Privacy Policy
Below is full website-ready content for the Panda Properties Privacy Notice page.
This is drafted for a UK property management / landlord services business and follows the ICO expectation that privacy information should explain who you are, what data you collect, why you use it, your lawful basis, retention periods and people’s rights. Information Commissioner's Office
Privacy Notice
Last updated: [Insert date]
Panda Properties is committed to protecting your privacy and handling personal information in a lawful, fair and transparent way.
This Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, store and share personal information when you contact us, use our website, enquire about our services, instruct us, rent a property managed by us, work with us as a contractor or otherwise interact with Panda Properties.
For the purposes of this notice, “Panda Properties”, “we”, “us” or “our” refers to:
PANDA (KENT) LTD
Trading as Panda Properties
Registered office: Great Hermitage House, Hermitage Road, Higham, Rochester, Kent, ME3 7NF
Company number: 16219025
Email: info@panda-properties.co.uk
1. Who this Privacy Notice applies to
This Privacy Notice applies to personal information we collect about:
- landlords and property owners
- tenants and prospective tenants
- guarantors
- property investors and prospective clients
- contractors, consultants and suppliers
- occupiers of commercial or managed properties
- website visitors
- anyone who contacts us by email, phone, website form, post, social media or other communication method
2. The personal information we collect
Depending on your relationship with us, we may collect and use the following types of personal information.
Contact information
This may include:
- name
- address
- email address
- telephone number
- business name
- job title
- preferred contact details
Identification and verification information
Where required for tenancy, compliance, contractual or legal purposes, this may include:
- date of birth
- proof of identity
- proof of address
- right to rent information
- company details
- director or shareholder information
- anti-money laundering information where applicable
Property information
This may include:
- property address
- ownership information
- tenancy details
- lease information
- rent and payment information
- maintenance history
- compliance documentation
- inspection records
- photographs or videos relating to property condition
Financial information
This may include:
- rent payment records
- arrears information
- bank details where required for payment processing
- invoices
- contractor payment details
- deposit information
- referencing or affordability information
Tenancy and occupation information
This may include:
- tenancy application details
- references
- guarantor details
- household details
- emergency contact details
- maintenance requests
- complaints or correspondence
- records of communication
Contractor and supplier information
This may include:
- contact details
- insurance documents
- accreditations
- qualifications
- company registration details
- payment information
- work records
- health and safety documentation
Website and technical information
When you use our website, we may collect:
- IP address
- device information
- browser type
- pages visited
- enquiry form submissions
- cookie preferences
- analytics information, where enabled
3. How we collect personal information
We may collect personal information directly from you when you:
- contact us
- complete a website form
- ask us to provide services
- apply to rent a property
- enter into a tenancy, management agreement or contract
- report a maintenance issue
- provide documents to us
- communicate with us by email, phone, post, messaging service or social media
We may also receive personal information from third parties, including:
- landlords
- tenants
- previous managing agents
- estate agents
- letting agents
- referencing providers
- contractors
- solicitors
- accountants
- insurers
- local authorities
- utility providers
- deposit protection schemes
- credit reference or fraud prevention agencies, where applicable
Where personal information is received from a third party, we will only use it where we have a lawful reason to do so.
4. Why we use personal information
We use personal information for the following purposes:
- to respond to enquiries
- to provide property management services
- to manage landlord, tenant and occupier relationships
- to arrange property viewings, inspections and meetings
- to process tenancy applications
- to carry out referencing, affordability and identity checks
- to manage rent collection, arrears and accounting records
- to coordinate repairs, maintenance and contractor attendance
- to manage compliance, health and safety and statutory obligations
- to prepare reports, invoices and property records
- to communicate about services, issues and updates
- to manage complaints, disputes or legal claims
- to protect the safety and security of people and property
- to improve our services and website
- to comply with legal, regulatory, tax and accounting obligations
5. Our lawful bases for using personal information
Under UK data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for using personal information. The ICO expects organisations to identify and explain their lawful basis for each purpose of processing. Information Commissioner's Office
We may rely on the following lawful bases:
Contract
We may use personal information where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This may include tenancy agreements, property management agreements, contractor appointments or service arrangements.
Legal obligation
We may use personal information where necessary to comply with legal obligations, including property law, tax, accounting, health and safety, right to rent, regulatory and statutory record-keeping obligations.
Legitimate interests
We may use personal information where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. The ICO describes legitimate interests as a flexible lawful basis, but one that requires organisations to consider necessity, proportionality and the impact on individuals. Information Commissioner's Office
Our legitimate interests may include:
- managing properties effectively
- communicating with landlords, tenants, contractors and occupiers
- protecting property assets
- recovering unpaid sums
- managing complaints or disputes
- keeping accurate business records
- improving our services
- protecting our business and legal position
- ensuring the safety and security of managed properties
Consent
We may rely on your consent where appropriate, for example for certain types of marketing, optional cookies or where you choose to provide information that is not otherwise required. Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.
Vital interests
In limited circumstances, we may use personal information to protect someone’s life or safety, for example in an emergency affecting a tenant, occupier, contractor or visitor.
