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Privacy policy

Student Roost is committed to protecting your privacy. In order to provide our services to you we need to collect, process and store certain personal information about you. Please read this privacy policy carefully as it describes how we collect, use, store and transfer your personal information. It also sets out the rights you have in relation to such data.


This policy may be updated from time to time. Please therefore check this policy frequently to ensure you are aware of the most recent version.


About Student Roost

Student Roost is a leading provider of student accommodation in the UK. We also own and operate the studio apartments in Bristol known as Zinc Works. We are made up of different legal companies, including PBSA Unity Street UK Limited (a company incorporated in England with company number 12947092 whose registered office is at Charles House, 8th Floor, 148 Great Charles Street, Birmingham B3 3HT) which is the landlord of the studio apartments available to rent within Zinc Works. All the companies within the Student Roost group are listed on the website under ‘Company Registration’.


Any reference in this policy to Student Roost, ‘we’ or ‘us’ includes PBSA Unity Street UK Limited and all other companies within the Student Roost group of companies.


Student Roost is a “data controller” of the personal data that you provide to us. This means that we are responsible for deciding how we hold and use personal information about you.


What does this policy apply to?

This policy applies to personal information collected by Student Roost. It does not apply to personal information collected by third-party companies, individuals or organisations or other websites which the


Student Roost website and/or customer portal may link to or be linked from. Where third parties collect your personal information their own privacy policies will apply and we take no responsibility for their handling of your data.


What information do we collect?

We collect, use, store and transfer different kinds of personal information about you to enable us to provide the services you have requested and/or to allow us to enter into and fulfil our obligations and exercise our rights under our contract with you.


Personal data, or personal information, means any information about an individual from which that person can be identified. It does not include data where the identity has been removed (anonymous data).


We may collect, use, store and transfer the following personal information:

  • name
  • home address
  • date of birth
  • gender
  • nationality
  • email address
  • telephone numbers, including mobile number
  • emergency contact details
  • bank account and payment card details and billing address
  • health information if you complete a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire to use the gym
  • details of injuries and medical treatment in the event of an accident
  • information relating to your wellbeing and safety
  • CCTV footage
  • information gathered electronically relating to access to our properties such as swipe card and key fob records
  • profile details
  • username and password
  • booking preferences
  • marketing preferences, including communication preferences
  • history of past bookings
  • details of other products and services purchased from Student Roost
  • feedback and survey responses
  • IP address used to connect your computer, tablet or smartphone to the internet, browser type and version, time zone setting and location, browser plug-in types and versions and operating system and platform
  • social media ID if you link your accounts to us
  • information obtained from lone worker personal safety recording devices
  • photographs and/or video recordings if you participate in photography or filming conducted by Student Roost or its agents
  • written testimonials of your experiences with Student Roost
  • information relating to any anti-social behaviour, or behaviour which could reasonably be construed as potentially in breach of your tenancy agreement and/or which could result in legal proceedings
  • usage data on our website including uniform resource locators (URL) clickstream to, through and from our website


If you are an emergency contact we will obtain contact details and some basic information about you from the individual booking accommodation at Zinc Works in order to process their application.


We may also collect, use and store special categories of personal data about you, including your ethnic origin, information about your health and any disabilities.


Where we need to collect personal information by law 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 complete the booking application).


How do we collect your data?

We use different methods to collect personal information from you, including:

  • Direct from you – You may give us your personal information by applying for and/or booking accommodation, arranging a property viewing, making a booking enquiry, filling in forms, creating an account, visiting our website, using the customer portal, corresponding with us by email, post, telephone or LiveChat, submitting a query, subscribing to our marketing lists or newsletters, taking part in a survey or promotion or giving us feedback or participating in filming/photography.
  • Electronic means – Information obtained through CCTV footage and other electronic means when you access our premises, information from lone worker personal safety recording devices or other information about the use of our premises.
  • Technology – When you visit our website and/or customer portal we may automatically collect technical information about your device, browsing actions and patterns. We collect this information using cookies, server logs and other similar technologies. For more information on cookies see our Cookie Policy.
  • Other sources – We may receive personal information about you from various third parties and public sources. For example, (i) name, contact details and payment information from providers of technical, booking, payment and delivery services, such as Pinglocker and Stripe, and (ii) name and contact details from online event registration systems, such as Eventbrite. Such providers/registration systems will collect personal information direct from you and you should read their privacy policies carefully. We take no responsibility for their handling of your data.


What do we use your information for?

