Usually 1 month
Usual SAR deadline; exceptions can apply
First Tutors closure help for tutors
First Tutors data recovery: what tutors should ask for
A UK-focused guide to recovering your own First Tutors records using a subject access request, asking for useful account, message, review and payment data, and handling student information safely.
Privacy email shown by First Tutors
Current answer
First Tutors data recovery: the short answer
As of 15 May 2026, the official First Tutors UK page says: “After more than 20 years of trading, First Tutors has made the difficult decision to close.” The same page shows dpo@firsttutors.co.uk for data privacy enquiries and info@firsttutors.co.uk for existing queries. For a tutor who needs account records, messages, reviews, payment records or profile information, the practical first step is usually a written subject access request, also called a SAR or DSAR, asking for copies of your own personal information.
The ICO says you “don’t need a solicitor or a lawyer” to make this kind of request. Email is still the safest format here because it creates a dated record and First Tutors currently gives email contacts. Ask for your own personal information, add enough account details to identify you, and expect that student, parent or reviewer information may be redacted or withheld where disclosure would reveal another person’s data. This guide is UK-focused and should not be treated as individual legal advice.
Before you email: gather the details that make the request useful
The ICO explains that a SAR can be made “verbally or in writing, including via social media”, but for First Tutors data recovery a clear email is more practical. Prepare the request so the organisation can find the account without you sending unnecessary private documents at the start.
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Use your tutor account identifiers
Include the email address, profile name, subjects, location and approximate dates linked to your First Tutors tutor account.
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Name the records you actually need
List account, message, review, booking, lesson, payment, fee, invoice, support and moderation records if those categories matter to you.
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Keep the date range manageable
Add approximate dates, academic years or account periods where you can. A focused request is easier to search and easier to check when the response comes back.
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Do not send more ID than needed
An organisation can ask for reasonable identity checks if it is unsure who you are. Wait for the specific request before sending extra identity documents.
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Keep your evidence trail
Save the sent email, any delivery confirmation, replies, dates and attachments. This helps if you need to follow up.
What First Tutors data should tutors ask for?
Use this as a menu, not as a demand for everything in full. The right of access is about your personal information and related processing information. The ICO describes the core right as including “A copy of their personal information.” For each category, use wording such as if held and insofar as it relates to me.
Tutor-specific record categories to include in a First Tutors subject access request.
| Record category | Wording to include | Why it may help | Important limit |
|---|---|---|---|
Profile and account | My tutor profile, biography, subject list, qualifications, rates, availability, locations, account status, account identifiers and login-related records. | Helps rebuild a tutor profile, verify historic settings and check what public or account information was held. | Ask for your personal information. Do not assume every historic screen or setting is still held. |
Messages and enquiries | Messages, enquiries and replies sent or received through my tutor account, including dates and message metadata where held. | May help reconstruct tuition history, outstanding leads and agreed arrangements. | Student, parent or third-party details may be redacted where disclosure is not appropriate. |
Reviews and ratings | Reviews, ratings, testimonials or comments about me, plus dates and related account references where held. | May support reputation rebuilding or record checking after the platform closes. | Reviewer identity or contact details may not be disclosed in full. |
Bookings, lessons and payments | Booking, lesson, payment, fee, invoice, receipt, refund or account-balance records linked to my tutor account. | Useful for business records, tax records, reconciliation and disputed payments. | This is not a guarantee that every record still exists or that bank-card details will be supplied. |
Support, complaints and moderation | Support tickets, complaints, moderation flags, account restrictions and internal notes that mention me or my tutor account. | Helps understand account decisions, unresolved support issues or disputed records. | Internal notes may be redacted if they identify other people or fall under a relevant exemption. |
Documents and preferences | Uploaded documents, identity or qualification checks, marketing choices, privacy preferences and consent records linked to my account. | Helps confirm what sensitive or administrative material was held and how it was used. | Ask for secure delivery and avoid forwarding recovered documents casually. |
Processing information | The purposes of processing, categories of personal information, recipients or recipient categories, retention period or criteria, source of the data where not collected from me, complaint rights and relevant automated decision-making information. | This is the context that helps you understand what was held, why it was held and how it may have been shared. | Keep this linked to your own personal information and the processing of it. |
DSAR, data portability or deletion: which request fits the job?
If you still need records, start with access rather than deletion. The ICO describes this as “making a subject access request, a SAR or a DSAR”. For some data you provided yourself, you can also ask for portability in a “structured, commonly used and machine-readable format” where that right applies.
