Debbie

Privacy Policy

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Last updated: 4 April 2026

1. Who We Are

Debbie is a software service built for UK sole-trader tradespeople. We are the data controller for all personal information collected through debbieapp.co.uk and the Debbie application.

Trading name: Debbie
Registered address: Hartlepool, UK
Contact: [email protected]

ICO Registration: Debbie is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) as a data controller. Registration number: ZC116085.

2. What Data We Collect and Why

We collect only the data necessary to provide our service. This includes:

• Name, email address, and mobile number — for account creation, invoicing, and service communications
• Business details: business name, trading address, UTR number, National Insurance number, and VAT registration number where applicable
• Customer data you enter into Debbie: your customers' names, postal addresses, email addresses, mobile numbers, job descriptions, and job history
• Financial data: invoice amounts, payment status, expense records, and receipt data extracted from receipts you scan within the app. Receipt images are processed using optical character recognition (OCR) to extract the relevant figures and are not stored. Extracted data is recorded against the relevant job or, for general supplies, against your business account
• Technical data: IP address, browser type, device type, and session cookies

We do not collect any special category data such as health information, ethnicity, or political opinions, and we ask that you do not enter any such information into the Debbie application.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. We rely on the following:

• Contract — to create and manage your Debbie account and deliver the service you have signed up for
• Legal obligation — to support your compliance with Making Tax Digital and HMRC reporting requirements
• Legitimate interest — to maintain and improve the service, prevent fraud, ensure platform security, and send service-related communications
• Consent — for optional marketing emails and product update communications. You can withdraw consent at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email or by contacting us at [email protected]

4. How We Store and Protect Your Data

We take the security of your data seriously. Our measures include:

• Database: PostgreSQL via Neon — encrypted at rest
• File storage: Cloudflare R2 — automatically encrypted at rest
• Data in transit: All data is transmitted over HTTPS using TLS encryption
• Access controls: Internal access to your data is restricted to authorised personnel only
• Backups: Encrypted daily backups, retained for 30 days
• Security scanning: Cloudflare automated security scanning and DDoS protection
• Receipt images: Receipt images are never stored. They are scanned in memory via OCR, the relevant data is extracted, and the image is immediately discarded

In the event of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify the Information Commissioner's Office within 72 hours of becoming aware of it and will notify affected users without undue delay where required.

5. How Long We Keep Your Data

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected, or as required by law. All data retention and deletion described in this section is handled automatically by Debbie's systems — no manual action is required from you.

Active accounts:
All data is retained for the duration of your active subscription.

Cancelled or deleted accounts:
When you cancel or delete your Debbie account, your account enters a 12-month grace period. During this time the following data is preserved in case you choose to return:

• Your name, email address, and mobile number
• Your business details: business name, address, UTR number, NI number, and VAT number
• Your customers' names, postal addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers
• All job records, invoice history, and extracted receipt data

At 11 months after cancellation, Debbie will automatically send a warning email to your registered email address informing you that your data will be permanently and irreversibly deleted in 30 days. That email will include a single button to reactivate your account and retain all your data.
At 12 months after cancellation, all of the above personal data is automatically and permanently deleted from our systems. This process runs nightly and cannot be reversed once completed.

Deleted customers within the app:
If you delete a customer record from within the Debbie app while your subscription is active, that customer's personal data — including their name, postal address, email address, and phone number — is soft-deleted immediately and permanently purged from our database after 12 months. During that 12-month window, deleted customers are fully recoverable. Debbie allows you to search your recently deleted customers from within the app and restore any record with a single tap. After 12 months, the automatic nightly purge runs and the record is permanently and irreversibly deleted.

Financial records:
Invoice, income, and payment data may be retained for up to 6 years after the end of the relevant tax year, in line with HMRC record-keeping requirements. This applies even after account deletion. Once the 12-month grace period ends, personal identifiers are automatically stripped from financial records, leaving only the anonymised financial figures required for legal compliance.

Waitlist data:
Name and email address collected via the waitlist are automatically deleted within 12 months if a Debbie account is not subsequently created, or immediately upon your request at any time by emailing [email protected].

Inactive accounts:
Accounts with no login activity for 24 months will receive an automated warning email. If no action is taken following that warning, the account will be treated as cancelled and the 12-month grace period will begin automatically.

6. Cookies

Our website uses cookies to function correctly and to understand how visitors use the site.

