Privacy policy

Fair Processing Notice Student Shac

(Created April 2018)

This notice explains what information we collect, when we collect it and how we use this. During the course of our activities, We will process personal data (which may be held on paper, electronically, or otherwise) about you and we recognise the need to treat it in an appropriate and lawful manner. The purpose of this notice is to make you aware of how we will handle your information. 

How we collect information about you:

  • From your application for accommodation

  • From your use of the Student Shac Forms completed by hand and on Signable ( a tenancy online signing service  (including but not limited to creating tenancy agreements, guarantor agreements, or notice).

We collect the following information about you:

  • Tenant name, e-mail address, telephone number, Date of Birth, address (including any previous addresses), marital status, nationality, next of kin, name of university or college where you are studying (if applicable), the name of friends that you are staying with (if applicable);

  • Guarantor name, e-mail address, telephone number, Date of Birth, address (including any previous addresses), marital status, nationality, next of kin (if applicable), and proof of ID.

  • Property address; term, rent, deposit, utility and service responsibilities;

  • The employment status of tenants and/or guarantors, address, contact details (including email and phone numbers and length of employment.

  • Bank account details of the tenant are only required if we need to credit the tenant’s account for any reason e.g. the tenant has incorrectly overpaid the rent. 

Sharing of Your Information

The information you provide to us will be treated by me as confidential and will be processed only by any third party, acting on my behalf, within the UK/EEA.   We may disclose your information to other third parties who act for us for the purposes set out in this notice or for purposes approved by you, including the following:

  • We enter into a joint venture with or merge with a business entity, your information may be disclosed to our new business partners or owners;

  • To carry out due diligence on you as a prospective tenant/ guarantor, including but not limited to the carrying out of affordability checks, due diligence checks and the obtaining of references from relevant parties, whose data you have provided.

  • If you request so, your information shall be disclosed to determine if there are any money judgements against you, as the prospective tenant/guarantor, or to determine if they have a history of bankruptcy or insolvency;

  • If you are unable to make payments under your tenancy, your information may be disclosed to any relevant party assisting in the recovery of this debt or the tracing of you as a tenant; and

  • In the creation, renewal or termination of the tenancy, your information will be disclosed to the relevant local authority, tenancy deposit scheme administrator, service/utility provider, freeholder, factor, facilities manager or any other relevant person or organisation in connection with this.

Unless required to do so by law, we will not otherwise share, sell or distribute any of the information you provide to us without your consent.

Your Rights

You have the right at any time to:

  • Ask for a copy of the information about you held by us in our records;

  • Require us to correct any inaccuracies in your information;

  • Request us to delete what personal data of yours we hold; and

  • Object to receiving any marketing communications from us.

If you would like to exercise any of your rights above please contact us at let@studentshac.co.uk

Should you wish to complain about the use of your information, We would ask that you contact us to resolve this matter in the first instance.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office concerning our use of your information. 

The accuracy of your information is important to me - please help us keep our records updated by informing us of any changes to your email address and other contact details.

Who we are?

Student Shac takes the issue of security and data protection very seriously and strictly adhere to guidelines published in the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 which is applicable from the 25th May 2018, together with any domestic laws subsequently enacted.

We are notified as a Data Controller with the Office of the Information Commissioner under registration number ZA148376 and are the data controller of any personal data that you provide to us.

Our Data Protection Officer is Peter Rees contactable at  let@studentshac.co.uk

Any questions relating to this notice and our privacy practices should be sent to let@studentshac.co.uk

Online providers we work with

We work with COHO a cloud based management system for HMO’s. Their privacy policy is here https://coho.life/legal/privacy-policy Each tenant has access to a file for their house only so they can view the house documents e.g. gas certificate, electrical certificate, PAT testing,  etc at any time.

We work with Signable to sign tenancies and guarantor documents.  Their privacy policy can be viewed here https://www.signable.co.uk/gdpr/    They take security seriously and as well as being GDPR compliant they are in the process of being ISO27001.  All documents can be posted or signed for in person if necessary. 

Transfers outside the UK and Europe

Your information will only be stored within the UK and EEA.  We may transfer your information outside the UK and/or EEA if, for example, the UK is no longer part of the EEA.

Where information is transferred outside the UK or EEA, we ensure that there are adequate safeguards in place to protect your information in accordance with this notice, including the following: decision by the Commission that the third country has adequate safeguards/ details of appropriate security provisions in place.

Why we need this information about you and how it will be used

We need your information and will use your information:

  • To undertake and perform our obligations and duties to you under the terms of our contract with you;

  • To enable us to supply you with the services and information which you have requested;

  • To help you manage your tenancy;

  • To carry out due diligence on any prospective tenant, including whether there are any money judgements against them or any history of bankruptcy or insolvency;

  • To analyse the information we collect so that we can administer, support and improve and develop our business and the services we offer;

  • To contact you to send you details of any changes to our or supplies which may affect you; and

  • For all other purposes consistent with the proper performance of our operations and business.

Security and how long we will keep your information

When you give us information we take steps to make sure that your personal information is kept secure and safe.   All information that is not required for regulatory purposes or legal/accounting purposes is destroyed securely when the tenancy ends.  Information that is required to be kept legally is stored securely and destroyed when we are no longer obliged to keep it. 

We review our data retention periods regularly and will only hold your personal data for as long as is necessary for the relevant activity, or as required by law (we may be legally required to hold some types of information), or as set out in any relevant contract we have with you.

Tenancy agreements are kept for 7 to 10 years.

Parental guarantor agreements are kept for the duration of the tenancy or tenancies and up to 24 months after. Contract and proof of ID are destroyed after all rents are paid up to date and all bills are settled up to 24 months after.

Contact details for the tenants are kept for the duration of the tenancy and up to 48 months afterwards.