Last updated: 8 November 2026
1. Who we are
MCO Accountancy Ltd (“MCO”, “we”, “us”) is an accountancy practice registered in England and Wales, company number 11307692. Our registered office and trading address is Blake House, 18 Blake Street, York YO1 8QG. We are licensed and supervised by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).
We are the data controller for the personal information described in this notice. This means we decide how and why it is used, and we are responsible for looking after it in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, as amended.
If you have a question about this notice or your information, contact Mike at hello@mcoaccountancy.co.uk or on 01904 463555.
2. The information we collect
- Contact details, such as your name, address, email address and phone number.
- Identity information needed for anti-money laundering checks, such as proof of identity and address, and date of birth.
- Tax and financial information, such as your UTR and National Insurance number, income, expenses, bank and accounting records, payroll details and information about your business.
- Information about others that you or our clients give us, such as directors, employees, subcontractors, tenants, customers and suppliers.
- Website and enquiry information, such as messages sent through our contact form and basic, anonymised website usage statistics.
3. How we collect it
We collect information when you contact us or enquire about our services, when you become a client and while we act for you, and from third parties such as HMRC, Companies House, your bank or accounting software provider, your previous accountant, or publicly available sources.
4. How we use it and our lawful basis
- To provide our services, such as accounts, tax returns, Making Tax Digital submissions, VAT, CIS, payroll, bookkeeping and advice. Lawful basis: performance of our contract with you or your business.
- To meet our legal and professional obligations, including anti-money laundering checks under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, record-keeping, and the requirements of HMRC and the AAT. Lawful basis: legal obligation.
- To reply to enquiries and run our practice, such as billing, keeping records and improving our services. Lawful basis: our legitimate interests in running an efficient, well-managed practice.
- To send you occasional updates, such as tax deadlines and news, where you have asked us to or where you are a client and can opt out at any time. Lawful basis: consent or legitimate interests.
We do not sell your information, and we do not use it for automated decision-making.
5. Who we share it with
We only share information where it is needed to provide our services, where the law requires it, or where you have agreed. This may include:
- HMRC, Companies House and other government bodies, when we file returns on your behalf;
- cloud accounting and practice software providers we use to deliver our services, such as Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, QuickFile and our practice management and secure email systems;
- payroll, IT and identity-verification providers who support our work;
- the AAT and other regulators or law enforcement agencies where we are legally required to do so;
- a buyer or successor practice, if the business is sold or restructured, under appropriate confidentiality terms.
Everyone we share information with must keep it secure and use it only for the purpose we have agreed.
6. International transfers
Some of our software providers may store or access data outside the UK. Where this happens, we make sure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as UK adequacy regulations or approved contract terms.
7. How long we keep it
We keep client records for at least six years after the end of the tax year or accounting period they relate to, and anti-money laundering records for five years after our relationship ends, as the law requires. Enquiries that do not lead to us acting for you are deleted within 12 months. After these periods, information is securely deleted.
8. Keeping your information safe
We use secure, password-protected and encrypted systems, limit access to people who need it, and have procedures to deal with any suspected data breach. Where the law requires, we will tell you and the Information Commissioner’s Office about a breach.
9. Your rights
You have the right to ask for a copy of your information, to have it corrected, to have it deleted or its use restricted in some circumstances, to object to how we use it, to ask for it to be transferred to you or another organisation, and to withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent. Some rights do not apply where we must keep information by law.
To use any of these rights, email hello@mcoaccountancy.co.uk. There is normally no charge, and we will reply within one month. We may ask you to confirm your identity first.
10. Cookies and website analytics
Our website uses Google Analytics, through Google Site Kit, to understand how visitors use the site, for example which pages are popular. This uses cookies that collect anonymised information. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. The website does not use advertising cookies.
11. Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, please contact us first so we can put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO): ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint, telephone 0303 123 1113, or write to Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
12. Website terms of use
The information on this website is general guidance and does not replace advice for your own circumstances. Tax rules change, and while we keep the content up to date, we cannot accept responsibility for decisions made on the basis of the website alone. Please contact us for advice before acting.
The content, design and branding on this website belong to MCO Accountancy Ltd and must not be copied without permission. Links to other websites are provided for convenience, and we are not responsible for their content.
13. Changes to this notice
We may update this notice from time to time. The latest version will always be on this page, with the date it was last updated.