Privacy Policy
How VA Accounting Solutions collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal data — in plain language.
Who We Are
VA Accounting Solutions is a professional accounting and bookkeeping practice operated by Villiana Mindeh. We provide bookkeeping, tax preparation, payroll management, financial reporting, and related accounting services to individuals and businesses in the UK and internationally.
For the purposes of UK data protection law, VA Accounting Solutions is the data controller responsible for your personal data.
UK Office: Belix House, 19 Raymill Road East, Maidenhead, SL6 8SW
Head Office: Company Complex, Limbe, Cameroon
Email: info@villianamindeh.com
Website: villianamindeh.com
This Privacy Policy applies to all personal data we collect through our website (villianamindeh.com), our contact forms, email correspondence, and through the provision of our professional services.
What Personal Data We Collect
We collect and process different types of personal data depending on how you interact with us and the services you use.
2.1 Data you provide directly
| Data type | Examples | Why we collect it |
|---|---|---|
| Identity data | Name, date of birth, National Insurance number | Providing accounting and tax services; HMRC compliance |
| Contact data | Email address, phone number, postal address | Communicating with you; sending reports and correspondence |
| Financial data | Bank statements, invoices, payroll records, tax returns, P60s, income details | Providing bookkeeping, tax, and payroll services; statutory reporting |
| Business data | Company name, UTR, VAT number, Companies House number | Filing accounts, tax returns, and VAT returns on your behalf |
| Communications data | Emails, WhatsApp messages, contact form submissions | Responding to enquiries; maintaining client records |
| Sensitive financial data | Employment income, benefits, pension contributions, investment returns | Completing Self Assessment and tax planning services |
2.2 Data collected automatically
When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:
- Technical data — your IP address, browser type, device type, and operating system
- Usage data — pages visited, time on site, links clicked, and referring URL
- Cookie data — see our Cookies section below
2.3 Data from third parties
In the course of providing our services, we may receive personal data from:
- HMRC — in connection with tax returns, VAT registrations, and correspondence
- Companies House — company information for statutory filing purposes
- Cloud accounting platforms (QuickBooks, Xero) — data you share through these systems
- Your employer or other accountants — if you provide consent for us to liaise on your behalf
How We Collect Your Data
We collect personal data through the following channels:
- Our website contact form — when you submit an enquiry at villianamindeh.com/contact
- Email correspondence — when you contact us at info@villianamindeh.com
- WhatsApp — when you message us at +237 675 439 789
- Social media — Facebook and LinkedIn messages or comments
- During service delivery — when you share financial documents, records, or login access to accounting platforms
- HMRC and Companies House — as part of filing and compliance activities on your behalf
- Referrals — when an existing client or third party provides your contact details with your knowledge
Why We Use Your Data (Lawful Basis)
Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. We rely on the following bases:
| Purpose | Lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Providing bookkeeping, tax, payroll, and accounting services | Contract — necessary to perform our agreement with you |
| Filing tax returns, VAT returns, and statutory accounts with HMRC and Companies House | Legal obligation — we are required to do so under UK law |
| Responding to your initial enquiry before a contract is in place | Legitimate interests — responding to your request to engage with us |
| Sending you service updates, deadline reminders, and relevant financial advice | Contract or Legitimate interests |
| Sending you marketing information about our services | Consent — you may opt out at any time |
| Complying with legal, regulatory, or professional obligations | Legal obligation — professional accounting standards and UK law |
| Improving our website and services | Legitimate interests — understanding how our website is used |
How Long We Keep Your Data
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, and to comply with our legal and professional obligations.
| Data type | Retention period | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Client accounting and tax records | 6 years from the end of the relevant tax year | HMRC and Companies House requirements; professional standards |
| Payroll records | 6 years from the date of the payroll run | HMRC RTI and employer obligations |
| Anti-money laundering (AML) records | 5 years from the end of the business relationship | The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds Regulations 2017 |
| Website enquiry and contact form data | 2 years from date of enquiry (or upon request) | Legitimate interests — enquiry follow-up |
| Email correspondence | 6 years for client-related emails; 2 years for general enquiries | Professional records and dispute resolution |
| Website analytics data | 26 months (Google Analytics default) | Website improvement |
| Marketing consent records | Until you withdraw consent | Demonstrating consent compliance |
When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised. We follow guidance from the Institute of Chartered Accountants and UK ICO on appropriate retention periods for professional accounting records.
