Privacy Policy

Last Updated: 25/06/2025

This Privacy Policy sets out how St Marychurch Rent Agency, a letting agent registered in England, collects, uses, and protects your personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

St Marychurch Rent Agency

24 Manor Road, Torquay, TQ1 3JX

Company Number - 7548064
Data Controller: Yes
ICO Registration Number: Z275984X

 2. What Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following personal data:

• Tenants and prospective tenants: Name, contact details, employment information, financial      information, references, identification documents, credit check data.
• Landlords and property owners: Contact details, bank details, property ownership documentation.
• Website users: IP address, browsing behavior (via cookies – see section 7).
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3. How We Use Your Data

We process your data to:

• Market and let properties.
• Conduct tenant referencing and background      checks.
• Draft and manage tenancy agreements.
• Manage rental payments and deposits.
• Comply with legal obligations (e.g.,      Right to Rent checks, tenancy deposit schemes).
• Communicate with you regarding our      services.

4. Lawful Bases for Processing

We process your personal data under the following lawful bases:

• Contract: To perform the tenancy agreement or other contracts with you.
• Legal obligation: To meet requirements under housing, tax, and immigration laws.
• Legitimate interests: To manage our business effectively and provide property services.
• Consent: For      specific marketing activities (where required).

5. Who We Share Your Data With

We may share your personal data with:

• Referencing agencies and credit check      providers.
• Deposit protection schemes.
• Contractors or tradespeople (for property      maintenance).
• Utility companies and local authorities      (for billing and council tax).
• Legal advisers or debt collection      services (where necessary).
• Law enforcement or regulators where      required by law.

We will never sell your data to third parties.

6. How We Store Your Data

We store your data securely in electronic and/or paper format. We retain data for as long as necessary to fulfil our legal and business obligations, typically:

• Tenant and landlord data: up to 7 years      after the end of the tenancy.
• Enquiry data: up to 2 years unless you      become a client.

7. Your Data Rights

Under the UK GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate data.
• Request erasure of your data (subject to legal limits).
• Object to or restrict processing.
• Data portability (where applicable).
• Withdraw consent (where consent was given).
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): https://ico.org.uk

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@tqrent.com

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The latest version will always be available on our website or on request.

We are a long standing and reputable local family firm. We are members of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA Propertymark) and The Property Ombudsman Scheme and as such we abide by stringent Codes of Practice.

However, in the unlikely event that you have any reason to complain, then we will be only too pleased to hear our complaint and address it in the most appropriate way. Obviously, we are keen to ensure you are pleased with our services and speak well of us in future so we will do all we can to ensure you are satisfied!

Initially you are asked to raise any matter with a member of the team here but if you are not satisfied or if you would prefer to you can raise it directly with one of the Directors, Arthur Christian or Emily Knapman. All complaints will be in handled in confidence and noted. 

If a resolution cannot be reached by discussion, then the next stage in the process would be to put your complaint in writing which we will aim to acknowledge within 3 working days. Directors will investigate complaints and respond within 15 working days, setting out the outcome of the investigation and details of further redress procedures. If it is not practical to investigate and respond in 15 days, we will write giving reasons for any delay and a target date for reporting.

If you would prefer someone to act with you in relation to a complaint then we will be happy to deal with them, but we do need to know they have been appointed by you.

If a complaint, in your view, is not satisfactorily handled by the partners you can refer it to The Property Ombudsman within 12 months of the original complaint. Copies of the Codes of Practice for members are available on request. Contact details for TPO are:

The Property Ombudsman

Web site - https://www.tpos.co.uk/

Email – admin@tpos.co.uk

Tel - 01722 333306

We are Propertymark members:

If you feel your complaint has not been satisfactorily dealt with by ourselves and the redress scheme, you can send your complaint to Propertymark. Go to the Propertymark website to download a complaint form. Propertymark investigate complaints against their members where there is evidence an agent has breached their Conduct and Membership Rules. Examples of this include, but are not limited to, misuse of client money, failure to uphold high standards of ethical and professional practice, and failure to answer correspondence.

Propertymark

Web site - www.propertymark.co.uk/professional-standards/complaints.html

Email - complaints@propertymark.co.uk

01926 496 791