Subject access request (SAR)

A letter asking an organisation for the personal data they hold about you. You fill in who they are and what you want copies of, print or save a PDF, and send it. We do not send it for you, and this is not legal advice.

Usually one month

Under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, you can ask an organisation for the personal data they hold about you. They usually have one month from when they can identify you. That is the ICO’s rule of thumb — not a promise that this letter will get you everything, or on that day.

Write the request ICO: getting copies of your information

A SAR is not a complaint. It asks for copies of your data, where it came from, who it is shared with, and how long it is kept. If you want something put right, that is a different letter.

Why it matters

People use a SAR when an account, a file, or a decision sits on data they have not seen. Putting the request in a dated letter makes the date of receipt easier to show. It does not force a particular outcome, and it does not start a complaint process on its own.

How it works

  1. Fill in the organisation (or DPO), your name, and what you want copies of.
  2. Print the letter or save it as a PDF. £5, UK bank transfer.
  3. You send it. They may ask you to prove who you are; do not post extra ID until they say what they need.

Read the ICO guidance on getting copies of your information before you send anything. The month usually starts when they can identify you, not when you hit send.

A filled-in request

12 March 2026 Data Protection Officer Example Ltd This is a subject access request under Article 15 of the UK GDPR. I am A. Example, account: a.example@email.com. Please provide all personal data you hold about me, the sources, who you share it with, and how long you keep it. In particular: account notes, call recordings, and any credit file you have used since 2024. If you need more to identify me, say exactly what. Please confirm the date you consider this request received. Yours faithfully, A. Example

Pay £5, then print

£5 · UK bank transfer

Pay £5 by UK bank transfer to Starling Personal: Andrew Skrzypiec-allen, sort code 60-83-71, account 44427708. Payment reference SENDTHIS. Then print/export. Honour system, same as now.

USDC on Base still accepted at 0x16287C70C13d3c535e96201B52879f988f2B11D5 for people who already have it.

Can’t face the form — £15

Pay £15 by UK bank transfer to the same Starling account. Payment reference SENDTHIS-DFY (or USDC). Paste the facts, and I’ll write the letter. You still send it. Honour system, same as now. Not legal advice, and not a solicitor acting for you.

Parking ticket (PCN) · Landlord repairs · Refund

Send This is not a law firm and this is not legal advice. We write a letter from what you type; you send it. A SAR is a request for your data, not a complaint, and we do not file it or talk to the organisation for you. Organisations usually have one month from when they can identify you — see the ICO. If the stakes are high, read the ICO guidance or speak to Citizens Advice. £5 is for the document, not a result.