1. Who we are
Austine Realtors Ltd (“we”, “us”) is a real estate agency in Kenya. We are the data controller for the personal data described in this policy. You can reach us at:
- Address: Nairobi, Kenya
- Email: info@austinerealtors.co.ke
- Phone: +254704350354
2. Personal data we collect
Information you give us
- Viewing, tour and enquiry requests: your name, phone number, email address, preferred date and time, any message you write, and the property you are asking about.
- When you call, WhatsApp or email us: your contact details and what you tell us about the property you are looking for.
- When you go ahead with a sale or letting: identification and other details the law requires us to verify (see section 3).
Information collected automatically
- Listing activity: which property pages are viewed and which contact buttons are used (call, WhatsApp, email, booking), the type of device, the website or campaign that referred you, and the date and time.
- Approximate location: country, region and city, worked out by our hosting provider from your internet connection. We do not collect your precise location.
- No IP addresses are stored for analytics. To count unique visitors we keep a one-way, scrambled code made from your connection and browser that changes every day and cannot be used to identify you. For enquiry forms we keep a similar one-way code to block spam and abuse.
Information from others
Property owners, landlords and developers give us details about their properties, and sometimes contact details of their representatives.
3. How we use your data and our lawful basis
We only use personal data for clear purposes and on a lawful basis under section 30 of the Data Protection Act:
- To respond to your request — arrange viewings and tours, answer enquiries and follow up. This is necessary to take steps you have asked for before entering into a contract.
- To complete a sale or letting — prepare offers, agreements and handovers. This is necessary to perform a contract with you.
- To meet legal obligations — including identity checks and record keeping under the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act and tax laws, and responding to lawful requests from authorities.
- To run and improve our website — measure which listings and pages are useful, prevent spam and keep the site secure. This is in our legitimate interests, and we keep it to aggregated, low-risk data.
- To send you new listings or offers — only if you ask us to or agree to it. You can opt out at any time by telling us or using the unsubscribe option in the message.
We do not sell your personal data, and we do not make decisions about you based solely on automated processing.
5. Transfers outside Kenya
Some of our service providers store or process data outside Kenya (for example in the European Union or the United States). We only transfer personal data where it is permitted under Part VI of the Data Protection Act and the Data Protection (General) Regulations, 2021 — for example where the provider gives appropriate safeguards for the security and protection of the data.
6. How long we keep it
- Enquiries and booking requests: for as long as we are helping you, then for up to 24 months after our last contact, after which we delete or anonymise them.
- Transaction records: for as long as the law requires — usually at least seven years for anti-money-laundering and tax purposes.
- Website analytics: 24 months, after which the records are deleted automatically.
7. Your rights
Under the Data Protection Act, 2019 you have the right to:
- be informed about how your personal data is used;
- access the personal data we hold about you;
- object to the processing of all or part of your personal data, including for direct marketing;
- have false or misleading data corrected;
- have false, misleading or unlawfully held data deleted;
- ask us to restrict processing in certain situations;
- receive your data in a portable format; and
- withdraw your consent at any time, where we rely on consent.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details in section 1. We may need to confirm your identity first. We will respond within the timelines set by the Data Protection (General) Regulations, 2021, and there is no charge for a reasonable request.
8. Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, please contact us first so we can try to put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) — www.odpc.go.ke.
9. How we protect your data
The website is served over an encrypted connection (HTTPS), access to personal data is limited to authorised staff by role, and our service providers are required to protect it. No system is completely secure, so if we become aware of a breach that is likely to harm you we will notify you and the Data Protection Commissioner as the law requires.
11. Children
Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 18 without the consent of a parent or guardian. If you believe a child has given us their details, please contact us and we will delete them.
12. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version will always be on this page with the date it was last updated. If we make significant changes we will take reasonable steps to let you know.
13. Contact us
For any question about this policy or your personal data, email info@austinerealtors.co.ke or call +254704350354. You can also read our Terms of use.
