PRIVACY POLICY

Harling Taylor Property Management Limited is a residential letting and management company operating in and around Dorset, England. We act as a data controller in respect of the personal information that we process in connection with our business.

Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of personal information:

For Tenants:

• Contact information (name, address, email, telephone number)
• Identification documents (passport, driving licence)
• Financial information (bank details, salary information, credit history)
• Employment details
• References from previous landlords
• Guarantor details (where applicable)

For Landlords:

• Contact information (name, address, email, telephone number)
• Identification documents for anti-money laundering checks
• Property details
• Bank account details for payment processing
• Tax status information

For Property Owners in Managed Blocks:

• Contact information (name, address, email, telephone number)
• Property ownership details
• Bank account details for service charge payments and refunds
• Voting records for Residents Management Company matters
• Correspondence regarding property maintenance issues

For Residents Management Companies (RMCs):

• Company information and registration details
• Director/member information (names, addresses, contact details)
• Meeting minutes and voting records
• Financial information including service charge accounts
• Contractor information

For Property Viewers and Website Users:

• Contact information
• Property preferences
• IP address and cookies when using our website
• Marketing preferences

How We Collect Your Information

We collect personal information through:

• Direct interactions (when you register with us, fill in forms, or correspond with us)
• Our website and online portals
• Third parties (credit reference agencies, employers, previous landlords)
• Public sources (Land Registry, electoral register)

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

For Tenants:

• To process rental applications
• To conduct reference and credit checks
• To prepare and manage tenancy agreements
• To manage property maintenance and repairs
• To collect and process rental payments
• To communicate important information about your tenancy

For Landlords:

• To market and manage your property
• To prepare and manage tenancy agreements
• To collect and process rental payments
• To arrange property maintenance and repairs
• To ensure compliance with legal obligations

For Property Owners in Managed Blocks:

• To maintain accurate records of property ownership
• To collect and process service charge payments
• To communicate about maintenance and repairs of common areas
• To provide updates about block management matters
• To organise and document annual general meetings and extraordinary meetings
• To handle complaints and disputes relating to the managed property

For Residents Management Companies:

• To fulfil our obligations under the block management contract
• To maintain proper company records as required by law
• To administer service charge accounts and budgets
• To arrange insurance for the building(s)
• To manage contractors for maintenance and repair work
• To facilitate communication between property owners

For All Users:

• To improve our services
• To comply with legal and regulatory obligations
• To prevent fraud
• To send you marketing communications (with your consent)

Legal Bases for Processing

We process your personal information based on one or more of the following legal grounds:

• Performance of a contract with you
• Compliance with a legal obligation
• Your consent
• Our legitimate interests (where these do not override your rights)

Sharing Your Information

We may share your personal information with:

• Landlords or tenants (as appropriate to the transaction)
• Property owners and Residents Management Companies (for block management matters)
• Referencing agencies
• Contractors and service providers
• Legal advisors
• Government bodies and law enforcement agencies
• Utility providers
• Deposit protection schemes
• Property portals (for marketing properties)
• Building insurers and insurance brokers
• Managing agents (where we act as a sub-agent)
• Accountants and auditors (especially for service charge accounts)
• Solicitors involved in property transactions

We require all third parties to respect the security of your personal information and to treat it in accordance with the law.

International Transfers

We do not transfer your personal data outside the UK and European Economic Area (EEA) unless necessary for specific services. Where we do, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information.

Data Security

We have implemented appropriate security measures to prevent your personal information from being accidentally lost, used, or accessed in an unauthorised way. We limit access to your personal information to those employees, agents, contractors, and other third parties who have a business need to know.

Data Retention

We will retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

For tenants, we typically keep information for the duration of the tenancy and for a period of [X] years afterwards. For landlords, we typically retain information for the duration of our agreement and for [X] years afterwards.

For property owners in managed blocks and Residents Management Companies, we typically retain information for the duration of our block management agreement and for [X] years afterwards. However, certain records relating to building safety, major works, and long-term maintenance plans may be kept for longer periods to comply with legal obligations and industry best practices.

Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have rights including:

• The right to be informed about how we use your personal information
• The right of access to your personal information
• The right to rectification if your personal information is inaccurate or incomplete
• The right to erasure (to be forgotten) in certain circumstances
• The right to restrict processing of your personal information
• The right to data portability
• The right to object to processing of your personal information
• Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in the “Who We Are” section.

Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to distinguish you from other users. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and allows us to improve our site. For detailed information on the cookies we use and the purposes for which we use them, see our Cookie Policy.

Marketing Communications

With your permission, may use your personal information to send you information about properties, services, and events that may be of interest to you. You can opt out of receiving marketing communications from us at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any marketing email or by contacting us directly.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by posting the new policy on our website with a clear notice.

Complaints

If you have any concerns about how we handle your personal information, please contact us first. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues.