We also generate and use data internally, e.g. our rent records if managing the property.

We also collect and receive data about you from third parties. This may be information given to us by the landlord, other tenants or residents or neighbours. It can include information from a guarantor where there is a guarantor for your tenancy or from a joint tenant or other residents. Public bodies such as local authorities or the police, or other law enforcement agencies may give us information about you. This can include the Department for Work and Pensions or the local authority where you are receiving Universal Credit or housing benefit. Information may be given to us relevant to Council Tax by the local authority. Utility companies or service providers may also give us personal information about you. We obtain information about you when we carry out credit checks or take up references. We may also receive information from you via websites or from online rental portals such as SpareRoom for example.

How we get the information and why we have it

The various purposes for which it may be necessary for us to process different categories of your information include: –

• In our legitimate interests for ensure you are allowed to advertise or rent out the property
• In our legitimate interests for deciding on the suitability of a proposed tenant/resident
• In our legitimate interests for verifying the credit worthiness/suitability of tenants/residents
• Our legal obligation to check immigration status/right to rent. This is also to verify identities.
• To perform our tenancy contract to deal with joint tenants and residents who are linked to the tenancy
• To perform our contract to complete the tenancy agreement
• In our legitimate interests to secure rental payments/performance of tenant obligations, e.g. deposits and guarantors
• For contractual performance for rent collection and collection of other payments including banking details
• For contractual performance for managing the tenancy and the property
• For contractual performance and/or in our legitimate interests for record keeping
• For contractual performance for arranging repairs and maintaining the condition of the property and keeping it in a safe condition.
• For contractual performance for monitoring and enforcement of tenant responsibilities
• For contractual performance or in our legitimate interests for recovering debts and other payments due, including any possession proceedings
• In our legitimate interests for administering liability for Council Tax
• In our legitimate interests and those of the provider relating to arranging and paying for utilities and services
• In our legitimate interests for dealing with welfare benefits (including Universal Credit and housing benefit) where payable in respect of the rent
• In our legitimate interests in relation to tenancy termination including the return of any deposit
• In our legitimate interests for processing complaints
• For contractual performance or in our legitimate interests for dealing with health and disability issues relating to tenants/residents
• In our legitimate interests for obtaining and holding audio and cctv recordings
• To perform our legal obligations to provide information to public or local authorities who are legally entitled to require this information
• In your vital interests for contacting next of kin etc., in an emergency
• In our legitimate interests for the storage of emails, records of calls and other communications
• In accordance with our legal obligations if you exercise your rights under data protection law
• To perform our legal obligations for compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
• In our legitimate interests for the establishment and defence of legal rights
• In our legitimate interests for prevention, detection and investigation of crime and anti social behaviour and the security of any website or other means of electronic communication

Upon paying us for our services you agree that we shall have exclusive ownership and control of any data provided and/or used in conjunction with the delivery of the services.

We may change the purposes where this is compatible for the purpose for which we obtained the data originally. If we need to use your data for a non-compatible purpose we will notify you and explain the legal gateway that allows us to do so. We may process your information without your knowledge where this is required or permitted by law.

How we store your information

Some providers store related data internationally and not necessarily within the European Union. The recipient of this data is the provider concerned. You need to refer to the provider concerned to determine if they have the required clearance (adequacy decision) from the EU authorities or whether or not, instead, there is an agreement containing appropriate and suitable safeguards and to obtain a copy of this agreement.

We will retain your information for as long as is necessary to provide you with the services that you have requested from us, or for as long as the law otherwise permits.

Transmission of information over the internet can be insecure, and although we employ measures to protect your information from unauthorised access we cannot always guarantee the security of information sent over the internet.

We will hold personal data about tenants for the duration of your tenancy and for seven years after your tenancy has ended. This is the statutory limitation period six years plus a further year to allow for service of proceedings should proceedings commence later.

Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you have rights including:

Your right of access – You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information.

Your right to rectification – You have the right to ask us to rectify information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.

Your right to erasure – You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to restriction of processing – You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your information in certain circumstances.

Your right to object to processing – You have the the right to object to the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.

Your right to data portability – You have the right to ask that we transfer the information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you.

Please contact us at +44 7984 981278 or [email protected] if you wish to make a request.

How to complain

You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data.

The ICO’s address:           

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113