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GDPR Responsibilities As A Sole Trader
January 7th, 2025
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*The information in this article is
accurate as of the 23rd of December 2024. This is a guide only and
individual legal advice should be sought out if required. Find out more at https://www.gov.uk/data-protection
The
Data Protection Act 2018 made changes to the law to ensure the protection of
personal data (such as names and contact details of customers or potential
customers), including when you store and use that data for marketing or
promotional purposes.
This means that as a business owner, it is important your customers’ data is stored securely and responsibly, and only when you have either a legally justifiable reason to do so or your customers’ consent.
Here are some basic considerations
to think about when collecting and storing personal data:
1. Consent
You may need your customers’ consent to store their personal data.
There are some purposes for which you can store personal data without consent, but when you intend to use it for marketing and promotional purposes you do need specific consent.
You can find out more about obtaining consent from customers on the
ICO website here.
2. Storing Data Safely And Securely
This is really important in order to comply with your legal obligations and to prevent fraud.
You must also ensure the places where you keep customers’ personal data (including for example on computer systems and mobile phones) are adequately protected.
You can find out more about storing data with the ICO
here.
3. Customers’ Rights
When storing customers’ data, they have the right to know exactly what personal data you are holding about them.
Customers can also require you to delete their personal data at any time.
These kinds of request must be dealt with within strict timeframes and you could face a claim for compensation or a fine if you fail to comply.
The ICO guidance mentioned above contains more information.
The considerations mentioned here are by no means an exhaustive list of your obligations and we strongly recommend you read the full guidance on the ICO website to ensure you are always compliant.
