Data Protection Complaints Notice
The Admin Tree
Last updated: June 2026
About this Notice
At The Admin Tree, we are committed to protecting your personal information and handling it securely, fairly and transparently.
If you have a concern about how we have collected, used, shared, stored or deleted your personal information, we want to hear from you. This includes any concerns about how we have used automated systems or artificial intelligence (AI) where those processes have affected your personal data.
We take all concerns seriously and will do our best to investigate them promptly, resolve any issues, and put things right wherever possible.
This notice explains:
- your rights under UK data protection legislation;
- how to raise a data protection complaint with us;
- what information will help us investigate your concern;
- what you can expect from us during the complaints process; and
- what to do if you remain dissatisfied with our response.
Under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, you have a statutory right to raise a data protection complaint directly with us.
You do not have to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) before contacting us, although you remain free to contact the ICO at any stage if you wish.
Our Commitment
The Admin Tree is ICO registered, fully insured and a proud member of the Society of Virtual Assistants.
We are committed to handling all personal information securely, professionally and confidentially in accordance with UK data protection legislation and recognised industry best practice.
1. Who We Are
The Admin Tree provides professional remote business support services to healthcare professionals and service-based businesses throughout the UK.
Data protection within The Admin Tree is overseen by:
Responsible Person
Karen Thornton
Business Owner
Email
[email protected]
Telephone
07748 196238
We welcome data protection concerns however they are received, whether by email, telephone or in writing.
Regardless of how your complaint reaches us, it will be logged, acknowledged and investigated in accordance with this notice. You do not need to complete a specific form or follow a particular format when making a complaint.
2. Your Rights Under UK Data Protection Law
Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, you have the right to:
- Request access to the personal information we hold about you (commonly known as a Subject Access Request or SAR).
- Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
- Request the deletion of your personal information where the law allows.
- Ask us to restrict how we process your personal information while a complaint is being investigated.
- Receive your personal information in a commonly used electronic format where applicable.
- Object to the way we process your personal information in certain circumstances.
- Not be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing where that decision has a legal or similarly significant effect on you.
- Request an explanation of any automated decision affecting your personal information, ask for that decision to be reviewed by a person, and request that the outcome is reconsidered where applicable under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided above.
3. What Is a Data Protection Complaint?
A data protection complaint is any concern relating to how The Admin Tree has collected, used, stored, shared, protected or deleted your personal information.
A complaint may relate to a single event or to the way we generally process your personal data.
Examples include (but are not limited to):
- We did not respond to a Subject Access Request within the required timescale or our response was incomplete.
- We collected or used your personal information without a valid lawful basis or for a purpose you were not informed about.
- We shared your personal information with someone who was not authorised to receive it.
- We did not correct, delete or restrict your personal information when we were legally required to do so.
- We retained your personal information for longer than necessary.
- A personal data breach or security incident affected your information and you believe it was not handled appropriately.
- You continued to receive communications after asking us to stop.
- Our Privacy Policy did not clearly explain how your personal information would be used.
If you are unsure whether your concern is a data protection complaint, please contact us. We will be happy to advise and direct your enquiry appropriately.
4. What This Process Does Not Cover
This procedure is specifically for complaints relating to personal data and data protection legislation.
It does not normally cover:
- General complaints about the quality of our services where personal information is not involved.
- Billing or payment queries.
- Complaints relating solely to commercial decisions.
- Complaints about another organisation or third party.
- Employment or HR matters, which follow separate procedures.
If your concern falls outside this process, we will still do our best to direct you to the appropriate route for resolving your enquiry.
5. How to Raise a Complaint
If you believe your personal information has not been handled correctly, we encourage you to contact us as soon as possible.
Although there is no formal requirement for how you submit a complaint, providing the following information will help us investigate your concerns more quickly:
- Your name and contact details.
- A clear description of your concern, including what happened and when.
- Any relevant reference numbers, emails, screenshots or supporting documents.
- The outcome you would like us to achieve.
You do not need to provide all of this information for your complaint to be valid. If you are unsure what to include, simply contact us and we will guide you through the process.
Complaints can be submitted by:
Email
[email protected]
Telephone
07748 196238
Or by writing to us using the contact details available on our website.
6. What Happens When We Receive Your Complaint
We are committed to handling every complaint fairly, objectively and without unnecessary delay.
