Subject Access Request (SAR) Template

#When to Use a SAR

✅ To gather evidence for a complaint or claim

✅ To see what data a company holds about you

✅ To check if they recorded calls/notes about you

✅ To find out how they made decisions about you

✅ To discover if they shared your data with others

#Template Letter

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, Postcode]
[Your Email] | [Your Phone Number]
[Date]

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Data Protection Officer
[Company Name]
[Company Address]
[City, Postcode]

Subject: Subject Access Request Under UK GDPR

Dear Data Protection Officer,

I am making a formal request under Article 15 of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) for access to my personal data.

#My Details

To help you locate my records:

• Full Name: [Your full name]
• Previous Names: [If applicable]
• Date of Birth: [DD/MM/YYYY]
• Address: [Current address]
• Previous Addresses: [If you've moved recently]
• Account/Reference Numbers: [Any customer numbers, policy numbers, etc.]
• Email Addresses: [Email addresses you've used with them]
• Phone Numbers: [Phone numbers you've used with them]

#Information Requested

Please provide me with:

1. All personal data you hold about me, including but not limited to:
   • Account information and transaction history
   • Communications (emails, letters, chat logs)
   • Call recordings and transcripts
   • Notes made about me by your staff
   • Complaint records
   • Marketing preferences and consent records
2. Information about processing:
   • The purposes for which you process my data
   • The categories of personal data you hold
   • Who you have shared my data with (recipients or categories of recipients)
   • How long you will retain my data
   • The source of any data not provided by me directly
3. Automated decision-making:
   • Details of any automated decision-making, including profiling
   • The logic involved and significance of such processing

#Specific Requests

[Add any specific requests relevant to your situation:]

• [E.g., All call recordings between [date] and [date]]
• [E.g., Internal notes relating to my complaint ref [X]]
• [E.g., Credit application assessment records]
• [E.g., Commission payments made to third parties in relation to my account]

#Format

Please provide the information in a commonly used electronic format (e.g., PDF, Word documents, MP3 for audio recordings).

#Timeframe

Under UK GDPR, you must respond to this request within one calendar month. If you need to extend this period, please inform me within one month and explain why.

#Verification

I have attached a copy of my [passport / driving licence / utility bill] to verify my identity.

#No Fee

As you are aware, there is no fee for this request under UK GDPR.

#Contact

If you have any questions about this request, please contact me at [email address] or [phone number].

Yours faithfully,

[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]

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Enclosed:

• Copy of ID (for verification)

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#Tips for Effective SARs

#What Happens Next

Timeline	What to Expect
Day 0	Send your SAR
Day 5-10	They may ask for ID verification
Day 30	Deadline for full response
Day 30+	If no response, send a chaser
Day 45+	Report to ICO if still no response

#If They Don't Respond

1. Send a chaser – Remind them of the legal deadline
2. Report to ICO – ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
3. Consider court – You can claim for non-compliance

#Common SAR Uses for Claims

Claim Type	What to Request
Motor finance	Commission records, affordability assessments
Irresponsible lending	Credit checks, income verification records
Overdraft claims	Transaction history, internal notes
Insurance	Underwriting records, claims handling notes
Data breach	What data was exposed, breach details