Privacy Policy

Last updated: 18 December 2025

This privacy policy explains how personal data is collected and processed when you use darlands.co.uk, contact us, or instruct us in relation to our services.

This website is used by two separate legal entities. Each entity is a separate data controller for the personal data it processes.

1) Important information and who we are

Controllers

Autaway Limited trading as Darlands (“Darlands”)

Registered office: Suite 2063, 6–8 Revenge Road, Lordswood, Kent ME5 8UD

Email: info@darlands.co.uk

Phone: 03301 339 475

Darlands HV Ltd (“Darlands HV”) (Company number 16899990)

Registered office: Suite 2063, 6–8 Revenge Road, Lordswood, Kent ME5 8UD

Email: info@darlands.co.uk (shared contact point)

Phone: 03301 339 475 (shared contact point)

Although Darlands and Darlands HV may share contact details and this website, they are separate companies and do not automatically share personal data with each other.

Transfers between Darlands and Darlands HV

We will not pass your personal data between Darlands and Darlands HV unless you request it or you agree to it (for example, where your matter is better suited to the other company’s service).

Where a transfer is agreed:

• Darlands → Darlands HV: you will be asked to sign a new Letter of Authority (LOA) and new Darlands HV terms before Darlands HV proceeds.

• Darlands HV → Darlands: you will be asked to sign a new LOA before Darlands proceeds.

Each company remains responsible for the personal data it controls within its own systems and files.

Contact and complaints

If you have any questions or want to exercise your rights, contact: info@darlands.co.uk.

You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) (www.ico.org.uk). We would appreciate the opportunity to resolve concerns first.

Children

This website is not intended for children and we do not knowingly collect data relating to children.

Third-party links

This website may include links to third-party sites. We do not control those sites and are not responsible for their privacy policies.

2) The data we collect about you

“Personal data” means information that identifies you (directly or indirectly). Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

• Identity data: name, title (if provided).

• Contact data: address, email address, phone number.

• Property / matter data: information you provide about your property, documents you provide, and details required to assess or progress your matter.

• Case administration data: communications with you and relevant third parties, progress notes, file records, and audit/history of actions.

• Limited technical/security data: basic server logs (for example IP address, timestamps, pages requested) for security, abuse prevention and troubleshooting.

We do not intentionally collect special category data (e.g., health, religion, biometrics). Please do not provide sensitive information unless it is necessary for your matter.

If you do not provide personal data we need to consider or progress your instruction, we may be unable to provide the service.

3) How your personal data is collected

We collect personal data through:

• Direct interactions: when you call, email, message, complete a form, or otherwise contact/instruct us.

• Documents you provide: letters, emails, forms, photos, title/land documents, and supporting evidence.

• Publicly available sources (where relevant): information in public registers, mapping, or other public sources where lawful and appropriate to your matter.

• Service-related communications: information from counterparties involved in your matter (for example utility/network companies, professional advisers) where relevant and lawful.

4) How we use your personal data and our lawful bases

We only use your personal data where the law allows. Common lawful bases are:

• Performance of a contract (or taking steps at your request before entering into one)

• Legitimate interests (running our business, providing services effectively, preventing fraud, maintaining records, and handling complaints)

• Legal obligation (e.g., accounting, tax, regulatory, lawful requests)

• Consent (used where appropriate — including any transfer of your personal data between Darlands and Darlands HV)

Purposes for which we use your data

We use your personal data to:

• respond to enquiries and provide information you request;

• assess whether we can help and which company (Darlands or Darlands HV) is appropriate;

• progress your matter once instructed, including communications, evidence gathering, negotiation/administration, and updates;

• maintain records, quality control, training, and internal management;

• prevent fraud, protect our business, and keep systems secure;

• handle complaints and defend legal claims;

• comply with legal obligations.

Change of purpose

We will only use your personal data for the purposes we collected it for, unless we reasonably consider we need to use it for another compatible purpose. If we need to use it for an unrelated purpose, we will notify you where required.

5) Disclosures of your personal data

We may share personal data with:

A) Service providers (processors)

IT and cloud providers, website hosting, document management and other suppliers who support our operations. They must protect your data and may only use it on our instructions.

B) Professional advisers

Solicitors, accountants, auditors, insurers and other advisers where necessary.

C) Relevant third parties for your matter

Where needed to progress your instruction (for example, counterparties involved in the matter). We share only what is necessary and lawful.

D) Regulators / authorities

HMRC, law enforcement, courts, or regulators where required or permitted by law.

E) Business changes

If we sell, transfer, or merge parts of the business, personal data may be transferred as part of that process subject to appropriate safeguards.

F) Between Darlands and Darlands HV

We do not share your personal data between Darlands and Darlands HV unless you request or agree to the transfer, and the relevant new LOA / terms (as applicable) are signed.

6) International transfers

We may use suppliers who store or process data outside the UK. Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with UK data protection law (for example, UK adequacy regulations, the UK IDTA, or other approved mechanisms).

You can request further information about safeguards by contacting us.

7) Data security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. Access is limited to people who need it for legitimate business purposes and who are subject to confidentiality obligations.

We have procedures to handle suspected personal data breaches and will notify you and/or the ICO where legally required.

8) Data retention

We keep personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes we collected it for, including legal, accounting, regulatory and dispute-handling requirements.

As a general rule, we retain core client/file records for at least six years after the matter ends. We may retain data for longer where there is an ongoing complaint, dispute, or reasonable prospect of litigation, or where required by law.

We may anonymise data for statistical purposes.

9) Your legal rights

You may have the right to:

• request access to your personal data;

• request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data;

• request erasure (in certain circumstances);

• object to processing based on legitimate interests;

• request restriction of processing;

• request portability of data (in certain circumstances);

• withdraw consent where processing relies on consent.

We may need to verify your identity. We usually respond within one month, but complex requests may take longer (we’ll keep you updated).

10) Glossary

• Controller: the organisation that decides how and why personal data is processed.

• Processor: a third party that processes personal data on the controller’s instructions.

• Legitimate interests: business purposes balanced against your rights and freedoms.

• Consent: your clear agreement to specific processing (including any transfer between Darlands and Darlands HV).