Our complaints process is designed to ensure that every concern is properly investigated and that you are kept informed throughout.
Step 1 – Acknowledgement
We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint in writing within 30 calendar days of receiving it.
Our acknowledgement will include:
- Confirmation that we have received your complaint.
- The date your complaint was received.
- The name of the person responsible for handling your complaint.
- An outline of the next steps and the anticipated timescale for our investigation.
Where appropriate, we may contact you to request additional information that will help us understand your concerns.
Step 2 – Investigation
We will carry out a thorough and impartial investigation into your complaint.
Depending on the nature of the concern, this may include:
- Reviewing relevant records and documentation.
- Examining system activity and audit logs.
- Reviewing correspondence and communications.
- Speaking with any individuals involved in the processing of your personal information.
- Liaising with trusted third-party software providers or service partners where necessary.
Every complaint is assessed on its own merits and handled in accordance with UK data protection legislation.
Step 3 – Keeping You Informed
We believe good communication is an important part of resolving concerns.
If our investigation is ongoing, we will keep you updated on our progress and let you know if we require any further information from you.
Should circumstances arise that affect the expected timescale, we will explain the reasons and provide an updated estimate wherever possible.
Step 4 – Our Response
We aim to provide a full written response within one calendar month of receiving your complaint.
Where a complaint is particularly complex or involves multiple parties, this period may be extended by up to a further two months, as permitted under UK data protection legislation.
If an extension is necessary, we will notify you within the first month and explain:
- Why additional time is required.
- The revised timescale for our response.
Our final response will include:
- A summary of the issues investigated.
- How we carried out our investigation.
- Our findings and the reasons for our decision.
- Any action we have taken, or intend to take, to address the matter.
- Details of your right to refer the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you remain dissatisfied.
7. Our Commitment to Fairness
Every complaint is treated seriously and considered on its individual circumstances.
We will:
- Treat you with courtesy and respect.
- Handle your complaint confidentially.
- Investigate matters impartially.
- Keep you informed throughout the process.
- Learn from complaints wherever improvements can be made.
Our aim is not only to resolve concerns but also to continually improve the way we protect and manage personal information.
8. Third-Party Systems and Suppliers
The Admin Tree uses carefully selected third-party software and service providers to help deliver our services efficiently and securely.
These may include cloud-based business systems such as accounting software, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, project management platforms and Microsoft Office applications.
Where your personal information is processed by one of our trusted providers, we remain your primary point of contact for any data protection concerns.
You do not need to contact our suppliers directly. If your complaint relates to information processed through one of these systems, we will liaise with the relevant provider on your behalf as part of our investigation and keep you informed throughout the process.
All third-party providers are expected to comply with UK GDPR and maintain appropriate security measures to protect personal information.
9. Complaint Records
The Admin Tree keeps a secure record of all data protection complaints received.
These records help us to:
- Ensure complaints are handled consistently and fairly.
- Monitor the progress and outcome of each complaint.
- Identify recurring issues or opportunities to improve our processes.
- Demonstrate compliance with our legal obligations where required.
Complaint records are stored securely and are only accessible to those who need to investigate or manage the complaint.
Where required by law, or as part of its regulatory responsibilities, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) may request access to relevant complaint records.
10. If You Are Not Satisfied
We hope to resolve any concerns quickly and fairly.
However, if you remain dissatisfied with our response, or you would prefer not to raise your concern with us first, you have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent authority responsible for upholding information rights.
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Website
https://ico.org.uk
Telephone
0303 123 1113
Live Chat
Available via the ICO website.
Postal Address
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
For further information about your rights, please visit the ICO website.
11. Our ICO Registration
The Admin Tree is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
ICO Registration Number: ZA390458
You can verify our registration by searching the ICO Register of Fee Payers on the Information Commissioner’s Office website.
12. Accessibility
The Admin Tree is committed to making this notice accessible to everyone.
If you require this notice in an alternative format, such as large print, or would prefer to discuss your concerns by telephone rather than in writing, please contact us and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this notice, wish to raise a data protection complaint, or would like further information about how we process your personal information, please contact us:
The Admin Tree
Website: www.theadmintree.co.uk
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 07748 196238
Last Updated: June 2026
This notice will be reviewed at least annually, or sooner if there are changes to legislation, our business practices or the way we process personal information.