This page explains what personal data Chapter 3 collects, why we collect it, how long we keep it and what your rights are. Written in plain English. If anything here is unclear, please email Colin directly — colin@chapter3fp.co.uk.
Chapter3 Financial Planning Ltd ("Chapter 3", "we", "our", "us") is the data controller for the personal information described on this page.
Chapter3 Financial Planning Ltd is an Appointed Representative of ValidPath Limited. ValidPath Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under FRN 197107. Chapter3 Financial Planning Ltd appears on the FCA Register as an Appointed Representative under reference number 931195. Registered in England. Manchester, UK.
ValidPath Limited is a separate data controller in respect of regulated advice records — see section 6 below.
Registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:
The default state is that we do not load any non-essential tracking on your visit. If you choose Accept all in the cookie banner, we may then load:
If you choose Essential only, neither Plausible nor Clarity is loaded on your visit.
Once you engage Chapter 3 to provide financial-planning advice, we collect the additional information needed to give you suitable advice. This typically includes:
Health and similar information is treated as special category data under UK GDPR and is processed only with your explicit consent and only where it is necessary for the advice we give.
| Purpose | Legal basis (UK GDPR) |
|---|---|
| Responding to your enquiry / scheduling a call | Legitimate interest (to deal with your request) |
| Sending the newsletter and educational guides | Consent (you opted in — and can opt out at any time) |
| Providing financial-planning advice once you engage us | Performance of a contract (our client agreement) |
| Anti-money-laundering and identity verification checks | Legal obligation (Money Laundering Regulations 2017) |
| Keeping records of advice for the required regulatory period | Legal obligation (FCA rules) |
| Anonymous website analytics | Legitimate interest (improving the site) |
| Processing health or vulnerability information | Explicit consent |
Chapter 3 is a small practice. Colin Bates is the only person who reads or processes client information. We do not share data with anyone unless we have to in order to give you advice, comply with the law, or run the practice. The categories of recipient are:
We do not sell your data. We do not share it for marketing purposes. We do not pass it to third-party data brokers.
Most of our processors store data in the UK or European Economic Area. Where data is processed outside the UK (for example, some Microsoft 365 or MailerLite services), the transfer is covered by an adequacy decision, UK International Data Transfer Agreement, or Standard Contractual Clauses with the appropriate safeguards.
| Category | Retention |
|---|---|
| Website enquiry where no client relationship follows | Up to 24 months from last contact |
| Newsletter subscribers | Until you unsubscribe (then removed within 30 days) |
| Client advice records | A minimum of 6 years after the end of the client relationship in line with FCA rules; pension transfer and DB cases retained indefinitely |
| Anti-money-laundering records | 5 years from the end of the business relationship |
| Accounting and tax records | 6 years (HMRC requirement) |
Under UK GDPR you have the right to:
To exercise any of these rights, email colin@chapter3fp.co.uk. We will respond within 30 days.
This website does not use marketing or advertising cookies. We do not run Facebook, Google or LinkedIn ad pixels. The default state is that no non-essential tracking scripts are loaded.
On your first visit, a cookie banner asks whether you consent to non-essential cookies. If you choose Accept all, we may then load:
If you choose Essential only, neither of the above is loaded.
Your choice is stored in your browser's local storage as ch3-consent-v1. To change it, clear your browser's site data for chapter3fp.co.uk (the consent banner will then reappear on your next visit), or email colin@chapter3fp.co.uk.
The booking widget on the "Book a call" page is provided by Calendly and may set one first-party cookie to remember your time-zone selection. It expires after 30 days.
Practical, not theatrical:
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, please tell Colin first — most issues are best resolved directly.
If that doesn't resolve things, you have the right to complain to:
Information Commissioner's Office · Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF · ico.org.uk · 0303 123 1113.
Separately, if your complaint relates to the financial advice we have given, you can contact our principal firm ValidPath Limited directly, or — if it is not resolved — the Financial Ombudsman Service at financial-ombudsman.org.uk. You may also be eligible to claim from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme — fscs.org.uk.
If we update this policy materially, we will note the new "Last reviewed" date at the top and, for clients, send a brief note explaining what has changed.
Colin Bates · Chapter3 Financial Planning Ltd · Manchester, UK · colin@chapter3fp.co.uk · 0161 541 2826.