Privacy Notice

DA Estate Planning

Last updated: 18/09/2026

DA Estate Planning respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.

This Privacy Notice explains how I collect, use, store and protect personal information when you visit my website, make an enquiry, book a consultation, complete a questionnaire, instruct me, or use my estate planning services.

1. About DA Estate Planning

DA Estate Planning is the trading name of David Atkins, a sole trader, providing estate planning services to clients across England and Wales.

Business name: DA Estate Planning
Principal: David Atkins

Business correspondence address:
DA Estate Planning
Hunters Lodge
Ash Grange
Ash Road
Whitchurch
Shropshire
SY13 4DH

Email: enquiries@daestateplanning.co.uk
Website: daestateplanning.co.uk
ICO registration number: 00015379381

For data protection purposes, David Atkins trading as DA Estate Planning is the controller of the personal information collected and used.

2. What personal information I collect

I may collect and use personal information including:

  • your name;

  • address;

  • email address;

  • telephone number;

  • date of birth;

  • marital or relationship status;

  • details of your family circumstances;

  • details of children, dependants, beneficiaries, executors, trustees, guardians and attorneys;

  • property ownership information;

  • asset and liability information;

  • business or agricultural asset information;

  • pension, life policy or death-in-service information where relevant;

  • information about existing Wills, trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney or estate planning documents;

  • your wishes, objectives and estate planning instructions;

  • payment and invoice information;

  • consultation notes, file notes and correspondence;

  • audio and video recordings of consultations, meetings and supervised signing appointments, together with any transcripts, summaries or notes created from those recordings;

  • copies, scans or photographs of signed or executed Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney or other estate planning documents where provided for checking, record keeping or evidential purposes;

  • information provided through website forms, booking forms or questionnaires.

Estate planning can involve sensitive personal and family information. I will only collect information that is reasonably necessary for the service being discussed or provided.

3. Special category information

In some cases, I may need to collect information about health, capacity, vulnerability, care needs or other sensitive circumstances.

This may be relevant where, for example, capacity, vulnerability, Lasting Powers of Attorney, care-fee planning, medical evidence, family circumstances or safeguarding concerns need to be considered.

Health information is special category data under UK data protection law. Where I need to process special category information, I will only do so where there is an appropriate lawful basis and a valid special category condition under data protection law.

This may include your explicit consent where appropriate.

4. Information about other people

To provide estate planning services, I may need to record information about other people connected to you, such as:

  • your spouse, civil partner or partner;

  • children or dependants;

  • beneficiaries;

  • executors;

  • trustees;

  • guardians;

  • attorneys;

  • relatives;

  • professional advisers;

  • witnesses

  • people who may be affected by your planning.

Where you provide information about another person, you should ensure that you have authority to provide that information where appropriate.

In some cases, it may not be appropriate to notify that person, for example where doing so would affect confidentiality, your instructions, or the proper provision of estate planning services.

5. How I collect information

I may collect personal information from:

  • you directly;

  • website enquiry forms;

  • online booking systems;

  • pre-meeting questionnaires;

  • Fillout forms or similar questionnaire tools;

  • email correspondence;

  • telephone calls;

  • WhatsApp Business messages;

  • SMS messages;

  • Google Meet consultations, meetings and supervised signing appointments, including recordings made during those sessions;

  • documents you provide;

  • family members or representatives, where appropriate;

  • professional advisers, where authorised;

  • public records or official bodies where relevant.

  • Google Meet consultations, meetings and supervised signing appointments are normally recorded for professional record-keeping and evidential purposes. Participants will be informed that recording is taking place.

6. Why I use your personal information

I use personal information to:

  • respond to enquiries;

  • arrange consultations;

  • prepare for meetings;

  • record consultations, meetings and supervised signing appointments for professional record-keeping, to create or support file notes, transcripts and summaries, to maintain an accurate record of instructions and advice, and where appropriate to provide an evidential record of the service provided;

  • understand your circumstances, wishes and objectives;

  • provide estate planning guidance;

  • prepare Wills, trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney and related documents;

  • check copies, scans or photographs of signed or executed documents, identify apparent execution issues and retain appropriate evidence of completion;

  • prepare client summaries, reports, drafts where appropriate, final documents and signing instructions;

  • communicate with you;

  • issue invoices and process payments;

  • manage client records;

  • deal with queries, concerns or complaints;

  • maintain business records;

  • comply with legal, tax, accounting, regulatory and professional obligations;

  • protect my legal position;

  • improve my website and services.

