This Privacy Policy was prepared for the counter operated by YGF Southampton, the trading and developer identity used at the High Street desk of YGF Southampton Limited, and it describes the practice of the whole company. The developer name YGF Southampton appears here so that the person reading this page knows exactly which team handles the records. The registered trading address of YGF Southampton Limited is 180 High Street, Southampton - SO14 2BY, United Kingdom GB, the contact email is enquiries@ygfsouthampton.mom and the contact telephone is +17089811848.
Contents
- Who we are
- What information we collect
- How information reaches the counter
- Why we use information
- The lawful basis for processing
- Lettings particulars and unit records
- Footfall survey and pavement records
- Window plans, photographs and drawings
- Lease renewal meetings and notes
- Pop-up pitch bookings
- Store front check reports
- Sharing information with others
- Where information is held
- How long we keep information
- How we protect information
- Your rights over your information
- Privacy for children
- Cookies and the counter website
- Approach and marketing preferences
- Automated decision making
- Visitors from outside the United Kingdom
- Changes to this policy
- Complaints and regulatory contact
- How to contact the counter
1. Who we are
YGF Southampton Limited is an independent high street agency that works from a physical counter rather than a remote call centre. The company handles shop lettings, window display planning, footfall survey rounds, lease renewal meetings, pop-up pitch bookings and store front checks. For the purposes of data protection law in the United Kingdom, YGF Southampton Limited is the controller of the personal information described in this policy. That means the company decides why the information is held and how it is used, and the company is responsible for answering questions about it.
The counter is staffed by a small team, and every member of that team is trained on the handling of client papers. Because the team is small, there is a direct line between the person who receives a record and the person who is accountable for it. When you write to enquiries@ygfsouthampton.mom or telephone +17089811848, your request reaches a named member of staff rather than an automated queue.
This policy covers the company website, the enquiry form, the telephone line, the postal address and the working papers held at 180 High Street, Southampton - SO14 2BY, United Kingdom GB. It does not cover any other organisation, even where a link on this site leads to that organisation, and it does not cover premises that the company inspects on behalf of a landlord.
2. What information we collect
The counter collects only what the work requires. In practice that means a modest set of categories, each of which has a clear purpose in the letting, survey, window or renewal process.
- Contact details, including name, postal address, email address and telephone number.
- Business details, including trading name, company number where relevant and the nature of the goods or services sold.
- Property details, including the address of a shop unit, its frontage, floor area and condition notes.
- Financial details, limited to the rent, service charge and deposit figures discussed in a letting or renewal, together with the written offer recorded at the desk.
- Correspondence, including emails, letters and written notes taken at the counter.
- Photographs of shop fronts and windows, taken from public positions on the pavement.
- Survey tallies and counts recorded by hand on the footfall rounds.
- Appointment records, including the date, time and purpose of each counter visit.
We do not ask for national insurance numbers, bank statements, medical information or any category of sensitive personal data as part of standard letting, survey or window work. If a landlord or a lender requires additional documentation during a formal application, those documents are requested by that organisation and handled under its own notice.
3. How information reaches the counter
Most information arrives because somebody brings it through the door. A trader may hand over a draft lease, a landlord may send a set of unit particulars, or a client may forward a photograph of a window taken on a mobile telephone. Each of those acts is a deliberate step by the person providing the information, and we record the date on which it arrived.
Information also arrives through the enquiry form on the contact page. The form prepares an email in your own mail application and does not send the message to a separate online database, so the content reaches us in the same way as any other email. We also receive information by telephone and by post. Where a conversation at the counter produces a written note, that note is filed in the ledger with the relevant unit reference.
A small amount of technical information is generated when the website is visited, such as the type of device and the pages requested. This information is used only to keep the site working properly and is not used to build a profile of any visitor.
4. Why we use information
Every use of personal information at the counter can be traced to one of the services set out on the services page. We use contact details to reply to enquiries, arrange appointments and confirm the outcome of a meeting. We use property details to describe a unit accurately to a prospective tenant and to compare one pitch with another. We use financial details only to record the offer that has been discussed and to check that the figures are consistent across both sides of a transaction.
We use correspondence and counter notes to keep a reliable record of what has been agreed, what remains open and who is responsible for the next step. That record protects the client as much as the company, because it removes the need to rely on memory after several months. We use photographs and survey tallies to produce the written reports described on the services page, and we use appointment records to manage the diary at the desk.
We do not use information for purposes unrelated to the service that brought it to the counter. We do not sell client lists, and we do not pass the detail of a letting enquiry to a third party for that third party to market its own services.
5. The lawful basis for processing
Data protection law in the United Kingdom requires a lawful basis for each use of personal information. The counter relies on the following bases, depending on the work involved.
Contract
Where a service has been booked, the processing needed to deliver that service is carried out on the basis of the contract between the client and YGF Southampton Limited. Arranging a survey, preparing a window plan, recording a letting offer or conducting a renewal meeting all fall within this basis.
Legitimate interests
Some processing is necessary for the ordinary operation of a small agency. This includes replying to a pre-contractual enquiry, keeping the ledger accurate, preventing fraud and maintaining the security of the premises. We balance those interests against the rights of the individual and we limit the processing to what is necessary.
Legal obligation
Certain records must be kept because the law requires it, for example records connected with taxation and accounting. Where a lawful request from a public authority requires disclosure, the company will respond within the limits of that request.
Consent
Where consent is the chosen basis, for example for an optional approach by email about a future pitch, that consent can be withdrawn at any time by writing to enquiries@ygfsouthampton.mom. Withdrawal does not affect work already carried out on a different basis.
6. Lettings particulars and unit records
The letting desk produces an internal record for each shop unit that is shown at the counter. That record contains the landlord contact details, the location of the unit, the measurable facts about the frontage and floor, the asking rent and the availability date. It may also contain a note of previous enquiries, so that a conversation with a new trader can be conducted without repeating work already done.
When the desk prepares particulars for a prospective tenant, the information is limited to what that tenant needs in order to make a decision. We do not disclose the landlord personal contact details to a tenant without the agreement of the landlord, and we do not disclose the financial position of one tenant to another. The record exists to support honest letting, not to create a market in private information.
Unit records are updated when a unit is let, withdrawn or altered. Where a unit is withdrawn, the record is marked rather than deleted, so that a later enquiry can be answered accurately. The retention period for unit records is set out later in this policy.
7. Footfall survey and pavement records
The footfall survey rounds count people passing a shop front. The counts are recorded as totals and as tallies by half hour, together with the direction of travel and the weather conditions. No names, faces or device identifiers are recorded during a standard round. The purpose of the survey is to describe the pavement in aggregate, never to identify an individual.
Where a member of staff takes a photograph during a round, the photograph is framed to show the shop front, the pavement surface and the street furniture. People appear only incidentally, if at all, and any photograph that would identify a member of the public is not used in a report. Clients receive the tallies and the written interpretation, not a collection of images of the public.
Survey paperwork is stored with the unit reference and the date of the count. A landlord who commissioned a survey is entitled to see the tallies for that unit. A different landlord is not entitled to see them, because the figures reveal commercial information about a competing pitch.
8. Window plans, photographs and drawings
A window display plan contains measurements of the glass, notes on the light, sketches of the proposed arrangement and, where useful, photographs of the existing window. Those photographs are taken from the pavement and are provided by the client or taken by the counter team with the agreement of the occupier. The plan is prepared so that the client can brief a display fitter without repeating the survey.
Where a window plan includes an image of a product supplied by the client, that image is used only for the purpose of preparing and illustrating the plan. It is not reused in marketing or shown to another client without permission. Plans are kept with the unit record so that a later refresh can begin from an accurate drawing rather than a fresh measurement.
If a plan includes the work of an independent designer or photographer, the credit and the limits on reuse are agreed with that person before the plan is issued. The counter does not claim ownership of work that belongs to another party.
9. Lease renewal meetings and notes
Renewal work involves reading a lease and recording what is discussed at the counter. The lease itself contains personal information, including the names of the parties, the terms of the tenancy and sometimes the financial circumstances behind a guarantee. That document is held in the ledger for the duration of the renewal work and is not copied to any party who is not part of the transaction.
