Cookies & Privacy

Mapleleaf Letting Centre Privacy Notice

Last Updated 21st June 2023

Company Name: Mapleleaf Letting Centre Limited

Trading Address: 37 Victoria Road East, Thornton, Lancashire, FY5 5BU

Registration Number: 6504746

Registered Address: 139 Red Bank Road, Bispham, Lancashire, FY2 9HZ

Data Controller: Mapleleaf Letting Centre Limited

Mapleleaf Letting Centre is responsible for the processing of your personal data, whether you are an actual or prospective tenant, landlord or supplier.

This Privacy Notice describes how we, as Data Controller, will handle, share and protect personal data that you provide, or which we obtain about you.

What does this Notice Cover?

This Notice applies to the personal data we obtain through various channels, which may be both online and offline collection in connection with administration of your account with us.  In addition to collecting personal data directly from you, we may collect personal data from third parties, such as credit reference agencies, employers or previous landlords (if you are a prospective tenant) or publically available sources, as required or permitted by local law.

This Notice describes the types of personal data we obtain, how we may use that personal data, with whom we may share it, and how you may exercise your rights regarding our processing of the data.  This Notice also describes the measures we take to safeguard the personal data we obtain and how you can contact us about our privacy practices.

What information does Mapleleaf Letting Centre collect about me?

In addition to collecting personal data directly from you, we may collect personal data from third parties, such as credit reference agencies or publically available sources, as required or permitted by local law.  The types of personal data we may obtain include:

• Contact information (such as name, phone number, email and postal address) for you or for others (e.g. your spouse/partner, next of kin, other prospective tenants/residents or co-landlords)
• Biographical and demographical information (such as date of birth, age, gender, job title/position, marital status and dependents, spousal and other family information)
• Financial information (such as payment information, including name, billing address, bank account information, financial statements, income, expenditure, and, in exceptional cases and to the extent applicable, credit score), and any county court judgements or other unsatisfied indebtedness
• Contact information you provide about friends, family or other people you would like us to contact, in particular referees
• Contact information you provide to us about your employment (if applicable)
• Contact information you provide to us about previous landlords (if applicable)
• Other personal information contained in content you submit to us
• In our course of dealings with you we may obtain National Insurance numbers or other government issued ID numbers and Tax ID numbers

Please note that providing personal data to us is voluntary on your part.  If you choose not to provide us with certain information, we may not be able to fulfil our legal or compliance obligations and we may not be able to offer you certain products and services.

By providing us with personal data you confirm that:

1. a) You have reviewed this Notice and agree to its processing as explained herein; and
2. b) You have provided notice and obtained the necessary consent to share the personal information of others, such as your employer, your proposed guarantor (if applicable) and your landlord(s) (if applicable) or other natural persons.

How does Mapleleaf Letting Centre use my personal data?

We will use personal data we obtain to:

• Provide and administer our services to enable us to perform our, or our client’s, contract with you or a relevant party
• Process tenancy applications, assess creditworthiness and tenancy suitability, and keep you informed about the status of your application
• Perform data analytics (trend analysis, financial analysis and customer segmentation)
• Provide customer support, including relating to complaints and data access request
• Create, administer and communicate with your relationship with us
• Operate, evaluate and improve our business (such as by administering, enhancing and improving our services, managing our communications and customer relationships, and performing accounting, auditing, billing, reconciliation and collection activities)
• Verify your identity and protect against and prevent fraud and other unlawful activity, unauthorised transactions, claims and other liabilities
• Conduct investigations and comply with and enforce applicable legal requirements, relevant industry standards, contractual obligations and our policies and terms
• Maintain and enhance the safety and security or our services, online channels, network services, information resources and employees

Where the above extends to processing personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences, this will only be processed where authorised by applicable laws.

We may combine personal data we obtain through various channels for the purposes described above.  We may aggregate personal data and use it for the purpose described above and for other purposes to the extent permitted by applicable law.  We also may use personal data for additional purposes that we identify at the time of collection.  We will obtain your consent for these additional uses to the extent required by applicable law.

The legal basis for us processing your personal data, as described above, will typically be one of the following:

• To fulfil our legitimate business interests
• To comply with our legal obligations
• For the performance of a contract with you or a relevant party
• On the basis of your consent

We will not use your personal data for marketing purposes unless you have informed us you wish to receive such; should this position change in the future we will contact you to obtain your consent to receive marketing information from us.

Who does Mapleleaf Letting Centre share data with, or transfer data to?

We do not sell or otherwise disclose personal data about you except as described here or at the time of collection.

