3. Data Collection: Landlords

To facilitate our guaranteed rent and property management services, we must collect comprehensive information from landlords. This data is essential for the legal and operational establishment of our agreements. Categories of data collected include:

• Identity and Contact Information: Full names, residential addresses, email addresses, and telephone numbers.

• Property Ownership and Authority: Proof of ownership (such as Land Registry title deeds), mortgage lender consents, and head lease permissions where applicable.

• Compliance and Safety Documentation: Gas Safety Certificates, Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR), Energy Performance Certificates (EPC), and building insurance schedules.

• Financial and Tax Information: Bank account details for rent remittances, and tax status information (including UTR numbers for the Non-Resident Landlord Scheme).

 

4. Data Collection: Tenants and Occupants

We collect personal data to ensure the suitability of tenancies and to provide ongoing support throughout the duration of the occupation. Data categories include:

• Statutory Compliance Data: Documentation required to conduct "Right to Rent" checks, including passports, visas, or other Home Office biometric residence permits.

• Financial Stability and Eligibility: National Insurance numbers, evidence of income (payslips), and benefit award letters (e.g., Universal Credit or Housing Benefit statements).

• Household Composition: Names and ages of all occupants to ensure properties are not overcrowded and meet licensing standards.

• Support and Welfare Information: Information regarding health needs, family support requirements, or disability status, gathered during "Settling-in Visits" to ensure the tenancy is sustainable and appropriate support is signposted.

• Maintenance Data: Contact details provided to third-party contractors to facilitate essential property repairs and safety inspections.

 

5. Data Collection: Local Authorities and Consultancy

Orbit Property Partners LTD provides specialist consultancy services to colleagues working in Local Authorities and charities across the UK.

• Specialist Consultancy Projects: We process professional contact information and organizational data when advising on the development of "Social Lettings Agency" models and innovative housing solutions.

• Partnership Working: We process data relating to collaborative housing schemes to ensure effective communication and the long-term viability of social letting partnerships.

 

6. Legal Basis and Purpose of Processing

In accordance with UK GDPR, we only process personal data where a valid legal basis exists. Our processing activities are mapped as follows:

1. Performance of a Contract: We process landlord and tenant identity, financial, and property data to fulfill our obligations under guaranteed rent agreements and tenancy management contracts.

2. Legal Obligation: We process data to comply with statutory requirements, including "Right to Rent" verifications, HMRC tax reporting, and adherence to various Housing Acts and safety regulations.

3. Legitimate Interests: We process data to provide enhanced tenant support, conduct settling-in visits, and manage property maintenance. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we perform a "balancing test" to ensure that our business interests do not override the fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject.

4. Vital Interests: In rare, emergency situations (e.g., a medical emergency during a property visit), we may process data to protect the life or health of an individual.

 

7. Data Retention and Security

Orbit Property Partners LTD employs stringent technical and organizational measures to safeguard personal data. All electronic data is stored on secure, encrypted servers or within restricted-access, cloud-based property management systems.

We retain personal information only for as long as is necessary to fulfill the purposes of property management, guaranteed rent services, and consultancy obligations. Typically, landlord and tenant records are retained for six years following the termination of a contract to comply with statutory limitation periods for legal claims and HMRC requirements.

 

8. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

As a data subject, you possess the following rights regarding your personal information:

• The Right to be Informed: To receive clear information about how we use your data.

• The Right of Access: To request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.

• The Right to Rectification: To have inaccurate or incomplete data corrected.

• The Right to Erasure: Also known as 'the right to be forgotten', allowing you to request the deletion of data where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing.

• The Right to Restrict Processing: To 'block' or suppress the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.

• The Right to Data Portability: To obtain and reuse your personal data for your own purposes across different services.

• The Right to Object: To object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.

• Rights Related to Automated Decision-Making: Protection against the risk of potentially damaging decisions being made without human intervention.