Privacy Policy

BRENDAN HOPE LTD (trading as Brendan Hope CV Writing)

Last updated: 6 February 2026

Plain-English summary

This summary is for convenience. Please read the full policy for detail.

• We collect personal data when you contact us, request a Free CV Review, book a call, or buy services.
• We use your data to respond to you, deliver paid services, take payment, and run and secure our website.
• CVs can contain special category data (for example health information). If you choose to include it, we process it only as needed to deliver the service and we rely on your explicit consent for that special category content.
• We use trusted service providers (for example, hosting, email, scheduling, invoicing, cloud storage). We do not sell your personal data.
• We use cookies, including analytics and embedded media cookies, only after consent where required. See our Cookie Policy for details.
• We keep data only for as long as we need it (for example: enquiries 12 months; Free CV Review uploads 6 months; client files 24 months; invoices 6 years).
• You have rights under UK GDPR, including access, correction and deletion. You can complain to the ICO.

1. About this privacy policy

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share and protect your personal data when you:

• use our website: https://brendanhope.com
• contact us (including via our forms, email, phone or booking tools)
• request a Free CV Review
• purchase or receive our CV writing and career services (including coaching/interview preparation)

This policy is written to meet UK GDPR transparency requirements (Articles 13/14) and the Data Protection Act 2018. It should be read alongside our Cookie Policy (UK).

2. Who we are and how to contact us

Data controller: BRENDAN HOPE LTD, trading as Brendan Hope CV Writing
Company number: 13423235
Registered office (and service address): The Old Stables, Barkston Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG32 2HN, United Kingdom
Email: hello@brendanhope.com
Phone: +44 (0)7306 868181
ICO registration number: ZB249055

We have not appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO). Brendan Hope is the day-to-day privacy contact for this business.

3. Who this policy applies to

Our services are primarily intended for clients aged 18+.

We may provide services for someone under 18 only where a parent/guardian is the contracting client and submits the young person’s information on their behalf.

4. The personal data we collect

“Personal data” means information that identifies (or could identify) you.

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

4.1 Data you provide to us

Identity & contact data

• Name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Home/billing address (for paying clients)

Service and document data

• Your CV and related documents you provide (for example cover letters, role specifications, job links)
• Information you provide about your work history, education, achievements, targets and motivations
• Headshot/photo (if you choose to provide one)
• Referee details (name and email address) where you provide them for certain regions

Communications data

• Messages you send us via forms, email, phone, or booking tools
• Notes created during coaching/interview sessions (where applicable)

Call recordings and transcripts (only where agreed)

• We may sometimes record and/or transcribe calls with your verbal consent at the start of the call (see section 9).

Payment and invoicing data

• Payment confirmations and references (for bank transfer, Revolut, PayPal)
• Invoicing and accounting records (for example invoices, receipts)

We do not intentionally collect card details on our website. Where you pay via PayPal or Revolut, payment details are handled by those providers.

4.2 Data we collect automatically (website usage)

When you use our website, we may collect technical information such as:

• IP address
• device/browser information
• pages viewed and interactions
• cookie identifiers and consent preferences (where relevant)

See our Cookie Policy (UK) for details of cookies and consent.

5. Special category data (CVs and career information)

CVs and career documents sometimes include “special category” personal data (for example health/disability information, ethnicity, religion, or trade union membership).

• We do not ask you to provide special category data.
• If you choose to include it in your documents or information you send us, we will only use it to the extent necessary to deliver the services you request.
• We rely on your explicit consent to process any special category personal data contained in the materials you provide.

You can avoid sharing special category data by removing it from documents before submitting them, unless you specifically want it included for a job application context.

6. How we collect personal data

We collect personal data through:

• Direct interactions: when you fill in forms (Free CV Review or Contact), book a call, email us, phone us, or buy services
• Automated technologies: cookies and similar technologies (see Cookie Policy)
• Service delivery tools: where you book calls, exchange files, or we manage your project using our systems

7. How we use your data, lawful bases, and retention

We only use your personal data where UK GDPR allows us to.

