Who We Are

The Memoir Co (“we”, “us”) writes private memoirs and life stories for individuals and families. We are the data controller for the personal information described in this notice. You can contact us at hello@thememoirco.co.uk, 07855768795 or 26 Queen Street, Market Harborough, LE16 8AR.

What Information We Collect

• Contact and booking details, such as your name, address, email and telephone number.

• Interview recordings and transcripts.

• Photographs and documents you give us for your book.

• The content of your life story. This may include sensitive information, such as details about health, family, relationships or beliefs, but only what you choose to share.

• Payment and invoicing records.

• Emails and messages between us.

Why We Use Your Information

• To provide the service you have booked (our contract with you), including interviews, writing, design and printing.

• To record interviews and handle sensitive details you choose to share (your explicit consent). You can withdraw consent at any time by contacting us, although this may mean we can’t complete your book.

• To answer enquiries before you book (at your request, or our legitimate interest in replying).

• To keep accounting and tax records (a legal obligation).

Recordings and Transcripts

All recordings and transcripts are kept securely for 6 months from final sign-off of your book, then permanently destroyed.

If you would like to keep your recordings, you must tell us before final sign-off. We will give you a copy in a format such as MP3 / by secure download before they are deleted. Once they have been destroyed, we cannot recover them.

Confidentiality

Everything you discuss with us stays confidential between The Memoir Co and you. We will not share it with anyone else, and we will not use your story, quotes or images in our marketing without your separate written permission.

The only exception is where it has legal implications, meaning where we are required by law to share information, such as a court order or a legal duty to report. If this ever happens, we will limit what we share to what the law requires and, where legally allowed, tell you first.

Who We Share Information With

We only share what is needed, with trusted providers who help us deliver your book:

• Printers, who receive the final book files and a delivery address.

• Providers of tools we use, such as electronic signing, email, secure file storage, payment processing and video calls.

• Our accountant, for tax records.

We do not sell your information.

Where Your Information Is Stored

Your information is stored on a password protected server owned by The Memoir Co in the UK.

Keeping Your Information Safe

We store recordings, transcripts and photographs on password-protected, encrypted devices and secure cloud storage. Any paper notes are kept and shredded when no longer needed.

How Long We Keep Other Information

• Recordings and transcripts: 6 months, as above.

• Hard copies of photographs and documents: Returned to you within one week of final sign off.

• Digital copies of photographs and documents: Deleted after 6 months of final sign off.

• Drafts of your book: Deleted 6 months after final sign-off.

• Contact details: For 6 months after your project ends, so we can help with reprints.

• Invoices and payment records: 6 years, because the law requires us to keep accounting records.

Your Rights

You have the right to ask us to:

• give you a copy of the information we hold about you, correct anything that is wrong

• delete your information (we will do so early if you ask, except for records we must legally keep)

• restrict or object to how we use it

• give you your information in a portable format

• withdraw your consent at any time.

To use any of these rights, contact us at hello@thememoirco.uk We will reply within one month.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, please tell us first so we can put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.

Changes To This Notice

If we change this notice, we will update the date at the top and, for current clients, tell you about any important changes.