A request that includes call recordings is a different job from one covering only email. Each recording has to be located, listened to and assessed for other people's personal data — callers, colleagues, anyone discussed on the line — before a copy can be released.
We handle this alongside conventional document review for organisations across Leeds and West Yorkshire, working remotely and delivering a finished disclosure pack.
Call recordings are personal data
If your organisation records calls, those recordings are in scope of a SAR wherever the requester can be identified in them — whether they were the customer, the agent, or a colleague being discussed.
The requester is entitled to a copy of their personal data. Where recordings contain other people's information, that content needs to be masked in the audio or the relevant portions withheld, with the reason recorded. A transcript can be a helpful addition, but it isn't automatically a substitute for the recording if a copy is what was asked for.
Never delete once a request arrives
Routine deletion under an existing retention schedule can continue. But deliberately deleting, altering or concealing data to prevent it being disclosed after a request has been received is a criminal offence under section 173 of the Data Protection Act 2018. Contact-centre teams should know to pause any manual clean-up of recordings relating to the requester.
CCTV and chat transcripts
CCTV from offices, warehouses and car parks raises the same issue visually: other people in frame usually need to be blurred or cropped before footage is released. Web chat and messaging logs are easier to redact, but are often larger in volume than expected where a customer has been in contact over months or years.
Our comparison of redaction tools and manual review covers the software that makes audio and video redaction practical.
Sectors we support in West Yorkshire
Contact centres and outsourcers
High volumes of call recordings, chat logs and quality assessments — often held on behalf of clients.
Financial services and insurance
Complaint files, recorded lines and regulatory records in dispute-driven requests.
NHS and health bodies
Patient and staff requests, including those held by national bodies with a Leeds presence.
Legal
Law firms receiving requests from staff and former clients, with privilege to identify.
How we handle your SAR remotely
- Tell us about the request — the systems involved, the date range and your deadline. We confirm a fixed fee within 24 hours.
- Upload the documents to an encrypted, access-controlled workspace. Nothing is emailed.
- Our specialists review every item and redact third-party and exempt information, logging the legal basis for each decision.
- You receive a finished disclosure pack, covering letter and redaction schedule, ready to send.
Every case is quoted individually on the size and complexity of your dataset, and the fixed fee is agreed before any work begins.
Received a SAR in Leeds?
Tell us the scope and your deadline, and we'll confirm a fixed fee within 24 hours. No commitment required.
Get Your Free SAR Assessment →or call 01244 261 379Frequently asked questions
Do we have to provide call recordings in a SAR response?
Yes, if the requester can be identified in them and they still exist. Other people's personal data in the recording must be masked or withheld, with the reason recorded.
How do you redact other voices from a call recording?
Specialist audio tools mute or tone-over the relevant sections, leaving the requester's own contributions intact. We log each masked segment with its timestamp and reason.
Can we delete recordings after a SAR arrives?
Not because of the request. Routine deletion under an existing retention schedule can continue, but deliberately destroying or concealing data to prevent disclosure is a criminal offence under the Data Protection Act 2018.