Privacy Policy

This privacy policy explains how The Accommodation Agents (AA) uses, protects, stores and deletes information that you give the AA whether on this website, for tenancy referencing purposes or otherwise.

The AA is committed to ensuring that your privacy and date is protected at all times.  If you need to provide certain information which could identify you when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with our most current GDPR Privacy Policy.  As the AA may amend this policy from time to time, you are advised to check back occasionally to ensure that you are happy with any changes we have made.  This policy is effective from 15th May 2018.

• The Accommodation Agents is the trading name of JCM Property Management Limited is based at 60 Britannia Gardens, Hedge End, Southampton, SO30 2RP
• Company number 4150090 registered in England
• The nominated Data Controller is Jenny Mulholland.
• The AA does not generally use collected data for marketing purposes
• Its use is of a “transactional” nature for making contact during the normal course of business.

The AA has a lawful basis for processing data due to:

• Its business being established as a letting agency
• Its having pre-obtained consent from tenants and guarantors
• Its having a contractual necessity to collect and process applicant’s data to fulfil contractual and legal obligations as detailed in government policies
• Its having a legitimate interest in processing appropriate information in a way that applicants would reasonably expect their information to be used

To ensure your information is kept secure and in order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure of your information, the AA warrants that:

• It is registered under UK data protection with the Information Commissioner’s Office and operates their business in a way that complies with Data Protection Law and will continue to do so.
• All data used will be clean and current and will have been lawfully obtained and in full compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation and all UK and EU related data protection law.  
• We will process any tenancy application in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
• It does not use cookies.
• We have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure any information we collect online.
• That our entire website is encrypted end to end as denoted by the URL starting with “https” where the “s” stands for secure.
• That all devices used by any member of the AA are password protected.
• All applicants will be informed how their data is to be processed, the reason for processing their data, the period their data will be stored and any other current relevant information.
• All applicants will have the right to have their data erased if they withdraw or are rejected from the referencing process or if they withdraw their consent or if any data has been processed incorrectly.
• All applicants will have the right to move, copy or transfer their personal data from one area to another in a safe and secure way without hindrance to its usability.
• All applicants have the right to have their data rectified if it is incorrect or incomplete.
• All applicants have the right to stop or suppress the processing of their data.
• All applicants have the right to object to their data being used for direct marketing.

The data collected by the AA from original sources includes information from:

• Landlords, Tenants and Guarantors
• Employers and previous landlords of tenants
• Third party contractors
• On-line credit referencing agencies

The data collected by the AA from Tenants and Guarantors for the purpose of referencing and communication includes but is not limited to an applicant’s:

• Contact information: name, postal address, phone number(s) and email address
• Documents providing proof of personal identity
• Documents providing proof of the Right to Rent in the UK
• Financial information: Bank statements and other account information
• Employment information: your employer, salary details, payslips, job title and employment contract/job offer letter
• Landlord and employer details for obtaining references
• Age, date of birth, next of kin and National Insurance number
• Any information required to carry out credit referencing checks

The data collected by the AA from tenants, guarantors, landlords, employers and others is used for the purpose of referencing and communication and includes but is not limited to:

• Referencing a new tenant and guarantor during their application to rent a room or property through the AA
• Ensuring compliance with current Government Right to Rent legislation
• The purpose of drawing up various agreements
• The need to obtain a credit check for referencing purposes
• Communicating via email to comply with the rights of tenants as outlined by current Government legislation e.g. the requirement to give 24 hours’ notice to enter a room or property.
• Internal record keeping, marketing photos, Facebook and others
• Information we use to improve our services
• Occasional and periodic promotional emails about our services, special offers or other information which we think you may find interesting or useful using the email address which you have provided

From time to time, we may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes by email, phone or mail and we may use the information to customise our website to match your interests.

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website, except, of course, any other website we own.  We cannot therefore be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting other sites that we do not own and are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to each website in question.

During the process of a tenant’s application and subsequent referencing, the AA may share an applicant’s data with third parties in the following circumstances:

• To obtain a credit reference
• To obtain a reference from a previous landlord
• To obtain a reference from an employer
• To register a deposit in a Deposit Registration Scheme
• To give contractors such as maintenance staff, keys or key safe codes to properties to enable them to enter to carry out necessary maintenance work and comply with Government legislation e.g. to provide Safety Certificates
• Any third party we use will also need to confirm to the AA that they are GDPR compliant that they will only use the information for the purpose for which it was intended and that they will destroy it after they no longer need it.  Also, that they will not store any data for the purposes of marketing or contacting our tenants about other unrelated matters.

  Controlling your personal information

  You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:

• Whenever you are asked to fill in a form on our website, there is a tick box that you can click to indicate that you definitely want to hear from us about offers and other news. If do not want your information to be used by us for direct marketing purposes do not click in this box.
• If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes and keeping in touch with you, you may change your mind at any time by writing to us or emailing us.
• Current UK Legislation requires that we contact you giving 24 hours’ notice to visit your rental accommodation and any such transactional necessity to contact you in the normal course of our business will override any request from you not to be contacted by us.
• The AA will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. We will not use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties or pass your personal information to them.
• You may request details of any personal information which we hold about you under the Data Protection Act 1998.   A fee may be payable.  If you would like a copy of the information held on you please write to:  Data Protection, The Accommodation Agents Ltd is based at 60 Britannia Gardens, Hedge End, Southampton, SO30 2RP.
• If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to us or email us as soon as possible and, if requested, we will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.

  To comply with current legislation the AA disposes of data in accordance with the following guidelines:

• Four months after a tenancy has ended all tenant and guarantor data that has been stored in any email communication, Dropbox file or CRM file will be deleted.  However, to comply with Government legislation, the AA will retain all certified ID documents, all signed agreements, a copy of the Deal Sheet, Check-In and Check-Out sheets for accounting purposes.
• One year after a tenancy has ended any tenant and guarantor data still stored by the AA will be deleted and all physical ID documents still held will be shredded.  However, the AA will retain a copy of any signed agreements for a further 6 years for accounting purposes.
• Seven years after a tenancy has ended the AA will delete all data of whatsoever nature and wheresoever located that is connected with a tenant or guarantor.  The AA will also delete all previously-retained copy agreements.

We use third party service providers such as Drop Box, Customer Relationship Management System, Accounting Software, Face Book, Tenant Deposit Schemes and Tenant Referencing Agencies.  These service providers have their own privacy policies which we have accepted in order to use their services. The information we store or exchange with these sites is controlled by that service provider and in the case of Face Book may be affected by your own privacy settings.

• We use your personal information
• To fulfil our transactional obligations to you
• Where it is necessary for the purposes which are in our, or third parties, legitimate interests
• For purposes which are required by law
• For the purpose of responding to request by government, a court of law, or law enforcement authorities conducting an investigation.
  We may disclose your information as follows
• Contractors or services providers who assist us in connection with our business
• Our professional advisors
• Other Landlords and Lettings agencies, or other businesses with which we have a working relationship
• Regulators and government authorities in connection with our compliance procedures and obligations
• A purchaser or prospective purchaser of part or all of our assets or our business and their professional advisors in connection with the purchase
• A third party to respond to request relating to a criminal investigation or alleged or suspected illegal activity
• A third party in order to enforce or defend our rights, or to address financial or reputational risks
• A rights holder in relation to an allegation of intellectual property infringement
• Other recipients where we are authorised or required to do so by law