• We may share personal data with service providers we have retained to perform services on our behalf or which we arrange on a third party’s behalf (such as property maintenance contractors, payment processing, accounting, financial crimes compliance and data analytics). These service providers are contractually required to safeguard the information and are restricted from using or disclosing the information provided to them except as necessary to perform services on our behalf or to comply with legal requirements.
• We may disclose personal data about you a) if we are required to do so by law or legal process (such as a court order or subpoena); b) to law enforcement authorities or other government officials to comply with a legitimate legal request; c) when we believe disclosure is necessary to prevent physical harm or financial loss; d) to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights; e) in connection with an investigation of suspected or actual fraud or illegal activity; f) otherwise with your consent.
• We may disclose your data to suppliers, brokers, funders, purchasers, agents, sub-contractors, credit reference agencies and guarantors for the purposes described in this Notice

We reserve the right to transfer any data we have about you in the event of potential or actual sale or transfer of all or a portion of our business, assets or interests (including in the event of a merger, acquisition, joint venture, reorganisation, divestiture, syndication, dissolution or liquidation).  In such case, we will require the relevant third parties to provide comparable levels of protection as we provide with respect to the information we share.

Credit Reference Agencies

In order to process your tenancy application, we may perform credit, reference and identity checks on you with one or more credit reference agencies.  We may also make periodic searches at credit reference agencies to manage your account with us and to comply with our financial crime compliance program.

To do this, we will supply your personal data to credit reference agencies and they will give us information about you.  This will include information from your credit application and about your financial situation and financial history.  Credit reference agencies will supply to us both public (including the electoral register) and shared credit, financial situation and financial history information and fraud prevention information.

We will use this data to:

1. Verify the accuracy of the data you have provided to us
2. Assess your credit worthiness and whether you can afford to enter into a formal tenancy agreement
3. Trace and recover debts
4. Prevent criminal activity, fraud and money laundering
5. Manage your tenancy
6. Ensure any offers provided to you are appropriate to your circumstances

We will continue to exchange data about you with credit reference agencies while you have a relationship with us.  We will also inform the credit reference agencies about your settled accounts.  If you borrow and do not repay in full and on time, credit reference agencies will record the outstanding debt.  This information may be supplied to other organisations by credit reference agencies.

When credit reference agencies receive a search from us they will place a footprint on your credit file that may be seen by other lenders or credit agencies.

If you are making a joint application, or tell us that you have a spouse or financial associate, we will link your records together, so you should make sure you discuss this with them, and share with them this information, before lodging the application.  Credit reference agencies will also link your records together and these links will remain on your and their files until such time as you or your partner successfully files for a disassociation with the credit reference agencies to break that link.

The identities of the credit reference agencies, their role also as fraud prevention agencies, the data they hold, the ways in which they use and share personal data, data retention periods and your data protection rights with the credit reference agencies are explained in more detail in credit reference agency information notices.  The credit reference agency information notice is readily accessible from each of the three credit reference agencies.

www.uktenantdata.co.uk

www.equifax.co.uk

www.experian.co.uk

Cookies and Technologies

Cookies are text files placed on your computer to collect standard internet log information and visitor behaviour information.  We do not use cookies or similar technologies on our website.

Our website does not automatically capture or store personal data.

Children’s Personal Information

We do not knowingly collect personal data from children.  If you believe that your child may have provided us with personal data, please contact us.

How does Mapleleaf Letting Centre protect my data?

We maintain administrative, technical and physical safeguards, consistent with legal requirements where the personal data is obtained, to protect the integrity, confidentiality, security, and availability of personal data.  Wherever we share personal data we will exercise measures to safeguard it and ensure it is only processed as strictly necessary to fulfil a contractual task or legal obligation.

How long is my data retained?

Your personal data is retained for no longer than necessary, and is disposed of where there is no longer a valid reason for the data to be retained.

Data retention periods are determined by taking into account legal limitation of liability periods, agreed contractual provisions, applicable regulatory requirements and industry standards.

What are my right?

You have a number of rights available to you when it comes to the processing of your personal data.

• Data Access

You have the right to request a copy of the data that we hold about you.  If you would like a copy of some, or all, of your personal data, please email enquiries@mapleleafletting.co.uk or write to us at the address above.

We will not charge you for this service.  However, we do reserve the right to charge a reasonable fee to comply with requests for further copies of the same information, or where requests are manifestly unfounded or excessive, in particular because they are repetitive.  To help protect your privacy and maintain security, we may take steps to verify your identity before granting you access to the information.