Meeting notes record the points agreed, the points left open and the date by which each must be resolved. Notes are written in plain language and sent to the parties present. Where a party asks for a point to be omitted from the record, the request is considered carefully, because an incomplete record can cause harm later if a dispute arises.
The counter does not provide legal advice. Where a lease requires interpretation, the client is encouraged to consult a solicitor, and the counter will provide the factual record that the solicitor needs.
10. Pop-up pitch bookings
A pop-up booking produces a short record containing the trader name, the contact details, the dates of the run, the access and hand back times and the conditions attached to the space. That record is shared with the landlord of the space, because the landlord needs to know who will be on the premises and when.
At the end of a run the hand back walk produces a short note and a set of photographs of the unit. Those items are shared with the trader and the landlord, and they are kept so that a future booking can be arranged quickly. They are not published on this website or used in advertising without the agreement of the trader.
Where a pop-up trader sells goods that require a licence or registration, the counter may ask for evidence of that authorisation before confirming the booking. The evidence is checked and noted, and a copy is retained only for as long as the booking requires.
11. Store front check reports
The store front check produces a structured report with a photograph beside each note. The photographs show the fascia, the glazing, the door, the threshold and the pavement immediately in front of the shop. They are taken from public positions and are framed to show the building element rather than the people passing.
The report is issued to the client who commissioned it. Where the client is a landlord, the report may be shared with the tenant if the tenant is responsible for the element under the lease. The report is not shared with other landlords or used as a comparison between units in any published material.
Where a fault is identified that could present a risk to the public, the counter telephones the client and the occupier at once. In that situation a limited amount of information may be shared with the local authority if the risk requires it, and the client is informed of that step.
13. Where information is held
Most of the information at the counter never leaves the building. Paper records are held in a locked cabinet in the office behind the desk, and the ledger is kept in the same room. Digital records are held in a small number of business systems that are protected by individual accounts and strong passwords.
Where a service provider stores information outside the United Kingdom, the company takes steps to ensure that the information remains protected to a standard equivalent to that required in the United Kingdom. Those steps include written terms with the provider, the use of recognised contractual protections and a review of the provider security arrangements. A client who wishes to know whether a particular record is held outside the country may ask at the counter and will receive a clear answer.
14. How long we keep information
Records are kept only for as long as the work or the law requires. The table below describes the normal periods, which may be extended where a dispute, an audit or a legal obligation requires it.
- General enquiries that do not lead to work are kept for twelve months and then removed.
- Appointment records are kept for two years after the last visit.
- Unit records are kept for six years after the unit is let or withdrawn.
- Survey tallies and reports are kept for six years after the count.
- Window plans are kept for three years after the plan is issued.
- Renewal notes are kept for six years after the renewal is completed.
- Pop-up booking records are kept for three years after the run ends.
- Store front check reports are kept for six years after the check.
- Financial records required for taxation are kept for six years after the end of the relevant tax year.
When a period ends, paper records are shredded and digital records are deleted from the working systems. A record that is subject to a complaint or a legal claim is kept until the matter is closed, and then for the period required by the professional or legal adviser handling it.
15. How we protect information
Security at the counter is practical rather than elaborate. The door to the office is kept locked when the desk is unattended. Paper records are filed by unit reference and returned to the cabinet at the end of each day. The diary, the ledger and the key cabinet are checked at closing. Digital accounts are protected by individual passwords, and no shared account is used for client records.
Staff are told what to do if a record is lost or a message is sent to the wrong person. The first step is to inform the person responsible for data protection at the company, who will assess the risk, take steps to recover the record where possible and notify the affected client and, where required, the regulator. The company keeps a short log of such incidents and reviews it each year.
No system can guarantee perfect security, and the counter makes no such claim. What the counter does promise is that information is handled by a small, trained team, that access is limited to those who need it for the work, and that any incident is treated openly rather than concealed.
