Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

The Landlord Association ("TLA", "we", "us", "our", "Association") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share your information when you use our website (landlordassociation.org.uk) or interact with our services.

We comply fully with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy should be read alongside our Cookie Policy, which provides detailed information about our use of cookies and tracking technologies.

2. Who We Are

TLA is an unincorporated, not-for-profit membership association providing legal resources, guidance, SOS services, and membership benefits to landlords, tenants, legal professionals, and the general public in England and Wales. We are the Data Controller under UK data protection law, which means we determine how and why your personal data is processed.

As a not-for-profit membership organisation, we are exempt from the ICO's annual registration fee under their guidance for small membership associations. However, this exemption relates only to the fee itself – we maintain full compliance with all UK GDPR and data protection obligations.

3. What Information We Collect

We collect and process the following categories of personal data:

Identity and Contact Data

• Full name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Postal address (for members or service users)
• Professional credentials (for solicitors or partners)

Account and Membership Data

• Username and password (encrypted)
• Membership type and preferences
• Account history and activity
• Role type (Landlord, Tenant, Agent, Solicitor)

Financial Data

• Payment information for SOS services and memberships (processed securely via third-party payment processors such as Stripe or WooCommerce Payments – we do not store full card details)
• Transaction history

Technical Data

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device information
• Time zone and location data
• Operating system
• Usage data (pages visited, time spent, interactions)

Communications Data

• Form submissions (membership forms, legal enquiries, support tickets)
• Email correspondence
• Newsletter subscription preferences
• Directory listing submissions

4. How We Collect Your Data

We collect personal data through the following channels:

• Direct interactions: When you register for membership, submit forms, create an account, purchase SOS services, contact us, or subscribe to newsletters
• Automated technologies: Through cookies, analytics tools (Google Analytics), and server logs as you navigate our website
• Third parties: Payment processors (Stripe, WooCommerce), partner referrals, or service integrations
• Public sources: Business directories or professional listings (for solicitor panel verification)

5. Legal Basis for Processing

We only process your personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so under UK GDPR:

• Consent: Where you have actively given permission (e.g., newsletter subscriptions, optional cookies)
• Contract: To fulfil a service, membership agreement, or SOS package you've purchased
• Legitimate Interests: To manage and improve our services, ensure website security, communicate relevant updates, and deliver partner placements (where appropriate and balanced against your rights)
• Legal Obligation: Where required by law (e.g., financial record-keeping, responding to lawful requests)

6. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

• Provide access to member resources, dashboards, and legal tools
• Process and deliver SOS services (legal letter drafting, compliance audits, court bundle preparation, etc.)
• Manage solicitor directory submissions and listings
• Respond to enquiries, support requests, and complaints
• Process membership payments, renewals, and transactions
• Send service-related communications (order confirmations, account updates)
• Send marketing communications (newsletters, legal updates, announcements) where you've consented or we have a legitimate interest
• Improve website performance, usability, and security
• Conduct analytics to understand user behaviour and optimise our services
• Display relevant partner placements and sponsorships (e.g., Commercial Trust finance partner)
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms of service

7. How We Share Your Data

We do not sell your personal data. We only share your information with trusted third parties in the following circumstances:

Service Providers and Processors

• Payment Processors: Stripe, WooCommerce Payments (for secure transaction processing)
• Email and Communications: Fluent CRM, email service providers (for newsletters and transactional emails)
• Hosting and Infrastructure: Web hosting providers, cloud storage services
• Analytics: Google Analytics (for anonymous usage statistics)
• Support Systems: Fluent Support (for ticket management)

Partners and Sponsors

• Official Partners: When you interact with partner services (e.g., clicking through to Commercial Trust for mortgage services), we may share limited data (e.g., that you expressed interest) to enable service delivery. We do not share personal financial data or full contact details without explicit consent.
• Solicitor Panel: If you use our legal directory to contact a listed solicitor, we may share your enquiry details with that professional.

