Essex Housing Solutions (“EHS”, “we”, “us” or “our”) works with landlords and contracting agencies to source, prepare and manage contractor accommodation. We also handle enquiries and arrangements relating to funding the business’s accommodation activities.
The controller responsible for your personal information, trading as Essex Housing Solutions.
This policy explains how we handle personal information about website visitors, prospective and existing landlords, agency contacts, accommodation guests, investors and other business contacts.
Depending on your relationship with us, relevant information may include:
We receive information when you contact us, complete website or advertising forms, request an information pack, book a call or enter into an arrangement with us. We may also receive relevant information from a contracting agency arranging a stay, a landlord, an authorised representative or a referral contact. Where relevant, property or business checks may use publicly available records.
Where information comes from someone else, we provide applicable privacy information within the legally required timeframe.
| Purpose | Lawful basis and scope |
|---|---|
| Answer enquiries, arrange calls and provide requested details. | Steps at your request before entering a contract with you; otherwise legitimate interests in responding to enquiries and managing business relationships. |
| Assess properties, negotiate terms and administer landlord arrangements. | Contract where you are personally a contracting party; legitimate interests in arranging and managing accommodation where you represent another party. |
| Arrange bookings, communicate with agencies and guests, and manage accommodation and maintenance. | Contract where the agreement is with you; otherwise legitimate interests in delivering and managing the accommodation service. |
| Handle investor applications, agreements, payments and service communications. | Pre-contract steps or contract where the agreement is with you; legitimate interests for representative contacts and business administration. |
| Keep required accounting records, respond to lawful requests and perform legally required checks. | Legal obligation where a specific obligation applies. Other proportionate fraud-prevention or verification activity may rely on legitimate interests in protecting the business and its customers. |
| Send promotional communications. | Consent where required; otherwise legitimate interests only where the relevant marketing rules permit it. See section 6. |
| Operate and secure systems, manage complaints and establish or defend legal claims. | Legitimate interests in secure operations, resolving concerns and protecting legal rights; legal obligation where applicable. |
| Use optional advertising/tracking technologies. | Consent where required. The specific technologies and purposes must be described in the cookie information. |
When relying on legitimate interests, we consider the effect on your rights and whether our use is necessary and proportionate. Where information is necessary for a contract or legal requirement, we will explain this when requesting it. Without it, we may be unable to proceed with the relevant service or arrangement.
We use GoHighLevel as a customer relationship management platform to organise enquiries, contact records, appointments and follow-up activity. The enabled features may also support forms and communications.
Relevant information may be accessible to authorised EHS personnel and appointed CRM or marketing service providers who need it for their work. Other recipients may include hosting and communications providers, payment providers, professional advisers, and landlords, agencies or maintenance providers where necessary for the relevant arrangement. We limit disclosures to information needed for the purpose. Information may also be disclosed to authorities where required by law.
Service providers acting on our instructions must be covered by appropriate processing terms. Some recipients, including certain professional advisers and advertising platforms, may act as independent controllers for their own activities.
Responding to your enquiry or sending necessary information about an existing arrangement is separate from sending promotional messages. An enquiry does not automatically subscribe you to every marketing channel.
Where required, we obtain consent before sending promotional emails, texts or WhatsApp messages. Where a lawful exception applies, we use it only when its conditions are met. Business-to-business communications are assessed under the rules applicable to the recipient.
You can object to direct marketing at any time. Use the unsubscribe or opt-out method in the message, or contact us using the details above. Withdrawing consent does not affect processing already lawfully carried out. We may retain a minimal suppression record so that your choice is respected.
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies. Technologies strictly necessary for a requested service can operate without consent where the legal exception applies. Advertising technologies and other non-exempt technologies require your consent before activation. You can change or withdraw your choices through the website’s cookie controls.
Using GoHighLevel or other providers may involve storing or accessing information outside the UK. Access by an overseas contractor can also involve an international transfer. Where UK transfer restrictions apply, appropriate safeguards must be in place, such as applicable adequacy regulations or approved contractual safeguards. You may contact us for information about relevant safeguards and how to obtain a copy.
We keep information only for as long as needed for the stated purpose, taking account of the relationship, applicable recordkeeping requirements, complaints and legal claims. Relevant records may be retained longer where a specific legal hold applies. Information is then securely deleted or anonymised.
| Record type | Retention period or rule to confirm |
|---|---|
| Enquiries that do not proceed | [Period from last meaningful contact] |
| Landlord, agency, guest and investor records | [Separate periods by record type and end-of-relationship trigger] |
| Accounting and payment records | [Applicable statutory period and trigger] |
| Marketing consent and suppression records | [Period/criteria for evidence of consent and maintaining opt-outs] |
| Technical logs and any recordings | [Specific periods matching system settings] |
We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information and limit access to authorised people who need it. No system is completely risk-free.
Depending on the circumstances and lawful basis, you may request access to your information, correction, erasure, restriction or portability. You may object to processing based on legitimate interests and may withdraw consent where we rely on it. The right to object to direct marketing is unconditional.
Contact us using section 1. We may need proportionate information to verify your identity. We normally respond within one month, subject to applicable legal rules allowing clarification, extensions or exemptions. Requests are normally free.
You can also complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint. You do not have to contact us first, although we welcome the opportunity to resolve your concern.
We may update this policy when our activities or legal requirements change. The effective date above identifies the current version. Where required, we will bring significant changes to your attention.
Drafting references — for reviewer use
ICO: privacy information · ICO: direct marketing · ICO: cookies and similar technologies · HighLevel: processing agreement