Privacy Policy

What this Notice is about

This Privacy Notice tells you what information we obtain and hold about you whether you are initially applying to us for a tenancy or if you become a tenant, resident or guarantor, it explains what information we collect, why we collect it, and what we do with it, as well as who we share it with. We collect and handle personal information about our tenants and residents and prospective tenants and residents along with any guarantors to enable us to provide residential accommodation. This includes dealing with applications for tenancies, checking the suitability of tenants, residents along with any guarantors (including credit, immigration and similar referencing checks), arranging lettings, property management (including dealing with repairs), rent collection, dealing with any complaints, maintaining our accounts and records, tenancy terminations and administering tenancy deposits.

We call this information “your information”. It is also referred to as “data”.

Where this notice is given to more than one person it is given to each of you separately. If there is no guarantor, please disregard any reference in this notice to guarantor or guarantee. You should read this notice when you give us information so you are aware of how and why we are using this. Please update us if any information supplied by you changes.

Why we are giving you this notice

We are required by data protection law to give you this notice. We must be open with you about why information is collected about you and then what is done with it. We must act fairly in relation to this information. You have various legal rights relating to this information which are spelt out in more detail in this notice.

If you are already a tenant, resident or guarantor some of the items in this notice may not be relevant to you. Different information will be involved depending on whether you are a tenant, resident or guarantor.

In order that we can collect or use information about you there must be a legal basis or gateway for doing so. This notice identifies the relevant gateway for the various types of information we collect and hold about you. A detailed explanation of these gateways is given in this notice.

Under data protection legislation we can only process data “as necessary” and only to the extent that it is needed. For example, we can use your bank details regarding payments and other limited purposes only. However, in certain instances, as necessary, we can share any of your data, e.g. with our own professional advisers or letting and managing agents. We may also share any of your data, as necessary, with the police/law enforcement agencies or regulatory authorities.

The data we collect/hold about you

We use different ways to collect data about you including the information you supply to us when applying for a tenancy/residency. If you fail to provide this information we may not be able to proceed. As necessary personal data is processed by us (or by any letting/managing agent we retain relating to tenants/prospective tenants/residents/prospective residents/guarantors consisting of the following as applicable: –

We also collect and receive data about you from third parties. This may be information given to us by 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. utility companies or service providers may also give us personal information about you. Where the property is let or managed on our behalf by an agent the agent will supply us with information about you.

Sharing data with others

We will share information we hold with others, where this is necessary. When we do this, we must comply with data protection legislation. Information can be shared with other landlords including where you apply to another landlord for a tenancy; contractors/ suppliers; utilities and service providers; tradespeople; financial organisations (including banks and insurance companies); debt collection and tracing agents; public and government bodies; courts; police and law enforcement agencies; taxation authorities; local authorities in relation to Council Tax and regulatory functions; letting and managing agents; and any future owner of the property.

Why we collect data and the legal basis for processing

We must have a legal basis before we are allowed to collect or process your personal data. Our "gateways" include:

• 1.Your consent: Generally we do not rely on your consent but it may be requested in certain cases.
• 2.To perform our contract: So that we can carry out our responsibilities under the tenancy agreement.
• 3.Compliance with legal obligation: Meeting various statutory requirements.
• 4.Vital interests: E.g. in a life-threatening situation.
• 5.Legitimate interests: Pursuing our own or third party interests (where not overridden by your rights).

Retention of Data

Data can only be stored on a time limited basis and not indefinitely. We will hold personal data about you 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 for service of proceedings. We are also required to retain information for up to six years for tax purposes. If your tenancy application does not go ahead then we retain data for one year.

Your Rights

Data protection legislation gives you a number of rights as the data subject: