Legal
Privacy Policy
Last updated: March 2026
Freehold is a property matching service operated by Phillips Smith & Dunn Limited, an independent estate agent based in North Devon. We take your privacy seriously and are committed to handling your personal data responsibly and in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).
This policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and your rights in relation to it.
Who we are
The data controller responsible for your personal information is:
Phillips Smith & Dunn Limited
Barnstaple, Devon
Email: james@getfreehold.co.uk
What data we collect
When you register a property search with Freehold, we collect:
- Your first and last name
- Your email address
- Your phone number (if provided)
- Your property search preferences — including budget, minimum bedrooms, preferred locations and lifestyle priorities
- The date and time of your registration
Why we collect it and our legal basis
We collect and process your data to provide the Freehold matching service — specifically, to identify properties that match your stated criteria and to notify you when a match is found.
Our legal basis for processing your data is legitimate interests — we have a legitimate interest in providing you with the service you have actively requested, and in contacting you with relevant property matches. We have assessed that this interest is not overridden by your privacy rights, given that you have voluntarily registered and can unsubscribe at any time.
How we use your data
- To match your criteria against properties listed with Phillips Smith & Dunn across our Barnstaple, Bideford and Braunton offices
- To send you email alerts when a property matches your search
- To send you a registration confirmation email
- To notify our team when a new buyer registers, so we can provide a personal service
We do not use your data for any other purpose, and we do not share it with third parties for marketing purposes.
Who we share your data with
Your data is stored securely using Google Firebase (Firestore), which is hosted within the European Economic Area. Confirmation and alert emails are sent via Resend, an email delivery service. Both services are bound by appropriate data processing agreements.
We do not sell your data. We do not share your data with any third party for their own marketing purposes.
How long we keep your data
We retain your registration data for as long as your search is active. If you unsubscribe or ask us to remove your data, we will delete it within 30 days. We may retain anonymised, aggregated data for internal reporting purposes.
Your rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:
- Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Rectification — ask us to correct any inaccurate data
- Erasure — ask us to delete your data
- Restriction — ask us to limit how we process your data
- Objection — object to us processing your data on the basis of legitimate interests
- Portability — request your data in a portable format
To exercise any of these rights, email us at james@getfreehold.co.uk. We will respond within 30 days.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully.
Unsubscribing
You can unsubscribe from Freehold property alerts at any time by replying to any email you receive from us with the word "unsubscribe", or by emailing james@getfreehold.co.uk. We will remove you from the register within 2 working days.
Cookies
The Freehold website does not use tracking cookies or analytics cookies. We do not use any third-party advertising or tracking scripts.
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.
If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, please contact us at james@getfreehold.co.uk.