Privacy, Confidentiality and Terms
This page explains how FOI Proxy UK handles your information, protects client confidentiality, and sets out the terms that apply when you use our discreet Freedom of Information request service.
FOI Proxy UK reviews suggested requests, helps refine wording where required, and submits suitable FOI requests in its own name using its own contact details.
Your identity is not disclosed to the public authority receiving the request unless disclosure is legally required.
Who We Are
FOI Proxy UK provides a discreet Freedom of Information request service for people who want to obtain recorded information from public authorities without being personally identified to the authority receiving the request.
FOI Proxy UK is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
For privacy, confidentiality or service enquiries, contact:
Information We Collect
When you contact FOI Proxy UK or submit an enquiry, we may collect:
- Your name, alias or preferred contact name
- Your email address
- Details of the public authority involved
- The information you would like requested
- Background information you choose to provide
- Service level selected
- Payment confirmation details
- Correspondence between you and FOI Proxy UK
- Records of FOI requests submitted and responses received
Please do not provide unnecessary personal information about yourself or anyone else when submitting an enquiry.
How We Use Your Information
We use your information to:
- Review your enquiry
- Assess whether the proposed request appears suitable for FOI
- Refine or clarify the wording of the request
- Confirm the proposed request wording and service level with you
- Submit suitable FOI requests in FOI Proxy UK's own name
- Track and manage responses from public authorities
- Send responses and updates to you
- Process payment and maintain business records
- Deal with service, legal, regulatory or compliance issues
Confidentiality
Client confidentiality is central to the FOI Proxy UK service.
We treat your identity, contact details, instructions, payment information and background reason for the request as confidential.
The public authority receives the FOI request from FOI Proxy UK, using FOI Proxy UK's own name and contact details.
We do not disclose your identity, email address, payment details or background reason for the request to the public authority unless disclosure is legally required.
Limits of Confidentiality
FOI Proxy UK will protect client confidentiality as far as lawfully possible.
However, confidentiality is not absolute.
We may have to disclose information where required by:
- Law
- Court order
- Regulatory requirement
- Police or law enforcement obligation
- Tax, accounting or business record obligations
- Any other lawful obligation requiring disclosure
If disclosure is legally required, FOI Proxy UK will only disclose what is necessary in the circumstances.
Payment Information
Payments are processed securely using a third-party payment provider.
The payment provider may collect information required to verify and process the payment, such as cardholder name, card details, billing information and transaction information.
FOI Proxy UK does not receive or store full card details.
FOI Proxy UK does not share your payment information with the public authority receiving the FOI request.
No Guarantee of Disclosure
FOI Proxy UK does not guarantee that a public authority will disclose the information requested.
Public authorities may refuse requests where, for example:
- The information is not held
- The request exceeds the cost limit
- The information is already reasonably accessible
- The request is considered vexatious or repeated
- An exemption applies
- The request seeks personal data
- The wording is unclear
FOI Proxy UK helps reduce avoidable refusal risks by making requests clear, focused and properly framed, but the final decision rests with the public authority.
Requests We May Decline
FOI Proxy UK may decline to assist with any request that appears unsuitable, unlawful, abusive, malicious, vexatious, misleading or outside the proper purpose of the service.
We may also decline requests that appear designed to obtain personal data improperly, harass individuals, conceal unlawful activity, or misuse the FOI process.
Not Legal Advice
FOI Proxy UK is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
We provide a discreet FOI request drafting, submission and tracking service.
If you require legal advice about your rights, litigation, employment issues, regulatory matters, disclosure obligations or data protection rights, you should seek advice from a qualified legal professional.
FOI, Subject Access Requests and Personal Data
Freedom of Information requests are generally used to request recorded information held by public authorities.
FOI is not normally the correct route for obtaining your own personal data. If you want information about yourself, a Subject Access Request may be more appropriate.
FOI Proxy UK may decline or suggest reframing a request where it appears to seek personal data inappropriately.
Record Retention
FOI Proxy UK may retain enquiry records, request wording, correspondence, payment confirmation records and responses received from public authorities for business, accounting, audit, service and compliance purposes.
Records will be kept only for as long as reasonably necessary for those purposes.
Terms
Client Responsibilities
When using FOI Proxy UK, you agree to:
- Provide accurate information
- Avoid submitting unnecessary personal data
- Not use the service for unlawful, abusive or malicious purposes
- Not seek to obtain personal data improperly
- Review and approve proposed request wording before submission
- Understand that disclosure of information is not guaranteed
Service Process
After receiving your enquiry, FOI Proxy UK will review the information provided and may contact you to clarify the request.
We will confirm the proposed wording and service level before submission.
We will not submit the FOI request until the wording has been agreed and payment has been confirmed.
Once the public authority responds, we will forward the response to you.
Consumer Cancellations
Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, consumers may have a 14-day cooling-off period. If you ask us to begin work during that period, you acknowledge that you may lose the right to cancel once the service has been fully performed and may be charged proportionally for work started.
Refunds
- Declined before submission: full refund of any service fee paid.
- After submission: fees cover work performed and are non-refundable.
- Partial work started: we may deduct a reasonable amount for work already carried out.
Limitation of Liability
Nothing limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or other non-excludable liabilities. Subject to that:
- No liability for indirect, consequential, incidental, special, punitive, or exemplary losses.
- No liability for decisions, delays, errors, or omissions by public authorities or third parties.
- Aggregate liability is capped at the total fees you paid in the preceding 12 months.
Changes
We may update the service and these terms. Material changes will be posted here with a new effective date.
Governing Law
England and Wales law applies; English courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
Complaints
Contact info@foiproxy.co.uk. We aim to respond within 10 business days.
We recommend you keep a copy of this page for your records.