Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Teamstays Ltd ("we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform to find or provide workforce accommodation across the United Kingdom.

Teamstays Ltd is registered in England and Wales and operates in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We act as the Data Controller for the personal information collected through our platform.

2. Information We Collect

We collect different types of information depending on whether you are a guest (business seeking accommodation) or a host (accommodation provider).

Information Collected from All Users

• Account Credentials: Email address and password for account access.
• Personal Details: First name, last name, and phone number.
• Profile Information: Account status and user role within the platform.

Information Collected from Guests (Businesses)

• Company Details: Company name, Companies House registration number, and company status.
• Business Address: Registered office address as recorded with Companies House.
• Contact Information: Business email address and phone number.
• Bank Account Details: Account holder name, bank name, sort code, and account number for deposit refunds and payment processing.
• Identity Verification Documents: Photo identification and proof of address dated within the last 3 months.
• Accommodation Requests: Work location addresses, dates, number of workers, budget, and additional notes.
• Booking History: Records of bookings made, offers received, and payment transactions.

Information Collected from Hosts (Accommodation Providers)

• Business Type: Whether you operate as a registered company or sole trader.
• Company Details: Legal company name, trading name, Companies House registration number, and registered office address.
• Bank Account Details: For receiving payments from bookings.
• Identity Verification Documents: Photo ID, proof of address, and rental or HMO licence where applicable.
• Property Information: Addresses, coordinates, property type, bedrooms, bathrooms, amenities, descriptions, and cleaning prices.
• Property Images: Photographs uploaded to our platform.
• Offer and Booking Data: Pricing offers, booking confirmations, and payment records.

Automatically Collected Information

• Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, and actions taken on our platform.
• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers.
• Activity Logs: Records of account actions for security and audit purposes.

3. Identity Verification and Document Uploads

As part of our commitment to a safe and trustworthy marketplace, we require identity verification from all users before bookings can be made or received. This helps prevent fraud, comply with UK AML regulations, verify that businesses are legitimately registered, and build trust between tenants and accommodation providers.

Documents are uploaded directly to our secure cloud storage with encryption in transit and at rest. Only authorised Teamstays staff can access verification documents.

4. How We Use Your Information

• Provide Our Services: Match accommodation requests with suitable properties.
• Verify Identity: Confirm user identities through document verification and Companies House validation.
• Process Payments: Facilitate payments and deposit refunds.
• Generate Invoices: Create accurate invoices and booking confirmations.
• Communication: Send booking confirmations and service notifications.
• Security and Fraud Prevention: Monitor for suspicious activity.
• Legal Compliance: Meet our obligations under UK law.
• Platform Improvement: Analyse usage patterns to improve our services.
• Marketing: With your consent, send promotional communications.

5. Data Sharing

We share your information with the following parties:

Between Users

• Company names and contact details for booking coordination
• Property addresses and check-in instructions
• Number of workers and booking dates
• Verification status (but not the verification documents themselves)

Third-Party Service Providers

• Companies House: To verify company registration details.
• Cloud Infrastructure: Our platform is hosted on secure cloud servers.
• Payment Processors: Bank details are used to process payments securely.
• Mapping Services: Location data is used with mapping providers.
• Analytics Providers: Anonymised usage data to help us improve our platform.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

6. Data Security

• Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit using TLS/SSL and at rest using AES-256.
• Secure Document Storage: Identity documents are stored in encrypted cloud storage with strict access controls.
• Access Controls: Only authorised personnel can access sensitive information.
• Regular Audits: We conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing.
• Bank Details Protection: Bank account information is stored securely.

7. Data Retention

• Account Information: Retained while your account is active and for 30 days after closure.
• Financial Records: Retained for 6 years to comply with UK tax and accounting regulations.
• Identity Verification Documents: Retained for 5 years under AML requirements.
• Booking Records: Retained for 6 years for legal and financial compliance.
• Activity Logs: Retained for 2 years for security and audit purposes.

8. Your Rights

• Right of Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances.
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request that we limit how we use your data.
• Right to Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Right to Object: Object to processing of your personal data for direct marketing.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@teamstays.co.uk. We will respond within one month.

9. Cookies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your experience on our platform. For more information, see our Cookie Policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer:

You can also lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of significant changes by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy.