Privacy Policy

Last updated: 1 November 2026

1. Who we are

This website, https://writerpjmccoy.com, is operated by Paul McCoy, trading as Leete Publishing.

Paul McCoy is responsible for deciding how personal information collected through this website is used.

Contact email: paul@writerpjmccoy.com
Address:
Leete Publishing
3F1 Third floor
3 Hill Street
New Town
Edinburgh
EH2 3JP

2. Information we collect

When you contact us through the website's enquiry form, you provide personal information such as your name, email address, enquiry type and the contents of your message.

Technical information may also be processed when you visit the website. This may include IP addresses, browser and device information, timestamps and other technical data, where collected through website hosting, security or form services. The information actually collected depends on the services and settings in use; this does not mean that every item listed is collected on every visit.

The requested enquiry form information is needed to understand and respond to your enquiry. Without the required details, Paul may be unable to respond.

3. How we use your information

We use information submitted through the contact form to:

• Read and respond to enquiries.
• Communicate with you about your message.
• Manage and maintain relevant correspondence.

We use personal information only where we have an appropriate lawful basis for doing so.

We do not use personal information submitted through this website for automated decision-making or profiling.

4. Our lawful basis for processing

For receiving and responding to general enquiries and managing related correspondence, we rely on legitimate interests under Article 6(1)(f) of the UK GDPR. Our legitimate interest is communicating with people who contact the author and managing those enquiries.

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider those interests alongside your rights and freedoms.

Where an enquiry involves taking steps at your request before entering into a contract, Article 6(1)(b) of the UK GDPR may apply. That basis may also apply where processing is necessary to fulfil a contract with you.

The enquiry form checkbox is an acknowledgement, not consent or our lawful basis for processing. We do not treat submitting an enquiry form as consent to unrelated uses of your personal information.

5. How your information is handled

Netlify provides website hosting and, through Netlify Forms, processes and stores website enquiry form submissions.

Google Workspace provides business email and handles enquiry notification emails and related correspondence.

These providers may process personal information as necessary to provide their services.

6. How long we keep your information

Contact-form enquiries and associated correspondence are normally retained for up to 12 months after the last meaningful correspondence.

This retention schedule applies to contact-form submissions held in Netlify Forms and related correspondence held in the Google Workspace business email account, where applicable.

Information may be retained longer where an enquiry remains active or where there is a legitimate legal reason to retain it. Personal information is not kept indefinitely without justification.

7. Sharing your information

We do not disclose enquiry information indiscriminately. Information may be processed by service providers where necessary to operate the website, handle contact form submissions and manage email correspondence.

Information may also need to be disclosed where required by law. Any additional sharing arrangements should be reflected here if applicable.

We do not sell personal information or share it for unrelated marketing purposes.

8. International transfers

Netlify and Google may process personal information outside the United Kingdom where applicable to the services they provide.

The providers' applicable data-processing terms describe their international-transfer arrangements and safeguards. Depending on the transfer and the terms that apply, these may include contractual safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses with the UK's International Data Transfer Addendum (the UK Addendum), or other applicable UK transfer arrangements.

Netlify's published Data Processing Agreement refers to the UK Extension to the EU–US Data Privacy Framework where applicable and to a contractual fallback it calls the “IDTA”, defined in that agreement as the ICO's UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses. Google's published Cloud Data Processing Addendum describes Standard Contractual Clauses and alternative transfer solutions where applicable. These descriptions do not confirm that a particular mechanism applies to every transfer made through this website.

You can contact Paul at paul@writerpjmccoy.com to request further information or a copy of relevant safeguards, subject to applicable legal, confidentiality and redaction restrictions.

9. Your data protection rights

Under applicable data protection law, you may have the right to:

• Request access to your personal information.
• Ask for inaccurate information to be corrected.
• Request deletion of your information in certain circumstances.
• Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances.
• Object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to processing based on legitimate interests. We must stop that processing unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds that override your interests, rights and freedoms, or the processing is needed for legal claims.
• Request data portability where processing is carried out by automated means and is based on a contract. This right does not apply to processing based on legitimate interests.

These rights are subject to the conditions and exceptions provided by law.

To make a request, email paul@writerpjmccoy.com.

10. Complaints

If you have concerns about how your personal information is handled, please contact us first so that we can try to address them.

You also have the right to complain to the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). Information about making a complaint is available at https://ico.org.uk.

11. Security

Reasonable measures are taken to protect personal information handled through the website. However, no website or electronic communication system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

12. Cookies and similar technologies

Based on the checks completed, this website uses only cookies or similar technologies that are strictly necessary for its operation. These technologies do not require consent where the applicable legal exemption applies.

13. Changes to this policy

This privacy policy may be updated when the website, its services or the way personal information is handled changes. The latest version will be published on this page.