If you make a complaint, we collect personal information from you so we can help deal with your complaint.
We collect your information from you via phone, email, online form or letter – depending on how you complain.
If some contacts us on your behalf about a complaint, we’ll get your permission before we log any of your information.
What information we ask for
So we can help you with your complaint, we need to know:
- your name
- one way we can get in touch with you – email, phone or address
- details of the complaint
You don’t have to tell us, but we’ll also ask you about your
- address
- phone number
- problem – for example whether you wanted help with debt or housing
If you tell us you’ve a disability or support need, we’ll also make a note of that so we can help you access our services.
If your complaint is about advice you received, we might need to look at the information we’ve recorded about your problem.
How we use your information
We use the information you give us to deal with your complaint.
We’ll only access your information for other reasons if we really need to – for example:
- for training and quality purposes
- to include anonymised complaint statistics in internal reports
All staff accessing data have done data protection training to make sure your information is handled sensitively and securely.
When we share your data
If you want to escalate your complaint to National Citizens Advice or an external independent adjudicator (if you’re not happy with how we have dealt with it) we’ll share your complaint information with them.
If your complaint involves an insurance claim, we might share details of your complaint with our insurer.
Storing your information
We’ll store your information securely on our secure server, and only allow access to appropriate people.
We keep your data for 6 years. If your complaint is serious or involves an insurance claim or other dispute we keep the data for 16 years.
Contact us about your data.
You may contact us at any time and ask us:
- what information we’ve stored about you
- to change or update your details
- to delete your details from our records
If you have any questions about how your information is collected or used, you can contact us at St Mary’s House, Magdalene Street, Taunton, TA1 1SB.
You can read more detailed information about how some of our services use information on our national site: citizensadvice.org.uk/privacy-policy and see our local Privacy Policy at https://citizensadvicetaunton.org.uk/client-privacy-notice/
If you’re not happy with how we have used your information, you can contact us at:
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/Contact-us-form
You can also contact the Information Commissioner’s Office to raise a concern about how we have used your information: ico.org.uk/ or 0303 123 1113