• Essential cookies: Required for the website and application to operate correctly. These cannot be disabled.
• Analytics cookies: Used to understand how visitors interact with our site so we can improve it. These are only placed with your consent.

A cookie consent notice is displayed on your first visit to debbieapp.co.uk. You can update your preferences or disable non-essential cookies through your browser settings at any time.

7. Third-Party Data Processors

We use the following third-party services to operate Debbie. Each acts as a data processor on our behalf under a data processing agreement and operates under its own privacy policy:

Processor	Purpose
Neon	Database hosting
Cloudflare	Security, CDN, file storage, and anti-spam (Turnstile)
HMRC	Making Tax Digital submissions
Stripe	Payment processing
Resend	Transactional and service emails
OCR Provider	Receipt scanning - images are processed in memory and immediately discarded. No image data is retained by the provider

We do not sell your personal data to any third party. We do not share your data with any party not listed above except where required by law.

8. International Data Transfers

Some of our third-party processors may store or process data outside the UK. Where this occurs, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including Standard Contractual Clauses or equivalent mechanisms approved under UK GDPR, to ensure your data is protected to the same standard as within the UK.

9. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of access - request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to rectification - request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to erasure - request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention obligations such as HMRC financial record requirements
• Right to restrict processing - request that we limit how we use your data
• Right to data portability - request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Right to object - object to processing based on legitimate interest, including direct marketing
• Right to withdraw consent - where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

10. Your Responsibilities as a Debbie User

When you use Debbie to store your customers' personal data - including names, addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers - you become a data controller in your own right for that data under UK GDPR. Debbie acts as your data processor.

This means:

• You are responsible for ensuring you have a lawful basis to store your customers' data in Debbie. For most tradespeople this will be contract — you need their details to carry out the job and issue invoices
• You should make your customers aware that their contact details are stored in business management software as part of your normal working practice
• You should not enter information about individuals into Debbie that is not relevant to your business relationship with them
• If one of your customers requests access to or deletion of their personal data, you are responsible for handling that request. You can export or delete customer records from within the Debbie application at any time. Deleted customer records remain recoverable within the app for 12 months before being automatically and permanently purged

If you are unsure of your obligations as a data controller, the ICO provides free guidance at ico.org.uk.

11. Children's Privacy

Debbie is intended for use by adults operating sole-trader businesses in the UK. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under the age of 18. If you believe a child has submitted data to us, please contact us at [email protected] and we will delete it promptly.

12. Right to Complain

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK's data protection supervisory authority:
Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
Website: ico.org.uk
Helpline: 0303 123 1113
Report a concern: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint

We would always appreciate the opportunity to resolve your concern directly before you contact the ICO. Please reach out to us first at [email protected].

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy as the Debbie service develops or as legal requirements change. Where changes are significant, we will automatically notify all registered users by email at least 14 days before the change takes effect. The current version date is always shown at the top of this page.

This privacy policy was last reviewed on 4 April 2026.

Terms of Service

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Last updated: 4 April 2026

1. Acceptance of Terms

By creating an account or using the Debbie application or website at debbieapp.co.uk, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these terms, you must not use the Service.
These terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Debbie. We recommend you save or print a copy for your records.

2. About Debbie

Debbie is a cloud-based invoicing, job management, and tax compliance application designed for UK sole-trader tradespeople. The Service is intended for use by adults aged 18 and over who are operating a legitimate business in the United Kingdom.

Trading name: Debbie
Registered address: Hartlepool, UK
Contact: [email protected]

3. Your Account

To use Debbie you must create an account. You agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information when registering
• Keep your account details up to date
• Keep your password and login credentials confidential
• Not share your account with any other person
• Notify us immediately at [email protected] if you suspect any unauthorised access to your account

You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account. Debbie cannot be held liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to keep your credentials secure.

4. Acceptable Use

You agree to use Debbie only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You must not:

• Use the Service for any illegal, fraudulent, or unauthorised purpose
• Submit false, misleading, or inaccurate data including false business details or customer information
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to our systems, servers, or databases
• Interfere with, disrupt, or overburden the Service or its infrastructure
• Upload, transmit, or introduce any malicious code, viruses, or harmful content
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to extract the source code of the Service
• Resell, sublicense, or otherwise commercially exploit the Service without our written permission
• Use the Service in any way that could damage our reputation or that of other users

We reserve the right to suspend or permanently terminate your account immediately and without notice if we reasonably believe you have breached this section.

