Privacy Notice
We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring your personal information is handled fairly, lawfully, and transparently.
1. Privacy Notice
The Business Finance Group ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is handled fairly, lawfully, and transparently in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
2. Who We Are
The Business Finance Group is an independent commercial finance brokerage, not a lender. We work with a wide panel of finance providers to find funding solutions that meet your needs and circumstances.
Company Name: The Business Finance Group
Registered Office: Office 9, Eckland Lodge Business Park, Desborough Road, Market Harborough, LE16 8HB
Contact: info@thebfg.co.uk
Phone: 01604 201510
3. Purpose of This Notice
This Privacy Notice explains:
- What personal data we collect about you
- How and why we use your data
- Who we share your data with
- How we keep your data secure
- What rights you have under data protection law
4. Why We Process Your Data
We process your personal data to:
- Respond to your enquiries about finance products or services
- Assess your eligibility for credit and identify suitable finance options
- Conduct anti-money laundering, fraud prevention, and identity checks
- Submit finance applications to lenders on your behalf
- Meet our obligations as a finance broker
- Manage our ongoing relationship with you and improve our service delivery
5. Lawful Bases for Processing
We use your personal data under one or more of the following lawful bases:
Contract
To take steps at your request before entering into, or to perform, a contract with you.
Legal Obligation
To comply with regulatory and legal requirements (e.g. HMRC, AML).
Legitimate Interests
To operate and manage our business efficiently, and to improve our products and services.
Consent
Where you have explicitly agreed (for example, to receive marketing or for us to process special category data).
You have the right to withdraw your consent to marketing at any time. If you no longer wish to receive marketing communications from us, you can withdraw consent at any time by emailing info@thebfg.co.uk.
6. Personal Data We Collect
We may collect, use, and store the following categories of personal data:
Identity Data
Full name, date of birth, marital status, proof of ID (passport, driving licence).
Contact Data
Address, email address, and telephone numbers.
Financial Data
Bank details, income, expenditure, and financial statements.
Transaction Data
Details of services or products provided to you.
Technical Data
IP address, browser information, and website usage (via cookies).
Marketing Data
Communication and marketing preferences.
7. How We Collect Your Data
We may collect your data:
- Directly from you (through calls, emails, web forms, or meetings)
- From introducers, accountants, or partners (where you have consented)
- From lenders, funders, or finance providers involved in your application
- From public sources such as Companies House, the Electoral Register, or credit reference agencies
8. How We Use and Share Your Data
We only share your data when it is necessary, lawful, and relevant to providing our services. Your data may be shared with:
- Lenders and funding partners to assess and process finance applications
- Credit reference and fraud prevention agencies to confirm identity and creditworthiness
- Regulatory bodies, such as the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), where required
- Professional advisers and IT providers who support our business operations under strict data protection agreements
All third parties are required to maintain adequate security and only use your information in accordance with our instructions and applicable law.
9. Automated Decision-Making
We do not make decisions based solely on automated processing. However, some lenders may use automated credit scoring to assess finance applications. Where this occurs, the lender will inform you and obtain consent if required.
10. Retention of Your Data
We retain your personal data for six years from the end of your relationship with us or the completion of any credit facility, in line with legal record keeping obligations. After this period, data may be anonymised and retained for statistical or analytical purposes.
11. Your Data Protection Rights
Under data protection law, you have the right to:
Right to be informed
To know how your personal data is collected and used.
Right of access
To request copies of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification
To request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure
To request deletion of your personal data where applicable.
Right to restrict processing
To request that we limit how we use your data.
Right to data portability
To request transfer of your data to another organisation.
Right to object
Including the absolute right to object to direct marketing.
Rights related to automated decision-making and profiling
You can object to your data being used solely for automated decisions (without human involvement) and to profiling activities.
To exercise any of these rights, contact info@thebfg.co.uk. We will respond within one month of receiving your request.
12. Data Security
We apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. Access is limited to employees and third parties who require it for legitimate business purposes, and they are subject to strict confidentiality obligations.
13. Cookies and Website Tracking
We use cookies to improve your online experience and website functionality. You can adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies, though this may impact certain features of our website. For further information, contact info@thebfg.co.uk.
14. Complaints
If you have any concerns about how we handle your personal data, please contact our Compliance Team at info@thebfg.co.uk.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Helpline: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk
15. Children's Information
We do not provide services directly to children and do not knowingly collect their personal data.
16. Updates to This Notice
We review this notice regularly to ensure ongoing compliance with data protection regulations.
Have questions about your data?
Our Compliance Team is here to help.