We use your personal information to:

  • manage and communicate with you about booking enquiries and accommodation viewings
  • register you as a new customer and manage your account
  • process your booking application
  • conduct right to rent checks and tenant reference checks
  • manage and administer your tenancy
  • carry out our obligations and exercise our rights under our contract with you
  • communicate with you in connection with your booking and tenancy and respond to your requests
  • provide customer service and support
  • enable us to make any reasonable adjustments where necessary to enable you to access and benefit from our facilities and services
  • manage and communicate with you about parcel delivery
  • assist with a personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) (if applicable)
  • manage and communicate with you about events and activities organised by Student Roost (if you are a resident)
  • manage use of the gym to ensure the health & safety of all gym users
  • manage and investigate any accident at Zinc Works involving you
  • provide support and assistance in the event of a medical or other emergency
  • provide you with support with any wellbeing or safety issues
  • manage any incidents or anti-social behaviour involving you
  • process payments and refunds
  • recover any unpaid sums due to us
  • if you are an emergency contact, to contact you in the event of an emergency incident involving the customer
  • operate CCTV systems and review CCTV footage for security purposes at Zinc Works
  • prevent and detect criminal activity, fraud and misuse of or damage to our property
  • operate lone worker personal safety recording devices for security purposes at Zinc Works
  • provide you with support in using our website and the customer portal
  • administer and process offers and promotions
  • send you marketing and promotional materials (see Marketing section below)
  • seek your views on our services/take a survey
  • notify you about changes to our services
  • administer our website and customer portal, including troubleshooting, data analysis, testing, system maintenance, support, reporting and hosting of data
  • help us improve the design and content of our website and customer portal to ensure the best experience possible
  • exercise or defend legal claims or actions
  • promote Student Roost in publicity and marketing materials with your consent or where you have provided us with a written testimonial of your experiences at Zinc Works (see Marketing section below)
  • comply with legal obligations and Government guidance to help minimise transmission of infectious diseases
  • put in place protections for customers, employees, agents, contractors and the public against the transmission of infectious diseases
  • for administrative and quality assurance purposes
  • provide references if requested where you are moving to new accommodation after you leave Zinc Works


Purposes for using your information

We will use your personal information where we need to perform a contract we are about to enter into or have entered into with you (for example, booking accommodation at Zinc Works), where it is necessary for our legitimate interests (for example, CCTV footage to monitor safety at Zinc Works to ensure the safety of residents, visitors and employees and to assist with law enforcement) or where we need to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation (for example, carrying out a right to rent check).


We will only send you marketing and promotional materials with your consent. You can tell us that you want to stop receiving marketing communications from us at any time. Please see the Marketing section below for more details.


We will only film and/or take photographs of you for use in publicity and marketing materials with your consent. You can withdraw your consent at any time. Please see the Marketing section below for more details.


We will only use special categories of personal data with your consent (for example, ethnic origin or information about your health). However, on occasion there may be reasons of public interest or law that enable us to use such information without consent. For example, if it is necessary to protect your vital interests where you are physically or legally incapable of giving consent or it is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of a legal claim.


Where you have specific disability needs we will use such information to perform our contract with you (for example, to provide an accessible studio apartment) and to comply with our obligations pursuant to equality laws.


Who do we share your information with?

Our group. Your personal information may be shared with companies within the Student Roost group of companies based in the UK as different parts of the business are responsible for different activities.


We may also share your personal information with third parties as follows:

  • service providers, suppliers, business partners, sub-contractors and agents who provide services and/or process information on our behalf (e.g. IT providers, parcel management services provider, LiveChat, managing agents, automated marketing providers etc) so that they may help us to provide you with the services
  • tenant reference service providers/agents who conduct tenant reference checks on our behalf
  • third parties used to facilitate payment transactions and refunds (e.g. financial institutions)
  • if you book a dual-occupancy room, we may contact/share your information with your co-occupant
  • debt recovery agencies in the event that you fail to pay your rent and/or any other charges due
  • law enforcement and fraud prevention agencies in connection with the prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences
  • Bristol City Council for the purpose of informing them who lives in the accommodation in order for the Council to administer and collect council tax. See the Privacy Notice on the Bristol City Council website for details of how the Council uses your data:
  • https://www.bristol.gov.uk/about-our-website/privacy
  • HomeChoice Bristol for the purpose of informing them who lives in the affordable co-loving units in order to comply with planning requirements. See the Privacy Policy on the HomeChoice Bristol website for details of how HomeChoice Bristol uses your data: https://www.homechoicebristol.co.uk/PrivacyPolicy
  • relevant utility suppliers for the purpose of informing them who lives in the accommodation and in respect of any bills that you have failed to pay
  • local authorities / the local electoral registration office for the provision of electoral roll services
  • your emergency contact in the event of an emergency or where there are well-being / mental health concerns
  • if you are an emergency contact, we will share your contact information with the medical or emergency services as necessary in the event of an emergency incident involving the customer so that the medical/emergency services can reach and update you
  • the Home Office if you fail a right to rent check or follow-up right to rent check
  • where it is necessary to protect or defend our legal rights or the legal rights of others
  • if we sell our business or a property we will transfer information relating to tenants to the new owner
  • our professional advisors (e.g. bankers, lawyers and insurers) and auditors for the purposes of seeking professional advice or to meet our audit responsibilities
  • social media sites if you have linked your accounts to us
  • where we have a legal or regulatory obligation to do so (e.g. to comply with a court order, contract or when required to do so by our regulators, government agencies or law enforcement)
  • public health bodies to help minimise transmission of infectious diseases
  • analytics and search engine providers that assist us in the improvement and optimisation of our site
  • third parties who assist Student Roost with promotional/marketing/publicity activities in the event that you provide us with a written testimonial of your experiences at Zinc Works
  • if you need a reference for the purposes of moving to new accommodation after you leave Zinc Works, we will provide information relating to your tenancy as requested by the landlord or letting agent, with your consent. The information shared will depend on the request and may include tenancy start/end dates, tenancy address, weekly/monthly rent paid, confirmation that your payments are up to date/were paid on time