• Data Rectification

We want to make sure that your personal data is accurate and up to date.  If you believe the personal data we hold about you is inaccurate you have the right to challenge it.  You may ask us to update, correct or erase information you think is inaccurate.

• Data Erasure/Objection to processing

You have the right to request your personal data to be deleted or alternatively object to your personal data being processed in certain circumstances.  You may ask us to delete or cease to process your data and we will assess your request.

The data held by us is important to ensure compliance with our legal and regulatory obligations or our legitimate interests as a responsible Letting Agency, preventing fraud and money laundering, compliance with contractual provisions, and legal liability limitation periods.  It will be rare that we do not have compelling, overriding grounds to carry on using the personal data following an objection or request for erasure.

• Restrictions of Processing

You have the right to request we restrict how we use your personal data.  The right is not absolute and we may still continue to process your personal data where certain grounds are established:

• For the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims
• With your consent
• For the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person
• For reasons of important public interest

• Data portability

You have the right to receive a copy of your personal data in a structured, commonly used format, and to have your data transmitted to another controller where we are processing such data for the purposes of performance of a contact, or with your consent.

The right does not apply where we are processing data for other purposes, such as for compliance with a legal obligation or for another legitimate interest.

How do I make a complaint?

If you have a complaint regarding our processing of your personal data, please email enquiries@mapleleafletting.co.uk, or write to us at the above address.

We will respond to your complaint within eight weeks.  If you are not satisfied with our response you may have the right to file a complaint with a supervisory authority or other governmental regulator.

You can also refer your concerns to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the body that regulates the handling of personal data in the United Kingdom.  You can contact them by:

• Website ico.org.uk
• Writing to ICO, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
• Telephone 0303 123 1113
• Fax 01625 524 510

How do I withdraw consent?

If you provided your consent to us processing your personal data, you may withdraw consent you previously provided to us or object at any time to the processing of your personal data on legitimate grounds relating to your particular situation, and we will apply your preferences going forward as appropriate.

It is important to note that data provided to us by you is largely processed for the performance of a contract, for adherence to legal requirements and for other legitimate interests.  There may be limited instances where we process your data based solely on your consent and as such we may not be able to comply with any request to cease processing this data.

You may submit an application to withdraw consent by email at enquiries@mapleleafletting.co.uk, or by writing to us at Mapleleaf Letting Centre, 37 Victoria Road East, Thornton, Lancashire, FY5 5BU.

Does Mapleleaf Letting Centre use automated decision making?

We do not use personal data provided by you for automated decision making or profiling activities.

How do I contact Mapleleaf Letting Centre?

Our office hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 5.30pm

Telephone number – 01253 859488

Email – enquiries@mapleleafletting.co.uk

Postal Address – Mapleleaf Letting Centre, 37 Victoria Road East, Thornton, Lancashire, FY5 5BU.

Changes to our privacy notice

This privacy notice may be updated periodically and without prior notice to you to reflect changes in our information practices.  We will indicate at the top of this notice when it was most recently updated.

In House Complaints Procedure

We are committed to providing a professional service to all our clients and customers. When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards.

We will where appropriate, make reasonable adjustments for consumers who might be disadvantaged because of factors such as their age, infirmity, disability, lack of knowledge, lack of linguistic or numeracy ability, economic circumstances, bereavement, or do not speak English as a first language.

If you have a complaint, please put it in writing, including as much detail as possible. We will then respond in line with the timeframes set out below (if you feel we have not sought to address your complaints within eight weeks, you may be able to refer your complaint to the Property Ombudsman to consider without our final viewpoint on the matter).

What will happen next?

1. We will send you written acknowledgment of the receipt of your complaint within three working days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure.
2. We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally be dealt with by the office manager, who will review your file and speak to the member of staff who dealt with you. A formal written outcome of our investigation will be sent to you within 15 working days of receipt of the original complaint.
3. If, at this stage, you are not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will arrange for a separate review to take place by a senior member of staff.
4. We will write to you within 15 working days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final viewpoint on the matter.
5. If you are still not satisfied with our final viewpoint (or more than 8 weeks has elapsed since the complaint was first made) you can request an independent review from the Property Ombudsman without charge. The Property Ombudsman, Milford House, 43-55 Milford Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2BP. 01722 333 306. admin@tpos.co.uk www.tpos.co.uk

Please Note: You will need to submit your complaint to the Property Ombudsman within 12 months from the date of our final viewpoint, including any evidence to support your case. The Property Ombudsman requires that all complaints are addressed through this in-house complaints procedure, before being submitted for an independent review.