Find out what a company knows about you

You can send a subject access request to find out everything an organisation knows about you, and what they're doing with it. When you know what companies have recorded about you, you can take action, like telling them to delete it if you want to.

Too many companies:

  • Collect your data without full consent
  • Sell or share your information with third parties
  • Don’t monitor what these third parties do with it

Your data belongs to you, so you should have control over it and know how it’s being used.

Sending a subject access request can help you make your data work for you.

You can:

  • see what information companies have stored about you
  • understand why certain decisions were made about you
  • make sure that your data is being handled properly

By sending a request through Rightly, you can ask as many companies as you like what they know about you. We connect you, and they take it from there.

Companies collect a wide range of personal data which can include:

  • Name, address and contact details
  • Bank and insurance details
  • IP Address & Cookie identifiers
  • Marital status and number of children
  • Political opinions and affiliations

Sometimes, it’s helpful to have your data shared. But not without your consent. What happens to your data and who it's shared with often isn't made clear, and in particular, that it gets sold on and used to better target you with advertising.

Understandably, many people find this extremely invasive.

Some common questions

How do I send a subject access request (SAR)?

The easiest way to find out where your information is by sending a request through Rightly:

  • Search for any company
  • Enter your basic details so that they can confirm your identity
  • Check your email and send your request

What can you expect after you send your request?

Your request simply connects you to all of the companies you select. They’ll link you to their own forms and processes for you to complete. Only your name and email address is required to send these requests, but companies will likely ask you for more information to make sure you're you.

They should confirm what personal information of yours they have within 30 days.

So I don't need a subject access request template?

No - they tend to be of varying quality and take a lot of effort. That's why we made Rightly, so that things can be as safe and time-effective as possible for you to have more control over your data.

How long until a company responds to my request?

After the company has received your request, they have to reply in full within 30 days, or give a valid reason for asking for an extension. However, we're glad to say that most companies normally reply within a week.

Responses from companies are likely to come directly into your inbox.

If you have any questions, or have any difficulty at all with how companies respond, our friendly support team is here to help!

What if they don't reply?

They have to reply by law. You can ask any company if they have your personal data, even if you don't know for sure whether or not they have it. They have to tell you what they have, as well as how and why they are using it. This is thanks to your ‘right of access’ under GDPR law.

How long can a company store my data for?

There is no specific time limit on how long a company can hold your personal data. Under GDPR, your information should simply not be kept for any longer than necessary.

While a company should be able to justify the length of time that your data is stored, whether or not this is acceptable depends on what the data was collected for in the first place.

For instance, a company can keep hold of employment contract data for a total of 6 years since this is the window of time in which a contract breach claim could be made.

However, when it comes to job applicant CVs for example, these can only be stored for a maximum of 6 months, based on this being the length of time in which a candidate could file a discrimination claim.