Privacy Policy & Notice
Last updated: June 2025
1. Who We Are
RVSH Estate Agents (“we”, “us”, or “our”) is powered by Open House and operates as an estate agency across Kent, covering the Bromley (BR), Dartford (DA), and Medway (ME) postcode areas. We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website rvsh.co.uk or engage our services. Please read this policy carefully. If you disagree with its terms, please discontinue use of our website.
2. Your Data Rights
Under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:
- 1The right to be informed about how your data is collected and used
- 2The right to access the personal data we hold about you
- 3The right to withdraw consent at any time by contacting us at kent@localagent.co.uk
- 4The right to rectification — to correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data
- 5The right to erasure (‘right to be forgotten’) where justified
- 6The right to object to direct marketing communications
- 7The right to object to automated decision-making and profiling
- 8The right to data portability
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us in writing at the address above. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request. We will respond within 30 days.
3. Our Role as Data Controller
We act as the Data Controller when we directly collect your personal data — for example when you submit an enquiry through our website, call our office, or engage us for property services. This means we determine the purposes and means of processing your personal data.
In some circumstances, where we work with partner agencies or third-party platforms, we may act as a joint controller or as a data processor on behalf of a third party. Where this is the case, we will make this clear to you at the point of data collection.
4. Lawful Basis for Processing
We process your personal data on one or more of the following lawful bases:
Consent
Where you have given clear consent for us to process your data for a specific purpose.
Contract
Where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with you, or to take steps at your request prior to entering a contract.
Legal Obligation
Where processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject.
Vital Interests
Where processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of you or another person.
Public Task
Where processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest.
Legitimate Interests
Where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests or those of a third party, except where such interests are overridden by your rights.
5. Personal Data We Collect
We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Identity Data | First name, last name, title |
| Contact Data | Email address, telephone number, postal address |
| Financial Data | Bank account details where required for transactions |
| Transaction Data | Details of services you have purchased or enquired about |
| Technical Data | IP address collected by your browser when accessing our site (not actively stored or tracked) |
| Profile Data | Your preferences, interests, and feedback |
| Usage Data | Information about how you use our website |
| Marketing Data | Preferences in receiving marketing communications from us |
We do not collect or process Special Category data (such as racial or ethnic origin, health information, or sexual orientation) or criminal records data.
6. How We Use Your Data
We use the personal data we collect for the following purposes:
- To respond to enquiries submitted through our website or by telephone
- To provide estate agency, lettings, and property management services
- To send you property listings, valuations, and market updates that may be of interest
- To manage our relationship with you, including notifying you of changes to our services
- To improve our website and services based on how visitors use our site
- To comply with legal and regulatory obligations (e.g. anti-money laundering checks)
- To process and record calls for quality and training purposes
- To prevent fraud and maintain the security of our systems
- To send direct marketing communications where you have consented or where we have a legitimate interest
You may opt out of marketing communications at any time by contacting us at kent@localagent.co.uk or by using the unsubscribe link in any email we send you.
7. Data Retention
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
Identity, contact, and transaction data relating to completed property transactions are retained for a period of six years in accordance with our legal obligations and limitation periods. Data collected for marketing purposes is retained until you withdraw consent or opt out. Technical and usage data is typically retained for no longer than 12 months.
8. Sharing Your Data
We may share your personal data with the following categories of third parties:
- Our parent network, Open House, for the purposes of delivering estate agency services
- Regulatory bodies and authorities (e.g. HMRC, HMCTS) where required by law
- Property portals and marketing platforms used to advertise properties
- IT service providers and software partners who process data on our behalf under data processing agreements
- Solicitors, mortgage advisors, surveyors, and other professional parties involved in a property transaction
- Postal and communication service providers
We do not sell your personal data to third parties. Where we transfer data outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in compliance with UK GDPR requirements.
10. Data Security
We have implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure, or access. However, please be aware that no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
11. How to Complain
If you have concerns about how we handle your personal data, please contact us in the first instance at kent@localagent.co.uk. We will aim to resolve your concern promptly.
If you remain unsatisfied, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent authority for data protection:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Website: ico.org.uk
Helpline: 0303 123 1113
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your data. Continued use of our website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.