Who we are
This policy is published by Richards & Co. Property Auctions Ltd (referred to in this policy as "Richards & Co.", "we", "us" or "our"), registered office at 14 Bedford Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3RA, company number [12345678]. We are the controller of the personal data described in this policy.
If you have any questions about how we handle your personal data, please contact us at privacy@richardsandco.co.uk or write to us at the address above marked for the attention of the [Data Protection Lead].
What information we collect
We collect personal information when you interact with us — for example when you request a valuation, contact our team, register as a bidder, attend a viewing, or browse the website. Depending on how you engage with us this may include:
- Your name, contact details (email, phone, address) and any other details you choose to share.
- Information about a property you are selling, buying, or asking us to value.
- Bidder identification and verification documents (for those registering to bid).
- Financial information necessary to process deposits or completion monies.
- Records of correspondence between you and us.
- Website usage data (see our Cookies Policy for detail).
How we use your information
We use personal information for the following purposes:
- To provide valuations, marketing, sale and post-sale services in connection with our auctions.
- To verify the identity of bidders and to comply with anti-money-laundering obligations.
- To respond to your enquiries and keep you informed about a lot or sale you are interested in.
- To send catalogue alerts, auction updates and other marketing — only where you have asked us to.
- To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations.
Our lawful bases for processing are contract (where we are providing a service you have asked us to perform), legitimate interests (where we have a clear business reason which does not override your rights), legal obligation (such as AML checks), and consent (for marketing and cookies that require it).
Sharing your information
We may share your personal information with carefully chosen third parties:
- Your solicitor and ours, where required to progress a sale or purchase.
- Verification, AML and identity-check providers.
- Auction-day technology partners (online bidding, livestream and registration).
- Marketing and analytics providers acting on our instructions.
- Regulators, law enforcement and other authorities where we are required to do so by law.
We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
How long we keep it
We retain personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out above and to meet our legal and regulatory obligations. Auction and conveyancing records are typically held for a minimum of [seven] years from the date of the relevant transaction. Marketing preferences are retained until you ask us to remove them.
Your rights
Under UK data-protection law you have the right to access the personal information we hold about you, to have it corrected if inaccurate, to ask us to delete or restrict our use of it, to object to processing, and to receive a copy in a portable format. To exercise any of these rights please contact privacy@richardsandco.co.uk.
If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your personal data you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The "last updated" date at the top of the page will always show when it was last revised. Where the change is material we will draw it to your attention by email or through a notice on the website.