How to choose the right data request for former First Tutors tutor records.
| Request type | Best for | How to use it here | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
Subject access request (SAR or DSAR) | Finding out what personal information is held about you and getting copies of it. | Use this as the main First Tutors data recovery request. | It covers your personal information, not an automatic right to everyone else’s details. |
Data portability | Certain personal data you provided, where the legal conditions for portability apply. | Add a sentence asking for portable format for data you provided, such as profile details or messages you sent, where applicable. | This is narrower than a SAR and may not cover observed, inferred or derived records. |
Deletion or erasure | A later privacy step after you have decided you no longer need recoverable records. | Do not make deletion your first request if you still need messages, reviews, financial records or account evidence. | This guide focuses on access and recovery, not a full erasure request. |
A data-request email you can adapt
Suggested DSAR email wording for tutors
Use this when you were a First Tutors tutor and need copies of your own account and tutor records after the closure notice.
Subject: Subject access request for my First Tutors tutor account
Hello,
I am making a subject access request for my personal information linked to my First Tutors tutor account. The account was under the name [your name] and email address [your registered email]. My approximate account dates were [dates], and I taught [subjects/levels/locations].
Please confirm whether you are processing personal information about me and provide copies of that personal information. In particular, please search for and provide, if held and insofar as it relates to me:
- my tutor profile, account details, account status and login-related records;
- messages, enquiries and replies sent or received through my tutor account;
- reviews, ratings or comments about me;
- booking, lesson, payment, fee, invoice, receipt or refund records linked to my tutor account;
- support tickets, complaints, moderation notes or account-decision records that mention me;
- uploaded documents, privacy preferences, marketing choices and consent records;
- supplementary information about the processing, including purposes, categories of personal information, recipients or recipient categories, retention period or criteria, complaint rights and any relevant automated decision-making information.
For personal data I provided to you, please also provide it in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format where the right to data portability applies.
I understand that information about students, parents, reviewers or other people may need to be redacted where disclosure is not appropriate. Please still provide as much of my own personal information as you can.
Please send the response securely. If you need reasonable information to verify my identity, please tell me what is needed and why.
Kind regards, [your name]
The wording names the legal request, gives account identifiers, asks for tutor-specific record categories, includes portability only where it applies, and recognises that third-party data may need redaction.
What happens after you send the request?
For a SAR, the ICO gives the deadline wording as “within one month of receipt of the request”. That is the usual expectation, but the timing can shift if identity checks, clarification, complex searches or multiple requests apply.
Response timing and what to expect after sending a First Tutors data request.
| Stage | What may happen | What tutors should do |
|---|---|---|
Acknowledgement or delay | First Tutors says responses to existing queries are likely to be delayed. A delay notice is not the same as a full SAR response. | Keep the original sent date and any replies. Use the privacy email shown on the closure page for data privacy enquiries. |
Identity checks | The organisation may ask for enough information to verify that the request is from the person the data is about. | Provide reasonable evidence if requested. Do not send unnecessary identity documents before being asked. |
Clarification | A broad request may be clarified so the organisation can search the right records. | Give account dates, profile details, subjects and record categories rather than simply asking for everything. |
One-month response period | The usual deadline is one month, calculated under ICO guidance. | Set a calendar reminder from the request date, adjusting if identity evidence or a permitted fee is requested. |
Complex or multiple requests | The response period can be extended by up to two further months for complex cases or multiple requests. | Ask for the reason and expected response date if an extension is claimed. |
Fee or refusal | Most SARs should be free, but a reasonable fee or refusal may be possible for manifestly unfounded or excessive requests, or further copies. | Keep the request focused and ask for reasons if any part is refused. |
Secure delivery | The organisation should take reasonable steps to keep supplied information secure, for example by using secure access or encryption. | Ask for secure delivery and avoid forwarding recovered records through insecure channels. |
How to protect recovered records once you receive them
Recovered First Tutors records may contain business information, student details, parent messages, payment references and historic notes. NCSC’s small-organisation guidance says: “Phones, laptops and tablets hold important business information.” Treat the recovered file or email bundle as something that needs active protection.
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Use a secure device
Use a strong device password, PIN or passphrase. Avoid opening sensitive records on shared or unmanaged devices.
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Keep software updated
Keep your operating system, browser, email app and security tools updated before handling recovered files.
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Prefer encrypted storage
Store downloaded records in encrypted storage where possible, especially if you keep them on a laptop or removable drive.
