

5. Sharing Your Personal Data

We may share your personal data with the following categories of recipients:

• Our IT service providers who assist with the operation and security of our website and systems.
• Law enforcement agencies if required by law.
• Add any other categories of recipients relevant to your website or business operations.

6. International Transfers

We do not typically transfer your personal data outside the European Economic Area (EEA). If we do, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your personal data in accordance with data protection law.

7. Your Rights

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have several rights regarding your personal data, including:

• The right to access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  The right to rectification: You have the right to ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you.
• The right to erasure (‘the right to be forgotten’): You have the right to ask us to delete your personal data in certain circumstances.
• The right to restrict processing: You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.
• The right to data portability: You have the right to receive the personal data you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to transmit that data to another controller.
• The right to object: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances, including processing for direct marketing purposes.
• Rights in relation to automated decision-making and profiling: You have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing, including profiling, which produces legal effects concerning you or similarly significantly affects you.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in Section 1. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request.

8. How Long We Keep Your Personal Data (Website)

We will retain your personal data collected through our website only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

9. Changes to This Privacy Notice

We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. We encourage you to review this Privacy Notice periodically.

10. How to Complain

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal data, you have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues. Their contact details are:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Website: www.ico.org.ukhttp://www.ico.org.uk/