In this article, we will demonstrate what to include in your data subject requests, whether it’s a data erasure request or a data access request.

Disclaimer: the following guide is not to be used for any legal purposes and was not created by legal professionals.

Before we begin with the text for the letter, we need to answer the first question, which is to whom you should send the letter and how. 

Most companies have a Data protection officer (DPO) who is responsible for their privacy requests. To get their email go to the company’s privacy policy and search for any dedicated email address. If you cannot locate one, you can send your privacy request through any other contact of the company you can find, and they will guide you to the right point of contact. 

Once you have the contact information, all you need to do is write the letter and send the official request. 

If you are looking to send a data erasure request (also known as a right to be forgotten request), there is a much easier way to do it. Mine has developed a smart data assistant that helps you submit data deletion requests to companies directly from your inbox. Our data ownership platform includes a free template letter, and with it, you can send multiple requests in a matter of minutes. Not only do we have the contact details for privacy requests for hundred of thousands of companies, but our platform also helps you discover and map all the companies that hold your personal data.

What every privacy request should include:

• A clear email subject line stating your request i.e.,” Data Subject Access Request ” or “ Data Erasure Request.”
• Your full name.
• The date of the request.
• Contact details where they can reach you.
• Any information that would help them identify you and your data within their organization - this could include customer number, employee number, order number, ticket number, etc.
• Which data you would like to get access to or deleted (depending on the type of the request). 
  

GDPR Subject Access request template letter

Data Subject Access Request - from <hl>{full name}<hl>

Hello <hl>{company name}<hl>, 

Subject access request

My name is <hl>{full name}<hl>, {add any other relevant details that could help identify you}, and I hereby request that you will provide any personal information you hold about me, which I am entitled to receive under data protection law. 

{mention if there is a specific format in which you would like to receive the data, e.g. email or printed out}.

If you need any more information, please let me know as soon as possible. 

Thank you in advance.

Yours sincerely,

<hl>{full name}<hl>

<hl>{contact details}<hl>

<hl>{date of the request}<hl>

A template letter for GDPR erasure request

Data Erasure Request - from <hl>{full name}<hl>

Hello <hl>{company name}<hl>,

Subject erasure request

My name is <hl>{full name}<hl>, {add any other relevant details that could help identify you}, and I hereby request to erase all personal data that you hold about me.

Please send me an email confirmation of the complete and permanent erasure of the personal data once you have completed the erasure process.

Thank you in advance.

Yours sincerely,

<hl>{full name}<hl>

<hl>{contact details}<hl>

<hl>{date of the request}<hl>

‍

Data subject requests and data ownership

Submitting data subject requests could seem intimidating at first and require some time and effort, but if you choose to use Mine’s data ownership platform, the process will become much easier. Today’s world is a world of data, and data has value. Privacy laws like the GDPR and the CCPA determine that your personal data is yours, and it’s your right to regain ownership over it. There is nothing to be shy about, you hold the right to control who holds your data, so when you're done using a service, make sure you reclaim what's yours.