Privacy Policy

CHOICE MORTGAGE CENTRE IS COMMITTED TO PROTECTING YOUR PRIVACY. THIS POLICY STATEMENT EXPLAINS THE BASIS ON WHICH WE WILL USE THE PERSONAL INFORMATION YOU SUPPLY US. WE HAVE STRUCTURED OUR WEBSITE SO THAT YOU CAN VISIT WITHOUT IDENTIFYING YOURSELF OR REVEALING ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION.

1. What Personal Data Do We Collect?

To help arrange a mortgage for you, we will need to collect a wide range of personal data & financial related data. We do not collect any personal information on our website - when arranging an appointment with us over the phone or face-to-face, we will explain what personal information we will need you to bring into the appointment and when proceeding with your application, we will need more personal information, which the advisor will inform you of what we require. We will only collect information that is pertinent to the service we provide and will hold this information only for as long as is necessary, for the purpose for which it was collected, and to meet regulatory and legislative requirements.

Special Category Data

In some instances, it is necessary to collect more sensitive information (such as health & lifestyle information), which comes under 'special category data'. This is to allow us to provide information and our service to you. We will always obtain you consent before collecting personal data and you can withdraw your consent at any time to us processing this data, however, this may mean that you can no longer access the product or service the information was gathered for.

2. How Is Your Data Collected?

We collect information via email, telephone calls, post and face to face meetings. Before we can collect any personal information, we will always obtain your consent during the advice process to gather this data and explain what information we require and why it is needed.

3. How We Use Your Personal Data?

Choice Mortgage Centre will use personal information received to process your request for a mortgage on your behalf, and to comply with legal and regulatory requirements. This includes the following:

Providing our advice, products or services to you
Carrying out transactions you have requested (mortgage direct debit)
Confirming and verifying your identity
Calculating your affordability
Confirmation of the documents and information you provide us
Processing your information for the mortgage and providing this information to the mortgage lenders
Detecting and preventing fraud, crime, money laundering or other malpractice
Administration and review of the mortgages products we have arranged for you
Helping us to assess your needs for protection plans in connection with your borrowing
Keeping our records up to date and complying with regulatory and legal obligations

When we receive your personal information, we will them compile it all into your physical mortgage file, which is securely locked away until necessary to move your mortgage case forward.

4. Who Do We Share Your Personal Data With and Why?

To arrange a mortgage, we will need to share your personal information with relevant trusted third parties. These third parties include mortgage lenders and solicitors. Your personal information will be processed on the mortgage lender's website or specified email address or link, to fulfil the requirements on your mortgage application.

5. How Do We Keep Your Data Secure?

We are committed to ensuring the confidentiality of the personal information that we hold and we continue to review our security controls and related policies and procedures to ensure that your personal information remains secure. When we collect your personal information, we will compile them into your personal mortgage file and securely store it until it is necessary to take out to fulfil a mortgage requirement. When we contract with third parties, we impose appropriate security, privacy and confidentiality obligations on them to ensure that personal information is kept secure. Personal information will be securely disposed of when it is no longer required, in accordance with the FCA's data retention period.

6. On What Basis Do We Collect Data?

The processing of your personal data is allowed under a number of lawful basis. The data required for the provision of products and services is processed on the basis there is a contract with you to do so. You have rights, listed below in section 8, that outline your control over the processing of your data.

Special Category Data

Sensitive data is processed on the basis there is a contract with you to do so but we can only process this data under the conditions that explicit consent has been given, so we will ask for your consent before collecting and processing sensitive data.

7. Data Retention

Choice Mortgage Centre will keep your personal information only for as long as is necessary, for the purpose for which it was collected, and to meet regulatory and legislative requirements. Personal information will be securely disposed of when it is no longer required, in accordance with the FCA's data retention period. A copy of this is available from us upon request.

8. Your Rights

Choice Mortgage Centre will be transparent in terms of giving customers access to their personal information and therefore have outlined your rights below. This privacy policy was written with brevity and clarity in mind, therefore further information can be gathered by contacting us using the details in the 'How To Contact Us' section, or more information about your data protection rights can be found here: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/individual-rights/

INDIVIDUAL DATA RIGHTS AND REQUESTS

The right to be informed – You can request that we provide ‘fair processing information’, typically through this privacy policy
The right of access - You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you by contacting us
The right to rectification - The accuracy of your personal information is important to us. You have the right to ask us to update or correct your personal information
The right to erasure – You may request the deletion or removal of personal data where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing
The right to object – You may object to the processing of your data based on legitimate interests
The right to restrict processing - You have a right to request we ‘block’ or suppress processing of your personal data
The right to data portability – You may request to obtain and reuse your data
The right not to be subject to automated decision-making including profiling.

If you wish to correct, restrict, delete or make changes to your personal information, or any of the data subject rights listed above, please contact us at the number/address listed below.

9. Marketing

The Data Protection Act 1998 has now been superseded by The Data Protection Act 2018 supplemented by GDPR as of 25th May 2018. Under the new act implemented on this date, Choice Mortgage Centre will now ask for your consent if you wish to be contacted when your existing mortgage rate is due up, so we can assist you with a rate switch or remortgage. If you require a better understanding of these terms, you can find this in 'THE PROCESS' page at the top of our website, or contact us.

We will never sell your data, and we will not send you communications about unrelated services without your consent. You may opt out at any time if you don’t want to receive any further communications from us.

10. Changes To Our Privacy Policy

It may be necessary to update this privacy policy from time to time, to meet legal and regulatory requirements. Any personal data collected prior to any change will not be affected by the change without your permission. This policy was last updated on the 4th June 2018.

11. How To Contact Us

If you have questions about this notice, need further information about our privacy practices, or wish to withdraw consent, exercise preferences or correct your personal information, please contact us using the following details. Telephone: 01209 613143 Mobile: 07971471477

12. How To Complain

If you wish to raise a complaint about how we have handled your personal data or wish to raise a complaint about something else, please follow the steps below:

Step 1. Get in touch with our complaints handler Sharon O'Connor and explain what's happened. Choice Mortgage centre then has 8 weeks to sort it out and give our "final response" to your complaint.

Step 2. If you don't want to complain directly to us, you're not happy with how things turn out, or don't get an answer within 8 weeks, please get in touch with the Financial Ombudsman Service - it doesn't cost anything to use them. You will need to contact them within 6 months of Choice Mortgage Centre's final response by calling or visiting their website. Please have these details to hand:

some personal details - like your name and address
what the problem is - and how you want things put right
some key details - like your account number or policy number

Telephone: 0800 023 4 567 Website: http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/contact/index.htm