6. Special category information
Special category information includes more sensitive personal information, such as health information. We do not usually need this type of information, but it may sometimes be provided to us, for example where:
- a tenant or occupier tells us about a health condition affecting property access, safety or maintenance
- reasonable adjustments or support needs are discussed
- an incident, accident or safeguarding concern arises
Where we process special category information, we will only do so where we have a lawful basis and an additional condition under UK data protection law. The ICO states that special category data requires both a lawful basis and a separate condition for processing. Information Commissioner's Office
7. Criminal offence information
We do not routinely collect criminal offence information. However, it may occasionally be processed where relevant to fraud prevention, legal claims, safeguarding, property protection or tenant referencing, and only where lawful and necessary.
8. Who we share personal information with
We may share personal information where necessary with:
- landlords and property owners
- tenants and occupiers
- contractors, maintenance providers and consultants
- letting agents, estate agents and managing agents
- referencing providers
- deposit protection schemes
- insurers and insurance brokers
- solicitors and legal advisers
- accountants and bookkeepers
- banks and payment providers
- utility companies
- local authorities
- HMRC or other public authorities where required
- health and safety advisers
- IT, email, website and cloud service providers
- debt recovery agents or enforcement providers where necessary
- emergency services where required
We only share information where necessary, proportionate and lawful.
9. Property inspections, photographs and records
As part of property management, we may take photographs, videos or notes during inspections, check-ins, check-outs, maintenance visits or compliance reviews.
These records are used to:
- document property condition
- manage repairs
- support deposit or tenancy discussions
- evidence compliance
- protect the interests of landlords, tenants and Panda Properties
We will avoid including people in photographs unless necessary and appropriate.
10. Contractors and access to properties
Where contractors need to attend a property, we may share relevant information such as:
- property address
- contact name and phone number
- access arrangements
- details of the reported issue
- relevant health and safety information
We will only share the information needed for the contractor to carry out the required service.
11. Marketing communications
We may contact existing or prospective clients about our services where we have a lawful basis to do so.
Where consent is required for electronic marketing or optional tracking technologies, we will seek consent where necessary. The ICO explains that consent is likely to be required under e-privacy rules for many marketing messages, website cookies and online tracking. Information Commissioner's Office
You can ask us to stop sending marketing communications at any time by contacting:
12. Website cookies and analytics
Our website may use cookies or similar technologies to help it function, improve user experience and understand how visitors use the site.
Cookies may include:
- strictly necessary cookies
- performance or analytics cookies
- functionality cookies
- marketing cookies, if enabled
Where required, we will ask for your consent before placing non-essential cookies on your device.
You can usually control cookies through your browser settings.
13. How long we keep personal information
We only keep personal information for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected, including for legal, accounting, tax, contractual, property management and dispute-resolution purposes. The ICO expects privacy notices to provide information about retention periods or the criteria used to decide them. Information Commissioner's Office
Typical retention periods may include:
- enquiry records: up to 2 years after last contact
- tenancy and property management records: up to 7 years after the end of the relationship
- accounting and invoice records: usually 6 years plus the current financial year
- contractor and supplier records: up to 7 years after the end of the relationship
- health and safety or compliance records: retained for the period required by law or good practice
- complaint, dispute or legal claim records: retained for as long as necessary to manage or defend the matter
We may keep information for longer where required by law, regulation, insurance, legal proceedings or legitimate business need.
14. How we protect personal information
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.
These steps may include:
- secure email and document storage
- access controls
- password protection
- limiting access to those who need the information
- using reputable IT and cloud service providers
- keeping records accurate and up to date
- reviewing information when it is no longer required
15. International transfers
Some of our IT, email, website, cloud or software providers may process information outside the UK.
Where personal information is transferred outside the UK, we will take steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, where required by law.
16. Your data protection rights
You have rights in relation to your personal information. These may include the right to:
- be informed about how your information is used
- access your personal information
- ask for inaccurate information to be corrected
- ask for information to be erased in certain circumstances
- ask us to restrict how we use your information
- object to certain types of processing
- request transfer of your information in certain circumstances
- withdraw consent where we rely on consent
- complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office
The ICO confirms that individuals have the right to object to processing in certain circumstances, including under Article 21 of the UK GDPR. Information Commissioner's Office
To exercise your rights, contact:
We may need to confirm your identity before responding to a request.
17. Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we handle your personal information, please contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue.
Email:
You also have the right to complain to the UK data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Website:
The ICO is the UK regulator for data protection matters. Organisations that process personal data electronically may also need to pay a data protection fee unless an exemption applies. Information Commissioner's Office
18. Changes to this Privacy Notice
We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time to reflect changes in our services, website, legal obligations or how we handle personal information.
The latest version will be published on our website.
19. Contact us
For questions about this Privacy Notice or how we use personal information, contact:
Email: info@panda-properties.co.uk
Before publishing, check whether you will use analytics, cookies, tenant referencing, rent-payment software, CRM tools or mailing lists. Those should be reflected accurately rather than left generic.