Privacy and Complaints Handling Policy

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Vernon-Ellis Surveyors ("we", "us", "our") is 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 and use our services. We are a firm regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and adhere to applicable data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Information We Collect
We may collect and process various types of data about you, including personal identification information such as your name, email address, phone number, and postal address. We may also collect professional information, including company details and job title, as well as technical data such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, and usage data. In addition, we may keep communication data, including records of correspondence when you contact us.

How We Collect Your Data
We collect data when you fill in forms on our website, when you contact us via email, phone, or post, and automatically through cookies and similar technologies.

How We Use Your Information
Your information is used to provide and manage our services, respond to enquiries and communicate with you, comply with legal and regulatory obligations, and improve our website and services.

Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal data on the basis of performance of a contract, compliance with legal obligations, legitimate interests, and, where applicable, your consent.

Sharing Your Information
We do not sell your personal data. However, we may share your data with professional advisers and service providers, regulatory bodies including RICS where required, and legal or governmental authorities where required by law.

Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse.

Data Retention
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

Your Data Protection Rights
Under UK GDPR, you have a number of rights. These include the right to access your personal data, request correction of inaccurate data, request erasure of your data, restrict processing, request data portability, and object to processing. To exercise these rights, please contact us using the details below.

Cookies
Our website uses cookies to enhance user experience. You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings.

Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of such websites.

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 effective date.

Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us using the address listed on the website

Regulation and Complaints Handling
Vernon Ellis Independent Surveyors is a firm regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). We are committed to maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards in all aspects of our work, in accordance with RICS regulations and guidance.

We operate a formal Complaints Handling Procedure (CHP), which is available to all clients and prospective clients upon request. This procedure is designed to ensure that any concerns are addressed promptly, fairly, and transparently.

If you have a complaint, we encourage you to contact us in the first instance so that we can seek to resolve the matter as quickly as possible. Should we be unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you have the option to refer the matter to an independent redress mechanism, as required by RICS.

A copy of our full Complaints Handling Procedure is available on request.