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Limit access
Do not share recovered student, parent or reviewer information with new platforms, other tutors or marketing lists unless you have a clear lawful basis and privacy checks.
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Separate useful records from unnecessary ones
Keep the records you genuinely need for business, tax, complaint or continuity purposes. Delete copies that are no longer needed.
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Check before importing old contacts
A contact detail from an old platform is not automatic permission to contact someone for a new purpose. Be careful before using recovered details for marketing or re-engagement.
If there is no response or the response is incomplete
The ICO advises people to follow up with the organisation if there is no response after more than one month, or if the response is incomplete. Give the organisation a fair chance to fix the issue before escalating to the ICO.
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Send a short follow-up
Quote your original request date, the email address used, and any reply reference. Ask when the SAR response will be provided.
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List what is missing
If the response arrives but seems incomplete, list the missing categories clearly: for example messages, payment records, reviews, support tickets or processing information.
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Ask for reasons for redactions or refusals
A response may be partial for valid reasons, but you can ask the organisation to explain the basis for withholding information.
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Keep dated evidence
Keep the original request, follow-ups, replies, attachments and a simple timeline. This helps if you complain to the ICO.
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Complain to the ICO where appropriate
After giving the organisation a chance to respond, you can complain to the ICO. The ICO says complaints are usually best made within three months of the last meaningful contact.
Key terms in plain English
These terms help you write a precise request and understand the response.
DSAR
A data subject access request: a request for copies of your personal information and related information about how it is used.
Subject access request
The formal name for exercising the right of access. It does not need special wording if it is clear you are asking for your own personal information.
Right of access
The UK GDPR right to obtain confirmation that your personal information is being processed, a copy of it, and supplementary information about that processing.
Personal information
Information that relates to a living person who can be identified directly or indirectly. In this guide, that includes information about you as the tutor and may also include information about students, parents or reviewers.
DPO email
For this guide, the privacy email shown on the current First Tutors closure page: dpo@firsttutors.co.uk. Do not assume from the address alone that a statutory Data Protection Officer appointment has been verified.
Data controller
The organisation responsible for deciding how to respond to a SAR and how personal information is handled.
Data processor
An organisation that may handle personal information on behalf of a controller. The controller remains responsible for the SAR response.
Data portability
A narrower right to receive certain personal data you provided to a controller in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format, where the right applies.
Third-party personal data
Personal information about someone other than you, such as a student, parent or reviewer. It may be redacted or withheld in a SAR response.
Redaction
Editing or removing information, often to avoid disclosing another person’s identity or protected information while still providing what can be disclosed.
Identity verification
Reasonable and proportionate checks an organisation may ask for if it is not sure the requester is the person the data is about.
Sources used in this guide
This guide relies on current official sources for the closure wording, UK subject access rights, data portability, third-party redaction, children’s information and practical cyber security. Some ICO pages note that guidance is under review after the Data (Use and Access) Act came into law on 19 June 2025, so use the review date on this page when checking time-sensitive details.
- Open source
First Tutors closure notice
- Open source
ICO: Getting copies of your information
- Open source
ICO: What is the right of access?
- Open source
ICO: Responding to a request
- Open source
ICO: Information about other people in a SAR
- Open source
ICO: Right to data portability
- Open source
ICO: Children and the UK GDPR
- Open source
NCSC: Protecting your devices
Related guidance
More guidance from this section
More guidance from this part of the Ed Centre that may help with the same decision, stage or next step.
First Tutors Login Not Working: What Former Users Should Do Now
A practical UK guide for former First Tutors tutors and users trying to understand failed login, profile, message, payment or contact searches after the service closure.
Tutor platform exit checklist: lessons from First Tutors
A practical UK guide for self-employed tutors on protecting reviews, records, paid listing evidence, client data and lead sources when a marketplace closes or becomes unavailable.
Can Tutors Recover Their First Tutors Reviews?
If your First Tutors profile and feedback helped win clients, the loss is commercial and personal. This guide explains what may still be recoverable, what to save now, and how to use old review evidence safely.
Support and clarity
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to the questions people ask most often.
What is the First Tutors DPO email for data privacy enquiries?
As of 15 May 2026, the official First Tutors UK closure page shows dpo@firsttutors.co.uk for data privacy enquiries. It also shows info@firsttutors.co.uk for existing queries. Use the DPO address as the current privacy email shown by First Tutors, but do not treat the address alone as proof that a statutory Data Protection Officer appointment has been verified.
