Privacy policy
Last updated: 24 February 2026
1. Who we are
The Independent Landlord bookshop ("the shop") is operated by Suzanne Smith, trading as The Independent Landlord. Throughout this policy, "we", "us" and "our" refer to Suzanne Smith.
VAT registration number: GB 503 884 780
Contact: shop@theindependentlandlord.com
Postal address: 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N 3AX.
This shop is operated by Suzanne Smith, trading as The Independent Landlord.
We are the data controller for the purposes of UK data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation ("UK GDPR") and the Data Protection Act 2018.
2. What personal data we collect and why
When you place an order
We collect your name, email address, billing address, and (for physical products) your delivery address. We need this to fulfil your order and it is processed on the lawful basis of contractual necessity (Article 6(1)(b) UK GDPR).
We also retain order records including what you purchased, the amount paid and the date of the transaction. We keep this information for accounting and tax purposes on the lawful basis of legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c) UK GDPR). HMRC requires us to retain financial records for at least six years.
When you browse the shop
Shopify automatically collects certain technical data when you visit the shop, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL and pages viewed. This is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests in operating and improving the shop (Article 6(1)(f) UK GDPR).
When you sign up to our mailing list
If you opt in to our mailing list at checkout, we collect your email address and (if provided) your name. This is processed on the basis of your consent (Article 6(1)(a) UK GDPR). You can withdraw consent at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email or by contacting us.
3. Who we share your data with
We share your personal data with the following third-party service providers, each of whom acts as a data processor on our behalf or as an independent controller where indicated:
· Shopify Inc. provides the e-commerce platform that hosts our shop and processes transactions. Shopify acts as both a processor (for order data) and an independent controller (for its own analytics and fraud prevention). Shopify stores data in Canada and the United States. Shopify's privacy policy is available at https://www.shopify.com/legal/privacy.
· Shopify Payments / Stripe processes card payments. We do not see or store your full card details. Stripe's privacy policy is at https://stripe.com/gb/privacy.
· BookFunnel delivers ebooks and other digital content to you after purchase. When you purchase digital content, your email address is shared with BookFunnel so they can deliver your files. BookFunnel's privacy policy is at https://bookfunnel.com/privacy/.
· Book Vault prints and ships physical books on our behalf. Your name and delivery address are shared with Book Vault to fulfil your order. Book Vault's privacy policy is at https://www.bookvault.app/privacy-policy.
· MailerLite manages our mailing list. If you consent to receiving marketing emails, your name and email address are transferred to MailerLite. MailerLite's privacy policy is at https://www.mailerlite.com/legal/privacy-policy.
We may also share your data with professional advisers (such as accountants) or with HMRC or other authorities where required by law.
We do not sell your personal data to anyone.
4. International data transfers
Some of our service providers (Shopify, Stripe, BookFunnel, MailerLite) store or process data outside the UK. Where data is transferred outside the UK, we rely on one or more of the following safeguards:
· The country has been deemed to provide an adequate level of data protection by the UK Secretary of State.
· The International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum (the UK equivalent of standard contractual clauses) is in place.
· The transfer is necessary for the performance of a contract between you and us (for example, to fulfil your order).
5. Cookies
The shop uses cookies. Some are strictly necessary for the shop to function (for example, your shopping cart). Others are used for analytics.
Necessary cookies
Shopify sets several cookies that are required for the shop to work, including cart contents, session management and fraud detection. These cannot be disabled without breaking the shop.
Analytics cookies
With your consent, we may use analytics cookies (such as those set by Shopify Analytics or Google Analytics) to understand how visitors use the shop. You can manage your cookie preferences through the cookie banner displayed when you first visit the site, or through your browser settings.
6. How long we keep your data
Order and transaction records: six years from the date of the transaction (for tax and accounting purposes).
Mailing list data: until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete it.
Shopify analytics data: retained in accordance with Shopify's own retention policies.
7. Your rights
Under UK data protection law, you have the right to:
· Access the personal data we hold about you.
· Have inaccurate data corrected.
· Have your data erased (subject to our legal obligations to retain certain records).
· Restrict or object to certain processing.
· Data portability (receiving your data in a structured, machine-readable format).
· Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at shop@theindependentlandlord.com. We will respond within one month.
If you are not satisfied with how we handle your data, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at https://ico.org.uk.
8. Changes to this policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. The date at the top of this page shows when it was last updated. If we make significant changes, we will take reasonable steps to notify you.