7.1 Our purposes and lawful bases

• Steps to enter a contract: where you contact us about services (including Free CV Review) and we need your details to respond and discuss scope/pricing.
• Contract: where you purchase services and we need to deliver them.
• Legitimate interests: for general enquiries, running our business, improving and securing our website, and managing client relationships—where your interests and rights don’t override ours.
• Legal obligation: for tax/accounting and compliance duties (for example retaining invoices).
• Consent: where required for cookies; and for special category data (explicit consent) and call recording/transcription (where agreed).

7.2 Processing table (data, purpose, lawful basis, retention, sharing)

Notes on this table

• Where you become a paying client after a Free CV Review, your data will fall under the client retention period (24 months) for service continuity.
• Where you provide special category data in your CV/materials, we treat that content as special category data and rely on explicit consent for that content (see section 5).
• We operate a manual clean-up process and will also delete sooner where appropriate and lawful, including on request (see section 11).

8. Who we share your data with (processors and recipients)

We share personal data only where necessary to run the website and deliver services. This typically includes:

8.1 Website infrastructure and security

• Hosting: Hostinger
• Security: Wordfence
• Performance: LiteSpeed
• DNS/security services: Cloudflare
• Cookie consent management: Complianz
• Website platform: WordPress and essential plugins

8.2 Service delivery and business operations

• Email and productivity / call tools: Google Workspace (including Google Meet)
• Cloud storage: Google Drive
• Scheduling: Calendly
• Project/task management: ClickUp
• Invoicing/accounting: FreeAgent
• Payments: PayPal; Revolut; bank transfer processing via your bank

8.3 Analytics and embedded content (subject to consent where required)

• Analytics: Google Analytics (only after consent, where required)
• Embedded media/fonts: YouTube, Google Fonts (only after consent, where required)

We may also share data where required for legal reasons (for example with HMRC) or to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

We do not sell your personal data.

9. Call recording, transcription and AI features

Where we provide coaching or calls, we may sometimes record and/or transcribe sessions only with your consent.

• We ask for verbal consent at the start of the call before recording or transcription begins.
• If you do not consent, we will proceed without recording/transcription.
• Recordings/transcripts are stored in Google Drive and are typically kept for 90 days.

Where transcription uses features in Google Workspace (including Gemini/Google Meet transcription), the resulting transcript is treated as personal data and handled under this policy.

10. International data transfers

We work with providers who may process or store personal data outside the UK (for example, some Google, Calendly and ClickUp processing).

Where a transfer is classed as a “restricted transfer” under UK GDPR, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place (for example, adequacy regulations where applicable, or approved contractual safeguards such as the UK IDTA/UK Addendum), and we can provide more information on request.

11. How long we keep your data (retention)

We keep personal data only for as long as needed for the purposes described, including legal and accounting requirements:

• Enquiries (no purchase): 12 months from last contact
• Free CV Review uploads (no purchase): 6 months from submission
• Client files, drafts, and communications: 24 months after completion
• Coaching notes: 24 months after last session
• Call recordings/transcripts (where agreed): 90 days
• Invoices and accounting records: 6 years

We operate periodic clean-up and also delete sooner where appropriate (including on request), provided we don’t need to keep the data for legal, accounting or dispute purposes.

12. Data security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data, including:

• access controls (limiting who can access data)
• security tooling on the website (for example firewall/security services)
• secure storage (for example controlled cloud storage)

No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, but we work to reduce risk and respond appropriately to any suspected personal data breach.

13. Your rights

You have rights under UK data protection law, including the right to:

• access your personal data
• correct inaccurate data
• request deletion (in certain circumstances)
• object to processing (in certain circumstances)
• restrict processing (in certain circumstances)
• data portability (in certain circumstances)
• withdraw consent (where we rely on consent)

To exercise your rights, contact us at hello@brendanhope.com. We may ask for reasonable information to verify your identity before responding.

14. Complaints

If you have concerns, please contact us first and we’ll do our best to resolve them.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) (UK).
Website: https://ico.org.uk

15. Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies. For details (including cookie categories, vendors and how to manage consent), please read our:

Cookie Policy (UK): https://brendanhope.com/cookie-policy-uk/

16. Third-party links

Our website may contain links to third-party sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. Please read their privacy notices when you leave our site.

17. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version will always be published on this page with an updated “Last updated” date.