Can I recover First Tutors tutor data if my login no longer works?
Yes, a login is not the only way to ask for your personal information. You can send a written subject access request with your registered email, tutor profile name, approximate account dates and the categories of records you want. Do not rely on a working login or export tool unless First Tutors confirms one is available.
What should a First Tutors tutor ask for in a DSAR?
Ask for your tutor profile, account identifiers, messages, enquiries, reviews, booking or lesson records, payment and fee records, invoices or receipts, support tickets, complaints or moderation notes mentioning you, uploaded documents, privacy choices and supplementary processing information. Use the phrase if held and insofar as it relates to me.
How long should a First Tutors DSAR take?
The usual SAR deadline under ICO guidance is one month. The period can be affected by identity checks, clarification, a permitted fee, complex requests or multiple requests. First Tutors also states that responses to existing queries are likely to be delayed, so keep a dated record and follow up clearly.
Will I receive student or parent contact details?
Not automatically. A SAR is about your personal information. If the response would reveal student, parent or reviewer personal data, the organisation may redact or withhold that information unless disclosure is appropriate. You should still receive as much of your own personal information as can be disclosed.
Should I ask for data portability as well as a DSAR?
It can be sensible to ask for both, but keep them distinct. A DSAR asks for your personal information and related information about how it is used. Data portability is narrower and applies only to certain personal data you provided, where the right applies, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format.
What if First Tutors does not respond or misses records?
Follow up with the organisation first. Quote your original request date, list the missing categories clearly and keep copies of emails and replies. If the organisation still does not respond properly, the ICO says you can complain to the ICO, usually best within three months of the last meaningful contact.
Should I ask First Tutors to delete my account straight away?
If you still need evidence, messages, reviews or financial records, do not make deletion your first request. Use access and, where applicable, portability first. Once you have what you need, you can consider any separate privacy request with care.
Sources and references
Sources and references
- 1.First Tutors closure notice
Official First Tutors UK closure notice and current contact wording for existing queries and data privacy enquiries; no visible publication date in the retrieved page.
- 2.Getting copies of your information
Public ICO SAR/DSAR guidance: right of access basics, what to include, one-month expectation and the note that guidance is under review after the Data (Use and Access) Act came into law on 2025-06-19.
- 3.A guide to subject access
ICO organisation-facing subject access overview: verbal or written SARs, no usual fee, one-month timing, extensions, third-party data and refusal basics.
- 4.How do we recognise a subject access request?
ICO guidance on recognising a valid SAR, including that no special wording is required and that requests can be made by any means; also notes updates on 2025-12-08.
- 5.What should we consider when responding to a request?
ICO guidance on SAR deadlines, calculating a month, identity checks, clarification, fees and extensions.
- 6.What is the right of access?
ICO guidance on what the right of access includes, including a copy of personal information and supplementary processing information.
- 7.Information about other people in a SAR
ICO guidance on third-party personal information, withholding and redaction in SAR responses.
- 8.How can we supply information to the requester?
ICO guidance on supplying SAR information, electronic responses, security and secure remote access options.
- 9.Right to data portability
ICO guidance on the right to data portability, including when it applies and the structured, commonly used and machine-readable format wording; page notes guidance under review after the Data (Use and Access) Act came into law on 2025-06-19.
- 10.What to do if you don't get a response or you're unhappy with it
Public ICO guidance on following up, complaining to the organisation, complaining to the ICO and evidence to keep; page notes guidance under review after the Data (Use and Access) Act came into law on 2025-06-19.
- 11.Why organisations might partially or fully refuse a subject access request
Public ICO guidance on exemptions, manifestly unfounded or excessive requests, and third-party information; page notes guidance under review after the Data (Use and Access) Act came into law on 2025-06-19.
- 12.Children and the UK GDPR
ICO overview guidance on children’s information, including the need for specific protection of children’s personal data.
- 13.Handling children’s personal information
ICO detailed guidance on children’s personal information, data protection by design and default, strict access controls and cautious sharing.
- 14.Protecting your devices
NCSC small-organisation guidance on passwords, device security, updates, unsupported apps and antivirus/firewall checks.
- 15.Keeping devices and software up to date
NCSC device-security guidance on patching operating systems, browsers, apps and antivirus software.
- 16.Device security guidance: Windows
NCSC Windows device-security guidance; reviewed on 2025-05-13 and used only for the optional encrypted-storage control.