7. Lawful basis for using your information

I rely on one or more of the following lawful bases when using your personal information.

Contract

I process personal information where it is necessary to take steps before entering into a contract with you, or to perform the contract once you instruct me.

This includes responding to enquiries, arranging consultations, preparing documents and providing estate planning services.

Legal obligation

I may process personal information where necessary to comply with legal, tax, accounting, regulatory or other obligations.

Legitimate interests

I may process personal information where necessary for legitimate business interests, provided your interests and rights do not override those interests.

This may include managing client files, maintaining business records, recording consultations, meetings and supervised signing appointments for professional record-keeping and evidential purposes, improving services, dealing with complaints, preventing misuse of services, and protecting my legal position.

Consent

I may rely on consent for optional marketing communications or where explicit consent is appropriate for processing special category information, such as health or capacity-related information.

Where I rely on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. However, this may affect my ability to provide certain services if the information is necessary for your matter.

8. How I use your information

I will use your information to provide the services you have requested and to manage my relationship with you.

This may include:

  • reviewing information you provide;

  • preparing for consultations;

  • using recordings, transcripts, summaries and notes from consultations, meetings and supervised signing appointments to maintain an accurate record of instructions, advice, discussions and the service provided;

  • creating client summaries and reports;

  • preparing estate planning documents;

  • reviewing copies, scans or photographs of signed or executed documents and recording the outcome of any execution check;

  • sending drafts where appropriate, final documents and signing guidance;

  • keeping records of your instructions;

  • issuing invoices and payment information;

  • responding to future queries about documents prepared for you.

I do not sell your personal information.

9. Who I may share your information with

Where necessary, I may share your personal information with:

  • document drafting or estate planning support providers;

  • professional compliance advisers;

  • accountants or bookkeepers;

  • insurers or professional indemnity providers;

  • secure document storage providers, if used;

  • Will registration providers, if used;

  • HM Courts & Tribunals Service;

  • the Office of the Public Guardian;

  • HMRC or other official bodies where relevant;

  • solicitors, conveyancers, tax advisers, accountants or financial advisers where authorised or appropriate;

  • professional trustees or trust corporations where relevant;

  • IT, cloud storage, CRM, website, booking, form and business software providers;

  • payment providers or banks;

  • postal, courier or document delivery services;

  • regulators, courts, law enforcement bodies or other authorities where required by law.

Where I use third-party service providers, I take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate data protection and confidentiality arrangements are in place.

10. Systems and service providers

I may use secure business systems and service providers to manage my website, communications, forms, client records, documents, payments and business administration.

These may include systems such as:

  • Google Workspace, Gmail, Google Drive and Google Meet;

  • WhatsApp Business and telephone/SMS service providers;

  • Squarespace or other website providers;

  • Fillout or other online questionnaire providers;

  • CRM or matter tracking systems;

  • payment and invoicing providers;

  • secure document storage or registration providers where used.

These providers may process information on my behalf as part of the services they provide.

11. Where your information is stored

Information may be stored electronically and, where necessary, in paper form.

Electronic information may be stored using secure business systems, cloud storage, email systems, CRM systems, business devices and document management processes.

Audio and video recordings of consultations, meetings and supervised signing appointments, together with any transcripts, summaries or notes created from them, may be stored within secure business systems and/or the relevant electronic client file.

Copies, scans or photographs of signed or executed documents provided for checking may be stored within the relevant secure electronic client file together with any record of the execution check carried out.

Paper records or original documents, where held temporarily, will be kept securely and access will be restricted.

Unless confirmed separately in writing, DA Estate Planning does not provide long-term in-house storage of original Wills or other original legal documents.

12. International transfers

Some of the service providers I use may store or process personal information outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal information is transferred outside the UK, I will take reasonable steps to ensure that an appropriate lawful transfer mechanism or safeguard is in place where required by data protection law. This may include UK adequacy regulations, approved contractual safeguards or other recognised transfer arrangements.

You can contact me if you would like further information about the safeguards used for international transfers of your personal information.

13. How long I keep your information

I keep personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.

