Privacy notice

Who we are

The Village Companion Ltd (company number 17435367), 128 City Road, London EC1V 2NX, is the controller of your personal information. We provide private, non-medical companionship across Romford, Hornchurch, Gidea Park, Upminster, Rainham, Dagenham, Emerson Park, Elm Park, and nearby areas. For privacy questions, contact hello@thevillagecompanion.com.

Information we collect

For an enquiry or consultation, we may collect your name, email address, telephone number, area or postcode, relationship to the person the enquiry concerns, preferred contact method, preferred visit times, and whatever you choose to tell us in your message or call.

When support begins, we may also collect practical access notes, nominated family contact details, emergency contact information, interests, routines, preferences, visit notes, payment records, and information needed to visit safely.

Why we use information

We use information to respond to an enquiry and arrange a consultation, deliver agreed companionship support, plan safe visits, provide confidential family updates where the client agrees, invoice, keep appropriate records, and meet legal and safeguarding responsibilities.

Our lawful bases may include legitimate interests for responding to an enquiry, contract for delivering booked support, legal obligation for accounting records, and explicit consent where we hold health-relevant information, provide family updates, or use a photograph, name, or story in marketing. In an emergency, vital interests may also apply where necessary to protect someone from serious harm.

Health information and family updates

Information about health, mobility, cognition, or access needs is handled with extra care and collected only when genuinely needed to support a safe visit. Family updates are provided only where the client has agreed, and we record who may receive them. Updates are short, practical notes about how a visit went, not clinical assessments.

We never ask for or hold passwords, PINs, bank-card details, or online banking credentials. We never make payments or log into accounts on a client's behalf.

Who we share information with

We keep information confidential and share it only where necessary, such as with emergency services, a GP, an emergency contact, a nominated family contact where agreed, our accountant, insurer, professional advisers, secure service providers, safeguarding services, the police, or where the law requires it. Our main service providers include Vercel for website hosting, Web3Forms for submitted enquiries, and Apple iCloud for business email. Some providers may process data outside the UK. Where they do, appropriate safeguards such as the UK International Data Transfer Addendum or UK adequacy regulations are used where applicable.

We do not make decisions about you using automated processing or profiling.

How long we keep information

Enquiries that do not lead to visits are normally kept for 12 months. Client records, support plans, visit notes, Digital Confidence Support records, and financial records may be kept for up to 6 years after support ends. Safeguarding or incident records may be retained while a related matter remains open and in line with applicable guidance.

Cookies

The website uses essential functionality only. We do not load analytics, advertising, or profiling cookies. See our Cookie Policy for more detail.

Your rights and complaints

You can ask to access, correct, delete, or restrict use of your personal information. You can object to certain uses, withdraw consent where consent is our basis, and ask for information to be transferred where the law allows. We normally respond within one calendar month.

Please contact us first so we can put things right. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint.

Registration and review

Our ICO registration number is ZC265594. This notice is reviewed at least annually and whenever our service, website, or systems change.