Who We Share Your Data With
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We share your data only where necessary to provide our services or to comply with legal obligations:
- HMRC — for filing tax returns, VAT returns, payroll RTI, and responding to HMRC correspondence on your behalf
- Companies House — for filing annual accounts and confirmation statements for your limited company
- QuickBooks Online (Intuit) — our primary cloud bookkeeping platform; data is processed in accordance with Intuit’s Privacy Policy
- Xero — our secondary cloud bookkeeping platform; data is processed in accordance with Xero’s Privacy Policy
- Cloud storage providers — such as Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive, used for secure document sharing with clients
- Professional advisors — solicitors or other professionals where necessary and with your knowledge
- Law enforcement or regulatory bodies — where we are legally required to do so, or to protect our legal rights
All third parties are required to maintain appropriate security measures and to use your data only for specified, lawful purposes.
International Data Transfers
VA Accounting Solutions has offices in both the United Kingdom and Cameroon. Some client data may be accessed from our Cameroon office in the course of providing services. Cameroon is not currently recognised as providing an adequate level of data protection equivalent to the UK under the UK GDPR.
Where data is accessed from or transferred to our Cameroon office, we apply appropriate safeguards including:
- Strict internal data access controls and confidentiality obligations
- Encrypted communication channels for all data transfer
- Role-based access — only team members who require access for service delivery may view client data
- Our standard contractual commitments on data security and confidentiality
Some of our third-party service providers (including QuickBooks/Intuit and Xero) may process data in the United States or other countries. These providers rely on UK adequacy decisions, Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), or other appropriate transfer mechanisms approved under UK GDPR.
You may request details of the specific safeguards we apply to any international transfer by contacting us at info@villianamindeh.com.
Your Rights Under UK GDPR
Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
✓ Right of Access
You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you (a Subject Access Request — SAR).
✓ Right to Rectification
You can ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you.
✓ Right to Erasure
You can ask us to delete your personal data where there is no longer a lawful reason for us to hold it, subject to our legal retention obligations.
✓ Right to Restrict Processing
You can ask us to restrict how we use your data in certain circumstances.
✓ Right to Data Portability
You can ask us to provide your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format where we process it by automated means based on your consent or a contract.
✓ Right to Object
You can object to our processing your data based on legitimate interests, including for direct marketing purposes.
✓ Right to Withdraw Consent
Where we rely on your consent to process data (e.g. marketing), you can withdraw consent at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
✓ Right to Complain
You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe we have not handled your data correctly.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@villianamindeh.com. We will respond within one calendar month of receiving your request, as required by UK GDPR. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request.
Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Helpline: 0303 123 1113 | Website: ico.org.uk
Cookies
Our website uses cookies — small text files placed on your device — to improve your browsing experience, analyse site traffic, and remember your preferences.
Types of cookies we use
| Cookie type | Purpose | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly necessary | Essential for the website to function — e.g. remembering your cookie preferences | Legitimate interests — no consent required |
| Analytics | Understanding how visitors use our site (e.g. Google Analytics) | Consent |
| Functional | Remembering your preferences (e.g. language, region) | Consent |
| Marketing | Tracking for remarketing or advertising (if applicable) | Consent |
You can manage or withdraw your cookie consent at any time through your browser settings or our cookie banner. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.
Our website is built on WordPress using the Flatsome theme. WordPress and third-party plugins may set their own cookies. Please refer to the relevant platform’s cookie policy for further details.
Children’s Privacy
Our services are intended for individuals aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under the age of 18. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, please contact us immediately at info@villianamindeh.com and we will delete it promptly.
Changes to This Policy
We review and update this Privacy Policy periodically — at least annually, and whenever there is a significant change to how we process personal data or to applicable law.
The most recent version is always published at villianamindeh.com/privacy-policy with the date it was last updated shown at the top of the page.
If we make significant changes that affect your rights or how we use your data, we will notify you by email (if you are an existing client) or by a prominent notice on our website before the changes take effect.
Continued use of our services after any update constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
How to Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, how we handle your personal data, or wish to exercise any of your rights, please get in touch:
VA Accounting Solutions — Data Enquiries
Email: info@villianamindeh.com
WhatsApp: +237 675 439 789
UK postal address: Belix House, 19 Raymill Road East, Maidenhead, SL6 8SW, United Kingdom
Head office: Company Complex, Limbe, Cameroon
We aim to respond to all data-related enquiries within one calendar month. For Subject Access Requests, please state clearly in your message that you are making a SAR under UK GDPR.
If you are not satisfied with our response to any data concern, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or by calling 0303 123 1113.