Privacy & Cookie Policy

We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.  This privacy notice explains how we collect, use, store and protect your personal information when you engage with us.

Company information

Gordon Brown Estate Agents Limited of 429 Durham Road, Gateshead, NE9 5AN with company number 07411006.. Registered Office: 8 – 10 The Square, Whickham, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE16 4JE.

We are a member of the National Association of Estate Agents and the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA Propertymark)

We collect, use, and protect your personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Who we are?

The data controllers responsible for your personal information are:

• Gordon Brown Estate Agents Limited

Registered Address: 8–10 The Square, Whickham, NE16 4JB
Email for Data Queries: home@gordon-brown.co.uk

What information we collect

We collect and process various types of personal information depending on our relationship with you. This may include:

• Full name and contact details (postal address, phone number, email)
• Information relating to your identity to comply with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and legal obligations
• Financial information such as bank details, proof of funds, and payment history
• Information on any access requirements you have to enable us to find suitable properties for you, which may consist of special category personal data comprising details of any disability or other health information about you
• Details about your areas of interest where we wish to send you marketing information about similar products and services
• Property ownership and tenancy details
• Communication records with us including email or telephone correspondence created when you contact us 
• Website and device usage data (e.g., IP address, cookies)
• Marketing preferences and consents

Where we process special category data (such as health information), this is done only with your explicit consent or where necessary to meet our legal obligations.

Where we need to collect personal data by law (for example to meet our obligations to prevent fraud and money laundering) or under the terms of a contract we have with you and you fail to provide that data when requested, we may not be able to perform the contract we have or are trying to enter into with you (for example, to provide you with our services). In this case, we may have to cancel a product or service you have with us, but we will notify you if this is the case at the time.

Lawful Basis for Processing

We process your data under one or more of the following lawful bases:

• Contractual necessity: To perform our services for you as a client or prospective client.
• Legal obligation: To comply with legal and regulatory duties such as Anti-Money Laundering checks or tax requirements.
• Legitimate interests: To operate and improve our business and services, except where overridden by your rights.
• Consent: Where you have opted in to marketing communications or where we process special category data.

How we use your information

We will hold and use your personal information to:

• Provide and manage our property services to you
• Share information where necessary to deliver those services or act on your behalf
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including identity verification, prevention of fraud and money laundering, and assessing creditworthiness
• Communicate with you about your enquiries, requests, and the services we provide
• Analyse information to help manage, improve, and plan our business operations
• Send marketing communications about our services (or those of selected partners) where you have consented, or where you are an existing customer and we contact you about similar services. You can withdraw your consent or unsubscribe at any time
• Notify you about changes to our services
• Ensure our website and communications are presented in the most effective way for you and your device

We process your personal data on the basis of one or more of the following lawful grounds: performance of a contract, compliance with a legal obligation, legitimate interests, or your consent (where required)

How long we keep your data

We keep your personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes we collected it. Typical retention periods include:

• Property sales and letting records: 7 years after the end of the transaction
• Anti-Money Laundering and identification records: 5 years from the date of transaction
• Marketing data: until you withdraw consent or 2 years after last contact

Who we share your information with?

We share data only when necessary to deliver our services or meet our legal obligations. This may include:

• Professional advisers (e.g., solicitors, accountants, surveyors)
• Referencing and credit agencies
• Maintenance contractors and utility providers
• Regulatory and government authorities (e.g., HMRC, ICO, Property Ombudsman)
• IT, marketing, and system providers under strict data protection contracts
• We never sell your personal information

International Data Transfers

We do not routinely transfer your personal data outside the UK or European Economic Area (EEA). If we ever do, we will ensure appropriate safeguards (such as Standard Contractual Clauses or adequacy decisions) are in place.

Your Data Protection Rights

You have rights under data protection law, including to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction or deletion of inaccurate data
• Restrict or object to processing
• Withdraw consent for marketing at any time
• Request data portability where applicable

To exercise your rights, please contact us at info@sarahmains.com.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at www.ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113.

Cookies

Our website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and analyse traffic. Essential cookies enable site functionality, while optional analytics or marketing cookies are only used with your consent. For example, we use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our site. You can manage your cookie preferences at any time through our cookie banner or browser settings.

Security of Your Data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or alteration. This includes secure servers, encryption, and restricted staff access.

Changes to This Notice

We may update this Privacy Notice periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. The latest version will always be available on our website and in our offices. This notice was last updated in October 2025.