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Privacy Policy

This privacy policy explains how Home + Castle (Castle Wells Estates Limited) collects, uses, and protects your personal data. We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. When you provide information to us, you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

1. About Us

Home + Castle is a trading name of Castle Wells Estates Limited, a property sales and lettings agent based in East Sussex. Our registered address is Archer House, Britland Estate, Northbourne Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 8PW. Our company number is 9351422.

We are committed to being transparent about how we collect and use your data, and to meeting our obligations under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. What Data We Collect

We collect personal data in the following ways:

  • Direct provision: Information you provide directly to us when you contact us, register on our website, request a valuation, or instruct us to sell or let your property.
  • Automatically: Information collected automatically when you visit our website, including cookies and similar tracking technologies.
  • From third parties: Information we receive from third parties such as mortgage brokers, conveyancers, local authorities, and other property professionals involved in transactions.

The types of personal data we collect include:

  • Name, address, telephone number, and email address
  • Financial information such as property value and mortgage details
  • Identity verification information
  • Information about your property and its condition
  • Marketing preferences and communication history
  • IP address, browser type, and pages visited (from website analytics)
  • Payment and banking information (where applicable)

3. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

  • Providing our services: To process your instructions, arrange viewings, prepare marketing materials, and complete property transactions.
  • Marketing and communications: To send you information about properties that may interest you, market updates, and newsletters (only with your consent where required by law).
  • Legal and regulatory compliance: To comply with our obligations under property law, anti-money laundering regulations, and other legal requirements.
  • Fraud prevention: To detect and prevent fraudulent activity and protect our business.
  • Website improvement: To analyse how our website is used and to improve our services.
  • Customer service: To respond to your enquiries and provide support.

4. Marketing and Communications

We may contact you by email, telephone, or post with information about properties and services that may be of interest to you. You have the right to opt out of marketing communications at any time by:

  • Clicking the unsubscribe link in any email we send you
  • Contacting us directly at info@hcsussex.co.uk or 01323 481922
  • Writing to us at 4 Millfields, Station Road, Polegate, East Sussex, BN26 6AS

We will always respect your preferences and will not send you marketing communications if you have asked us not to.

5. Cookies

Our website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Cookies are small files stored on your device that help us remember your preferences and understand how you use our website.

We use the following types of cookies:

  • Essential cookies: Required for the website to function properly.
  • Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website.
  • Marketing cookies: Used to track your activity and deliver targeted advertising.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

6. Data Security

We take the security of your personal data seriously and have implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

  • Encryption of sensitive data
  • Secure password protection
  • Regular security audits
  • Staff training on data protection
  • Restricted access to personal data

However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. While we strive to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to provide our services and comply with our legal obligations. The retention period depends on the purpose for which we collected the data:

  • Data relating to completed transactions is retained for a minimum of 6 years for tax and legal purposes.
  • Marketing data is retained until you opt out of communications.
  • Website analytics data is typically retained for 26 months.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymise it.

8. Your Legal Rights

Under the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, you have the following rights:

  • Right of access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Right to rectification: You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
  • Right to erasure: You can request deletion of your data in certain circumstances (the 'right to be forgotten').
  • Right to restrict processing: You can ask us to limit how we use your data.
  • Right to data portability: You can request your data in a structured, commonly used format.
  • Right to object: You can object to certain types of processing, including direct marketing.
  • Rights related to automated decision-making: You have rights if we make decisions about you based solely on automated processing.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@hcsussex.co.uk or 01323 481922.

9. International Data Transfers

Your personal data is primarily processed and stored within the United Kingdom. If we transfer data outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with UK GDPR requirements.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the updated policy on our website and updating the 'last updated' date.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or our data protection practices, please contact us:

  • Email: info@hcsussex.co.uk
  • Telephone: 01323 481922
  • Address: 4 Millfields, Station Road, Polegate, East Sussex, BN26 6AS
  • Office hours: Monday to Friday 9am–6pm, Saturday 9am–5pm (Sunday closed)

If you are not satisfied with our response to a data protection concern, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at www.ico.org.uk.

13. Glossary

  • Personal data: Any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.
  • Processing: Any operation performed on personal data, such as collection, recording, organisation, storage, use, or deletion.
  • Data controller: The organisation that determines the purposes and means of processing personal data (in this case, Home + Castle).
  • Data subject: The individual to whom personal data relates.
  • UK GDPR: The United Kingdom's General Data Protection Regulation, which governs data protection.

Privacy Policy