Legal Requirements

• Law enforcement, regulators, or courts where required by law
• To protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our members and the public

All third-party processors are required to handle your data securely and in accordance with UK GDPR. We conduct due diligence on our service providers and maintain data processing agreements where required.

8. International Data Transfers

Some of our service providers (e.g., Google Analytics, Stripe) may process data outside the UK or EEA. Where this occurs, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:

• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the ICO
• Adequacy decisions recognising equivalent data protection standards
• Processor commitments to UK GDPR-equivalent protections

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy or as required by law:

• Active membership or solicitor listings: While the account/listing is live and up to 12 months after termination
• SOS service records and legal correspondence: Up to 6 years (in line with legal record-keeping requirements)
• Financial records: 6 years (HMRC requirement)
• Marketing consents: Until you withdraw consent or the data becomes inactive (typically 2 years of inactivity)
• Analytics and cookies: Up to 26 months (Google Analytics default) or as specified in our Cookie Policy
• Enquiries and support tickets: 3 years from last contact

After the retention period expires, we securely delete or anonymise your data.

10. Your Data Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to Rectification: Correct any inaccuracies in your data
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your data (subject to legal obligations)
• Right to Restrict Processing: Limit how we use your data in certain circumstances
• Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time
• Right to Complain: Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at legal@landlordassociation.org.uk. We will respond within one month of receiving your request.

11. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience, analyse website usage, and deliver relevant content. Cookies fall into the following categories:

• Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality (e.g., session management, security)
• Performance Cookies: Anonymous analytics to help us improve the site (e.g., Google Analytics)
• Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings

When you first visit our website, you'll see a cookie consent banner. We only set non-essential cookies (such as analytics) after you've given explicit consent. You can update your preferences at any time via the 'Cookie Settings' link in our footer or through your browser settings.

For detailed information about the cookies we use, their purposes, and how to manage them, please see our Cookie Policy.

12. Security Measures

We take data security seriously and implement industry-standard measures to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, loss, or misuse, including:

• HTTPS encryption: All data transmitted between your browser and our website is encrypted
• Secure password storage: Passwords are encrypted using industry-standard hashing algorithms
• Access controls: Limited access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
• Firewall protection: Server-level security to prevent unauthorised access
• Regular security updates: Software and plugins are kept up to date with security patches
• Data processing agreements: Third-party processors are contractually bound to secure handling

While we take all reasonable precautions, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. If you suspect a security breach, contact us immediately at legal@landlordassociation.org.uk.

13. Data Breach Notification

In the unlikely event of a data breach that poses a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will:

• Notify the ICO within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach (where required by law)
• Inform affected individuals without undue delay if the breach is likely to result in a high risk to their rights
• Take immediate action to contain and remedy the breach
• Conduct a thorough investigation and implement measures to prevent future incidents

14. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child without parental consent, we will take steps to delete it promptly.

If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us at legal@landlordassociation.org.uk.

15. Marketing Communications

We may send you marketing communications (newsletters, legal updates, member announcements) where:

• You have explicitly consented to receive them
• We have a legitimate interest (e.g., updates relevant to your membership)

You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by:

• Clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any email
• Updating your preferences in your member dashboard
• Contacting us at legal@landlordassociation.org.uk

Opting out of marketing will not affect service-related communications (e.g., order confirmations, account updates).

16. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, partner services, or external resources (e.g., Commercial Trust, solicitor websites). We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before sharing personal information.

17. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or service offerings. Any updates will be posted on this page with a revised effective date.

If we make significant changes that materially affect your rights, we will notify you via email or a prominent notice on our website. We encourage you to review this policy regularly to stay informed about how we protect your data.

18. Complaints and Regulatory Authority

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal data or believe your data protection rights have been violated, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK's supervisory authority:

We encourage you to contact us first at legal@landlordassociation.org.uk so we can address your concerns directly.