We do NOT sell or share your personal information with third parties for them to use for marketing purposes.


We require third parties to respect the security of your personal information and to treat it in accordance with the law. All our third-party service providers are required to take appropriate security measures to protect your personal information. We only permit them to process your personal information for specified purposes in accordance with our instructions.


How long do we keep your information?

We only hold your personal information for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting or reporting requirements, taking into account the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the personal data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure of the personal data, the purposes for which we process the personal data and whether we can achieve those purposes through other means. As a result, the length of time that we keep your information for will vary depending on the above circumstances and the purposes for which we have it. We will review what information we need on an ongoing basis and will only retain it for the minimum amount of time that we need it for or are legally obliged to keep it for.


In some circumstances you can ask us to delete your personal information. See ‘Right to be forgotten’ section below for further information. We may retain basic information on a suppression list to record your request and to avoid sending you unwanted materials in the future.


Your personal information may be anonymised, so that it can no longer be associated with you, for research or statistical purposes, in which case we may use this information indefinitely without further notice to you.


Marketing

We will only send you marketing and promotional materials if you have specifically consented to receive them. We may contact you for this purpose by email or SMS/text. When you book accommodation at Zinc Works, you have the option to opt out of our marketing communications. You can also opt-out from receiving such communications at any time by updating your preferences in your account (on our website or in the customer portal) or by emailing us on [email protected]. You can unsubscribe from our email marketing communications using the links provided in the emails we send you. Similarly, you can unsubscribe from our SMS/text marketing communications by following the opt out instructions in any SMS received.


We will only film and/or take photographs of you for use in publicity and marketing materials (in any format, including printed publications and social media) with your consent. You can withdraw your consent at any time by emailing us at [email protected] with your name and studio apartment number. Once you withdraw your consent, we will not use any images of you in any of our future marketing materials. Any images of you already published in our marketing materials at the time you withdraw your consent will continue to be used.


Please note that if you are a resident at Zinc Works we will send you emails related to Zinc Works and your tenancy agreement as this is important information you will need about your accommodation.


Security and storage of information

We are committed to keeping your personal information secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure we have put in place appropriate security measures to safeguard the personal information we collect, including secure servers. In addition, we limit access to your personal information to those employees, agents and suppliers who have a business need to know. They will only process your personal information on our instructions and are subject to a duty of confidentiality.


If you believe your account has been compromised (for example, your password is stolen, or you receive suspicious communication from someone holding themselves out to be a Student Roost employee) please report the incident to us on [email protected] or write to us at Student Roost, Legal Department, Charles House, 8th Floor, 148 Great Charles Street, Birmingham B3 3HT.


We have procedures in place to deal with any suspected data breach. We will notify you and the Information Commissioner’s Office of a suspected data security breach where we are legally required to do so.


Sending information to countries outside the United Kingdom

Sometimes we might need to transfer your personal information to third-party processors outside the United Kingdom. We will take reasonable steps to ensure there are appropriate safeguards in place so that your personal information is adequately protected in accordance with this policy.


Your rights

You have various rights under data protection laws (some of which are highlighted below). If you would like to exercise any of your rights, please write to us at: Student Roost, Legal Department, Charles House, 8th Floor, 148 Great Charles Street, Birmingham B3 3HT, or email us on [email protected].


If you exercise any of your rights, we may ask for proof of identity and sufficient information so that we can locate your personal information.


Your rights include:

  • Obtaining copies of your information

You have the right to request details of the personal information we hold about you.

  • Amending your information

It is important that the personal information we hold about you is accurate and current. If your details change, or if you think any information we have about you is wrong or incomplete, please correct it in your account (on our website or in the customer portal) or contact us using the details given above.

  • Right to object

You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information where we are relying on a legitimate interest. Should you wish to object, please set out the specific reasons why you are objecting. These reasons should be based upon your particular situation.

  • Right to be forgotten

You have the right to have your personal information erased in certain circumstances.


Further information

If you have any questions about this policy or how we treat your personal information, please email us on [email protected] or write to us at Student Roost, Legal Department, Charles House, 8th Floor, 148 Great Charles Street, Birmingham B3 3HT.


If you are not satisfied with how we respond to any request or query you raise then you can refer the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office. Information about how to do this is available on the ICO website at www.ico.org.uk.