Privacy Policy | DOB ASSOCIATES LTD | Publishing Services in the UK

1. Privacy Policy Overview

DOB ASSOCIATES LTD ("DOB ASSOCIATES", "we", "us", or "our") operates the website https://dobassociates.site and provides professional publishing and editorial services from our registered office at 4 Norman Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 7ED, United Kingdom. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, store, and protect personal data relating to visitors, prospective clients, and clients in connection with our services.

We act as a data controller for the personal data we process about you for the purposes described in this policy. We comply with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and other applicable privacy regulations. We encourage you to read this Privacy Policy carefully so that you understand how and why we use your information.

By using this website or by contacting us using the details provided, you acknowledge that you have read this Privacy Policy. If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact us using the details set out in the Contact Information section below.

2. Information We Collect

We collect personal information directly from you when you visit our website, contact us, make an inquiry, or engage our services. The types of personal data we may collect include:

Identity and contact details such as your name, email address, phone number, and postal address.
Professional information such as your role, organisation, and any information you choose to share about your writing or publishing objectives.
Service-related information such as details of your manuscript, project requirements, communication preferences, and correspondence history with us.
Website usage information such as anonymised analytics data, device information, and approximate location derived from your IP address (where collected by our analytics tools).

We typically collect this information when you complete a form on our website, send us an email, call us by phone, subscribe to updates, request a quote, book a consultation, or otherwise communicate with us in relation to our publishing and editorial services.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal data only where we have a lawful basis to do so, such as performance of a contract, compliance with a legal obligation, our legitimate business interests, or your consent where required. In particular, we may use your information to:

Respond to inquiries: to handle and respond to your questions, quote requests, consultation bookings, and other communications.
Provide publishing and editorial services: to deliver manuscript review, editorial guidance, content development, publishing consultation, and related creative services you request from us.
Administer contracts and client relationships: to prepare proposals, agreements, and invoices; manage project timelines; and maintain client records.
Improve our services and website: to analyse anonymised usage patterns, refine our offerings, and ensure that our website remains intuitive, secure, and user-friendly.
Comply with legal and regulatory obligations: to meet our obligations under applicable law, including record-keeping, accounting, and responding to lawful requests from authorities.

We do not use your personal data for automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects concerning you.

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your personal data only where necessary and appropriate for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy, including:

Trusted service providers: with carefully selected third-party providers who support our operations, such as IT hosting providers, secure email and document platforms, analytics providers, or professional advisers. These providers are engaged under contracts that require them to use your data only in accordance with our instructions and to protect it appropriately.
Business partners or collaborators: on occasion, with trusted editorial or design partners necessary to deliver specific aspects of your publishing project, and only to the extent needed for that purpose.
Legal and regulatory bodies: where required by law, regulation, court order, or in connection with legal proceedings, or to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our clients or others.

In all cases, we limit the information shared to what is strictly necessary and take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate confidentiality and security measures are in place.

5. Cookies and Website Usage

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to support essential functionality and to collect anonymised analytics data that helps us understand how visitors use the site. This allows us to maintain a secure, reliable, and user-friendly experience.

The types of cookies we may use include:

Strictly necessary cookies required for core website functions, such as page navigation and access to secure areas.
Performance and analytics cookies that collect aggregated, anonymised information about how visitors use the site, such as which pages are visited and how users move around the website.

Where required by law, we will ask for your consent before placing non-essential cookies on your device. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings and, where available, through our on-site cookie controls. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality and your user experience.

6. Data Storage and Security

We take data protection and information security seriously. We use robust, industry-standard measures to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures reflect best practices in the publishing sector and are reviewed periodically.

Our safeguards include a combination of technical and organisational controls, such as secure hosting environments, access controls, password protection, encryption where appropriate, and staff awareness of data protection responsibilities. Access to personal data is limited to individuals who have a legitimate business need to know and are subject to confidentiality obligations.

While we strive to protect your data, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage can be guaranteed as completely secure. We therefore cannot guarantee absolute security, but we will act promptly and transparently in the event of a suspected or actual data breach, in line with our legal obligations.

7. Your Rights and Choices

Under UK data protection law, you have certain rights in respect of the personal data we hold about you. Subject to applicable conditions and exemptions, these rights may include:

Right of access – to request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and to obtain a copy of that data.
Right to rectification – to ask us to correct or complete inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
Right to erasure – to request the deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances (also known as the "right to be forgotten").
Right to restrict processing – to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object – to object to our processing of your personal data where we are relying on legitimate interests or where we use your information for direct marketing.
Right to data portability – to receive personal data you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to request that we transfer it to another controller where technically feasible.

To exercise any of these rights, or to raise a question about how we handle your data, please contact us using the details in the Contact Information section. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request and will respond within the time limits set by applicable law.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you are unhappy with how we handle your personal data. However, we would appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns directly before you contact the ICO.

8. Retention of Information

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including to provide our services, to maintain business records, and to meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

In determining appropriate retention periods, we consider factors such as the nature and sensitivity of the data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure, the purposes for which we process it, and applicable legal obligations or guidance. For example:

Inquiry and correspondence records are generally retained for a period that allows us to manage ongoing discussions and follow-up, after which they are securely archived or deleted.
Client and project records may be retained for longer periods where required for contractual, legal, or tax purposes.

When personal data is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to securely delete or anonymise it.

9. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites or resources that are provided for your convenience or reference, for example to showcase tools, platforms, or external content relevant to publishing and editorial work.

Please note that we do not control and are not responsible for the privacy practices, security measures, or content of any third-party websites. When you follow a link to an external site, you should review the privacy information provided by that site before submitting any personal data.

10. Contact Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, our data protection practices, or if you wish to exercise your data subject rights, you can contact DOB ASSOCIATES LTD using the following details:

DOB ASSOCIATES LTD
4 Norman Road
Thornton Heath
Surrey, CR7 7ED
United Kingdom

Email: [email protected]
Phone: +447346091228

When contacting us in relation to this Privacy Policy, please provide sufficient information to allow us to identify you and understand your request. We will handle your enquiry with care and respond in accordance with our obligations under UK data protection law.

Updates to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data protection best practices. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "last updated" date. We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.