5. Subscription, Fees and Payment

5.1 Pricing
Current subscription pricing is displayed on debbieapp.co.uk. All fees are in pounds sterling (GBP) and are exclusive of VAT where applicable.

5.2 Billing
Payment is processed securely via Stripe. By subscribing you authorise Stripe to charge your payment method on a recurring monthly basis. Your subscription renews automatically on the same date each month unless cancelled.

5.3 Cancellation
You may cancel your subscription at any time from within the Debbie app or by contacting us at [email protected]. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period. You will not be charged for the following month. No partial refunds are issued for unused days in a billing period.

5.4 Free Trial and Promotional Offers
Where a free trial or promotional period is offered, it will be clearly stated at the point of sign-up. At the end of any free trial, your subscription will automatically convert to a paid plan unless you cancel before the trial ends.

5.5 Price Changes
We reserve the right to change our subscription pricing. We will give you at least 30 days notice by email before any price increase takes effect. Continued use of the Service after that date constitutes acceptance of the new pricing.

5.6 Failed Payments
If a payment fails, we will attempt to notify you by email. We reserve the right to suspend access to the Service until payment is successfully collected.

6. Your Data

You retain full ownership of all data you input into Debbie, including your business information, customer records, job data, and financial records.
By using the Service, you grant Debbie a limited, non-exclusive licence to store, process, and transmit your data solely for the purpose of providing the Service to you. We do not use your data for any other purpose, and we do not sell your data to third parties.
Our full data handling practices are set out in our Privacy Policy at debbieapp.co.uk/privacy.

7. Making Tax Digital and HMRC Compliance

Debbie is designed to assist you with Making Tax Digital (MTD) compliance. However:

• Debbie is a software tool, not a regulated tax adviser
• You remain solely responsible for the accuracy of all information submitted to HMRC
• You should verify all quarterly updates and tax submissions before authorising them
• Debbie cannot be held liable for any penalties, interest, or enforcement action arising from incorrect or late HMRC submissions

If you are unsure about your tax obligations, you should seek advice from a qualified accountant or tax adviser.

8. Availability and Service Levels

We aim to keep Debbie available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, we do not guarantee uninterrupted access to the Service. We may carry out planned maintenance, updates, or emergency work that temporarily affects availability. Where possible we will give advance notice of planned downtime.
We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Service at any time. In the event of permanent discontinuation we will give you at least 30 days notice by email and provide a means to export your data.

9. Intellectual Property

All intellectual property rights in the Debbie application, website, branding, and content - including but not limited to software, design, text, and graphics - are owned by or licensed to Debbie. Nothing in these Terms grants you any rights in that intellectual property other than the right to use the Service as described herein.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law:

• Debbie is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind
• We do not warrant that the Service will be error-free, uninterrupted, or fit for any particular purpose
• We shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential loss or damage arising from your use of or inability to use the Service
• Our total liability to you in connection with the Service shall not exceed the total subscription fees paid by you in the 12 months immediately preceding the claim

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.

11. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Debbie, its officers, employees, and agents from and against any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your use of the Service, your breach of these Terms, or your violation of any third-party rights.

12. Third-Party Services

Debbie integrates with third-party services including Stripe (payments), Resend (email), Neon (database), Cloudflare (security and infrastructure), and HMRC (Making Tax Digital). These services are governed by their own terms and privacy policies. Debbie is not responsible for the availability, accuracy, or conduct of any third-party service.

13. Termination

13.1 By you: You may close your account at any time from within the app or by emailing [email protected].
13.2 By us: We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account at any time if you breach these Terms, if required by law, or if we reasonably believe your use of the Service poses a risk to other users or our systems.
13.3 Effect of termination: On termination, your access to the Service will cease. Your data will be retained for 12 months in accordance with our Privacy Policy before being automatically and permanently deleted. Financial records required for HMRC compliance may be retained in anonymised form for up to 6 years.

14. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any dispute arising from or in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
If you have a complaint about the Service, please contact us first at [email protected]. We will always try to resolve disputes directly and fairly before any formal action is taken.

15. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Where changes are significant, we will notify all registered users by email at least 14 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the Service after that date constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms. The current version date is always shown at the top of this p