Last updated: January 2025 | Version 1.0
1. Introduction
HMO Hunter ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals whose data we process. This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect personal data in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) as required by law.
2. What Personal Data We Collect
2.1 Property Owner Data
We collect the following data about property owners from official public registers and licensed data providers:
- Owner names (from official property registers)
- Registered addresses
- Company details for corporate landlords (from official company registers)
- Contact telephone numbers (from licensed tracing services)
- Contact email addresses (from licensed tracing services)
- HMO licence information (from council public registers)
2.2 User Data
We collect the following data about our users:
- Email address and name (for account creation)
- Usage data (properties viewed, searches performed)
- IP address and browser information (for security)
3. Legal Basis for Processing
We process personal data under the following lawful bases:
Legitimate Interest (Article 6(1)(f) UK GDPR)
We have a legitimate interest in facilitating property transactions between investors and landlords. Property ownership is a matter of public record, and our processing enables legitimate business communications about property transactions.
We have conducted a Legitimate Interest Assessment (LIA) which concluded that our processing does not override the rights and freedoms of data subjects, as:
- Property ownership is publicly registered
- Contact is limited to legitimate property transaction enquiries
- Data subjects can opt out at any time
- We do not sell data to third parties
4. How We Use Personal Data
We use property owner data solely for:
- Displaying ownership information to registered users
- Enabling users to contact property owners about potential transactions
- Verifying property licensing status
We do NOT: sell personal data, use it for unrelated marketing, or share it with third parties except as required by law.
5. Data Retention
We retain personal data as follows:
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Contact details (phone/email) | 24 months from collection |
| Owner names and addresses | Until property changes ownership |
| Access audit logs | 6 years (legal requirement) |
| User account data | Until account deletion |
6. Your Rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights:
Right to Access
Request a copy of the data we hold about you
Right to Erasure
Request deletion of your personal data
Right to Rectification
Request correction of inaccurate data
Right to Object
Object to processing based on legitimate interest
7. How to Exercise Your Rights
If you are a property owner and wish to have your contact details removed, or if you wish to exercise any of your data protection rights, you can:
Submit a Data Request
Use our online form to request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal data.
Submit Data RequestWe will respond to all valid requests within 30 days. You can also contact us directly at: privacy@hmohunter.com
8. Data Sources
We obtain property owner data from the following sources:
- Official Property Registers - Owner names and registered addresses (public record)
- Company Registers - Company details and directors (public record)
- Council HMO Registers - Licence holder names (public record)
- Licensed Data Providers - Contact details from GDPR-compliant tracing services
9. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data, including:
- Encryption of data in transit and at rest
- Access controls limiting who can view contact data
- Audit logging of all access to personal data
- Regular security assessments
10. Contact Us
For any questions about this privacy policy or our data practices, contact us at:
Email: privacy@hmohunter.com
ICO Registration: [Registration Number - to be added after registration]
11. Complaints
If you are not satisfied with how we handle your data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):