Because estate planning documents may remain relevant for many years, and issues may arise long after documents are prepared, client file information may need to be retained for an extended period.

Retention periods may depend on:

  • the type of service provided;

  • the nature of the documents prepared;

  • legal, tax, accounting or professional obligations;

  • potential complaint or claim periods;

  • whether audio or video recordings, transcripts, summaries or notes need to be retained for professional record-keeping, evidential purposes, or to deal with future queries, complaints or claims;

  • whether information may be needed to answer future queries from you, your attorneys, executors, trustees or beneficiaries;

  • whether copies, scans or photographs of executed documents and records of execution checks need to be retained as evidence of the service provided;

  • whether original documents or storage arrangements are involved.

I will not keep personal information for longer than necessary.

14. Marketing

I may contact you with information directly related to an existing service or matter, such as important updates affecting work I am carrying out for you.

I will only send marketing communications about DA Estate Planning services where permitted by law. Where consent is required, I will obtain it before sending marketing communications.

You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by contacting:

enquiries@daestateplanning.co.uk

I will not sell your personal information or share it with other organisations for their own marketing purposes.

15. Cookies and website analytics

My website may use cookies and similar technologies.

Some cookies are necessary for the website to function properly. I may also use analytics tools to understand how visitors use the website and to improve my services.

Where required by law, non-essential cookies and similar tracking technologies will only be used with your consent.

Further information is set out in my Cookie Policy.

16. Links to other websites

My website may contain links to other websites.

This Privacy Notice only applies to DA Estate Planning’s website and services. If you follow a link to another website, you should read that website’s own privacy notice.

17. Use of AI tools

DA Estate Planning may use technology, including AI-assisted tools, to support administration, drafting, document organisation, content preparation and business efficiency.

I do not knowingly enter client-identifiable or confidential client information into publicly available AI tools.

Where AI-assisted functionality is used within approved business systems or service providers, I will take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate confidentiality, security and data protection safeguards are in place.

AI tools are not used to make solely automated decisions about clients which produce legal or similarly significant effects.

18. Security

I take reasonable steps to protect personal information from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.

Security measures may include:

  • secure business systems;

  • password protection;

  • restricted access;

  • separate password sharing where appropriate;

  • secure email and cloud storage arrangements;

  • business device security;

  • appropriate document handling procedures;

  • careful use of postal or courier services for important documents.

You are responsible for keeping your own email account, phone, devices and passwords secure.

19. Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you may have the following rights:

  1. the right to be informed;

  2. the right of access;

  3. the right to rectification;

  4. the right to erasure;

  5. the right to restrict processing;

  6. the right to data portability;

  7. the right to object;

  8. rights relating to automated decision-making and profiling.

Where processing is based on consent, you also have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. These rights do not apply in all circumstances. If you make a request, I will consider it and respond in accordance with data protection law.

I may need to verify your identity before responding to a request. I do not normally charge a fee for responding to data protection rights requests.

However, where a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, or where further copies are requested, I may be entitled to charge a reasonable fee or refuse the request where permitted by law.

20. Automated decision-making

I do not use solely automated decision-making or profiling to make decisions about clients that produce legal or similarly significant effects.

21. How to request information I hold about you

You can request a copy of personal information I hold about you by contacting:

Email: enquiries@daestateplanning.co.uk

Post:
DA Estate Planning
Hunters Lodge
Ash Grange
Ash Road
Whitchurch
Shropshire
SY13 4DH

I may ask you to provide proof of identity before releasing information.

22. Keeping your information accurate

I aim to keep your personal information accurate and up to date.

Please tell me if any information changes or if you believe any information I hold is inaccurate.

23. If you are unhappy with how your information is handled

If you are unhappy with how I use your personal information, please contact me first so that I can try to resolve the issue.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK regulator for data protection matters.

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

Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: ico.org.uk

24. ICO Registration

DA Estate Planning is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

ICO registration number: 00015379381.

25. Changes to this Privacy Notice

I keep this Privacy Notice under review and may update it from time to time.

The latest version will be available on my website.

26. How to contact me

If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or how I handle personal information, please contact:

DA Estate Planning
Hunters Lodge
Ash Grange
Ash Road
Whitchurch
Shropshire
SY13 4DH

Email: enquiries@daestateplanning.co.uk
Website: daestateplanning.co.uk