Privacy Policy

Estate Culture Ltd ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or use our services.

1. Information We Collect

Personal Information

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

• Register for an account or enquire about our services
• Request property valuations or viewings
• Submit contact forms or communicate with us
• Subscribe to our newsletter or marketing communications
• Apply for rental properties or property management services

This information may include:

• Name and contact details (email address, phone number, postal address)
• Property preferences and requirements
• Financial information (for mortgage pre-approvals or rental applications)
• Identification documents (for tenancy agreements and legal compliance)
• Employment and income details (for rental or purchase applications)

Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing activity, including:

• IP address and browser type
• Operating system and device information
• Pages visited, time spent on pages, and referring URLs
• Cookie data and similar tracking technologies

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Property Services: To provide property sales, lettings, valuations, and management services
• Communication: To respond to your enquiries and provide customer support
• Marketing: To send you property alerts, newsletters, and promotional materials (with your consent)
• Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations, including anti-money laundering and right-to-rent checks
• Website Improvement: To analyze website usage and improve our services
• Transaction Processing: To facilitate property transactions, including contracts and payments
• Security: To protect against fraud and unauthorized access

3. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information with third parties in the following circumstances:

Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our business, including:

• Property listing platforms (Rightmove, Zoopla, OnTheMarket)
• Property management software providers (10ninety and similar CRM systems)
• Marketing and email service providers
• Payment processors and financial institutions
• Legal and conveyancing services
• Credit reference agencies (for tenant referencing)
• Cloud storage and hosting providers

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law or to:

• Comply with legal proceedings, court orders, or regulatory requirements
• Protect our rights, property, or safety
• Prevent fraud or illegal activities
• Conduct anti-money laundering and right-to-rent checks

Business Transfers

If Estate Culture is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and analyze website traffic. Cookies are small data files stored on your device.

Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function properly
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website (Google Analytics)
• Marketing Cookies: Track your online activity to deliver personalized advertisements
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. However, disabling cookies may affect website functionality. For more information, please see our Cookie Policy.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law.

• Active Clients: Information retained while you remain an active client
• Marketing Contacts: Retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion
• Transaction Records: Retained for 6 years minimum (legal requirement)
• Tenancy Records: Retained for 6 years after tenancy ends

6. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights:

• Right to Access: Request a copy of your personal data
• Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your data (subject to legal obligations)
• Right to Restrict Processing: Limit how we use your data
• Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time (where processing is based on consent)

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission
• Secure cloud storage with access controls
• Regular security audits and updates
• Employee training on data protection
• Restricted access to personal data on a need-to-know basis

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites (such as mortgage providers, conveyancing solicitors, or property portals). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you become aware that a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us immediately.

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the UK. When we transfer data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:

• Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the UK ICO
• Adequacy decisions recognizing equivalent data protection standards
• Binding Corporate Rules for international transfers within corporate groups

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

12. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):