1. Introduction
1.1 This Record Retention Schedule accompanies and is incorporated into Nelsons’ Data Protection Policy.
1.2 It sets out the time periods that Client Records are retained for business and legal purposes.
1.3 The retention periods are based on business needs and legal requirements. If you maintain any types of records that are not listed in this schedule, and it is not clear from the existing record types in this Schedule what retention period should apply, please contact the Privacy Standards Team for guidance.
1.4 There will be occasions when it is necessary to store archived client files for longer periods
1.5 Special Arrangements for Private Client Files
– 1.5.1 Will files must initially be allocated a destruction date for the year 3000 to ensure they are not destroyed. On their retrieval, they should then be allocated a destruction date 12 years from the client’s death to coincide with the destruction of the probate file where applicable.
– 1.5.2 Ongoing Trust files should not be archived but should be “archived in part” – check with private client staff.
– 1.5.3 Signed accounts on Trust files are kept for 40 years.
1.6 Special Arrangements for matters involving Infants.
The destruction date period should run from the infant’s 18th birthday.
1.7 Any deviations from the retention periods in this Schedule must be approved in advance by the COLP.
2. Client Records and Matter Files
Work Type |
Department |
Description |
Years |
| 047 | Commercial Property | Secured Lending | 12 |
| 075 | Commercial Property | Agricultural – Land Acquisition | 12 |
| 076 | Commercial Property | Development Land – Sale | 7 |
| 077 | Commercial Property | Development Land – Purchase | 12 |
| 078 | Commercial Property | Plot Sales | 7 |
| 079 | Commercial Property | Planning Advice | 7 |
| 080 | Commercial Property | Agricultural – Tenancy | 12 |
| 081 | Commercial Property | Lessor | 12 |
| 082 | Commercial Property | Freehold Sale | 7 |
| 082 | Commercial Property | Freehold Purchase | 12 |
| 083 | Commercial Property | Lessee | 12 |
| 093 | Commercial Property | Landlord | 12 |
| 120 | Commercial Property | Housing – Landlord | 7 |
| 031 | Construction | Construction – Contentious | 7 |
| 033 | Construction | Construction – Non Contentious | 12 |
| 015 | Corporate & Commercial | Intellectual Property | 7 |
| 017 | Corporate & Commercial | Insolvency – Corporate | 7 |
| 022 | Corporate & Commercial | Insolvency – Personal | 7 |
| 025 | Corporate & Commercial | Insolvency – Practitioner Personal | 7 |
| 029 | Corporate & Commercial | Insolvency – Practitioner Corporate | 7 |
| 037 | Corporate & Commercial | Management Buy Out/Buy In | 12 |
| 038 | Corporate & Commercial | Company Law | 7 |
| 039 | Corporate & Commercial | Commercial Law | 7 |
| 040 | Corporate & Commercial | EEC/Competition | 7 |
| 041 | Corporate & Commercial | Intellectual Property & TBC | 7 |
| 042 | Corporate & Commercial | Directorship Law | 7 |
| 043 | Corporate & Commercial | Insolvency – Non Contentious | 7 |
| 044 | Corporate & Commercial | General Commercial Advice | 7 |
| 045 | Corporate & Commercial | Acquisitions & Disposals | 8 |
| 046 | Corporate & Commercial | Company Formations & Reorganisation | 7 |
| 048 | Corporate & Commercial | Commercial Agreements | 7 |
| 084 | Employment | Employer – Non Contentious | 7 |
| 085 | Employment | Employer – Contentious | 7 |
| 086 | Employment | Emplus | 7 |
| 087 | Employment | Employee – Non Contentious | 7 |
| 088 | Employment | Employee – Contentious | 7 |
| 001 | Family | Injunctions | 7 |
| 002 | Family | Cohabitees Dispute | 7 |
| 003 | Family | Change of Name | 7 |
| 004 | Family | Adoption Private Law | Current |
| 005 | Family | Adoption Public Law | Current |
| 006 | Family | Children Private Law | 7 |
| 007 | Family | Children Public Law | Current |
| 008 | Family | Divorce/Judicial Separation | 7 |
| 009 | Family | Mediation – Separate Intake | 7 |
| 010 | Family | Mediation – Joint Intake | 7 |
| 011 | Family | Mediation – Child | 7 |
| 012 | Family | Mediation – Property & Finance | 7 |
| 013 | Family | Mediation – All Issues | 7 |
| 014 | Family | Mediation – Private | 7 |
| 021 | Family | Mediation – Civil | 7 |
| 026 | Family | Welfare Benefits | 7 |
| 108 | Family | Ancillary Relief | 7 |
| 111 | Family | Child Support Agency | 7 |
| 112 | Family | Education | 7 |
| 016 | Dispute Resolution | Professional Negligence | 7 |
| 018 | Dispute Resolution | Commercial Litigation | 7 |
| 019 | Dispute Resolution | Private Litigation | 7 |
| 020 | Dispute Resolution | Inheritance Claim | 7 |
| 023 | Dispute Resolution | Judicial Review | 7 |
| 024 | Dispute Resolution | Actions Against Police | 7 |
| 027 | Dispute Resolution | Consumer & General | 7 |
| 028 | Dispute Resolution | Housing – Tenant | 7 |
| 030 | Dispute Resolution | Debt – Advice | 7 |
| 032 | Dispute Resolution | Property Litigation | 7 |
| 034 | Dispute Resolution | Debt Collection | 7 |
| 064 | Dispute Resolution | Public Liability | 7 |
| 065 | Dispute Resolution | Product Liability | 7 |
| 073 | Dispute Resolution | Committees & Tribunals | 7 |
| 089 | Dispute Resolution | Tribunal | 7 |
| 109 | Dispute Resolution | OSS Interventions | 7 |
| 125 | Dispute Resolution | Euro Defi Management | 7 |
| 127 | Dispute Resolution | School Appeals | 7 |
| 062 | Personal Injury | Group Action | 7 |
| 063 | Personal Injury | CICA | 7 |
| 066 | Personal Injury | Clinical Negligence | 7 |
| 067 | Personal Injury | RTA | 7 |
| 068 | Personal Injury | Industrial Injuries | 7 |
| 069 | Personal Injury | RTA – Small Claims | 7 |
| 100 | Investment Management | Mortgage Procuration | 12 |
| 101 | Investment Management | Endowment | 12 |
| 102 | Investment Management | Pensions | 7 |
| 103 | Investment Management | Investments – Discrete | 7 |
| 104 | Investment Management | Investments – Non Discrete | 7 |
| 105 | Investment Management | General Financial Advice | 7 |
| 049 | Probate | Wills | See Notes |
| 050 | Probate | Administration Of Estate | 13 |
| 051 | Probate | Trusts & Settlement Creation | 7 |
| 052 | Probate | Trusts & Settlement Admin | 7 |
| 053 | Probate | Taxation Advice | 7 |
| 054 | Probate | Power of Attorney | 7 |
| 055 | Probate | Residential Care Advice | 7 |
| 056 | Probate | Notarial Work | 7 |
| 057 | Probate | Court of Protection | 7 |
| 058 | Probate | Deed of Gift | 12 |
| 115 | Probate | Transfer of Property | 12 |
| 116 | Probate | Declaration of Trust | 13 |
| 082 | Residential Property | Freehold | 7 |
| 094 | Residential Property | Residential Property – Gen Advice | 7 |
| 095 | Residential Property | Sale | 7 |
| 096 | Residential Property | Purchase | 12 |
| 097 | Residential Property | Sale & Purchase | 12 |
| 098 | Residential Property | Transfer of Equity | 7 |
| 099 | Residential Property | Re-mortgage | 7 |
| 113 | Residential Property | Matrimonial Conveyancing | 12 |
| 06 | All | Agency Work | 7 |