16. Your rights over your information
Data protection law gives you a set of rights over the information the company holds about you. Those rights are exercised by writing to enquiries@ygfsouthampton.mom or by writing to the counter at 180 High Street, Southampton - SO14 2BY, United Kingdom GB. We will acknowledge a request and normally respond within one calendar month. Where a request is complex, we will explain why more time is needed.
Access
You may ask for a copy of the information held about you and for an explanation of how it is used. We will provide the record in a clear form, together with the source of the information where that is known.
Correction
You may ask for information that is inaccurate to be corrected. Where a record reflects a statement made by another party, we will note your correction beside the original rather than deleting it, so that the history remains readable.
Erasure
You may ask for information to be removed where it is no longer needed for the purpose it was collected for. Erasure may be limited where the law requires the record to be kept, for example a financial record, or where the record is needed to defend a legal claim.
Restriction and objection
You may ask for processing to be restricted while a question about accuracy is resolved, and you may object to processing carried out on the basis of legitimate interests. We will consider the objection and explain the outcome in writing.
Portability
Where processing is based on consent or contract and is carried out by automated means, you may ask for the information to be provided in a structured, commonly used format. This right is less often relevant to a high street counter than to an online service, but it is available where it applies.
17. Privacy for children
The services provided by YGF Southampton Limited are commercial letting and shopfront services intended for adults acting in a business capacity. The counter website is not directed at children, and the company does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of sixteen. Where a young person visits the counter with a parent or guardian as part of a family business, the information recorded relates to the business and the adult responsible for it.
If you believe that information about a child has reached the counter in error, write to enquiries@ygfsouthampton.mom and the record will be reviewed and removed where appropriate. The company takes such reports seriously and will confirm the outcome in writing.
19. Approach and marketing preferences
The counter does not send bulk marketing. Contact with a client is normally a reply to a question, a confirmation of an appointment or a note about a unit that the client has asked to be kept informed about. If a client asks to be told when a particular kind of unit becomes available, that request is noted against the contact record and the client is contacted only when a matching unit appears.
A client may ask to be removed from the contact list at any time, by email, by telephone or in person at the counter. Removal is recorded at once, and no further approach is made. The company does not buy contact lists and does not pass client details to a marketing partner.
20. Automated decision making
No decision that has a legal or similarly significant effect on a client is made solely by automated means. Lettings, renewals, surveys and front checks all involve a person reading the papers and making a judgement at the counter. The counters shown on the website are decorative, and the figures that animate beside them are illustrative of the work rather than measurements of any individual.
Where software assists the work, for example by formatting a report or by storing a tally, the output is reviewed by a member of staff before it is issued. A client who wishes to understand how a particular decision was reached may ask, and the reasoning will be explained.
21. Visitors from outside the United Kingdom
The counter is based in the United Kingdom and operates under the law of England and Wales. A visitor who reads this site from another country is welcome to contact the counter, and any information provided will be handled under this policy. Where local law gives a visitor additional rights that can be honoured in practice, the company will try to do so, but the primary standard applied is that of the United Kingdom.
A client from outside the country who wishes to appoint the counter should be aware that property viewings, surveys and front checks all depend on an attendance in Southampton, and that some recorded conversations may need to happen by telephone or by written exchange.
22. Changes to this policy
This policy is reviewed at least once a year and whenever the work of the counter changes in a way that affects the handling of personal information. A change might follow the introduction of a new service, a new booking system or a new legal requirement. When a change is made, the revised policy is published on this page with a new date.
A significant change is also noted at the counter, so that a client visiting in person can see that the policy has been updated. Previous versions are kept with the company records and can be provided on request. The company does not apply a retrospective change to information that has already been deleted under an earlier policy.
23. Complaints and regulatory contact
If you are unhappy with the way your information has been handled, please raise the matter with the counter first. Most concerns can be resolved quickly by a conversation or a written exchange, and the company will confirm the outcome in writing. Write to enquiries@ygfsouthampton.mom with the subject line data protection concern, or telephone +17089811848 during business hours.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner Office, which is the regulator for data protection in the United Kingdom. The company will provide the relevant details on request and will not treat a complaint to the regulator as a reason to withdraw any service to which you are otherwise entitled.
Where a complaint arises from a letting or a renewal matter rather than from data protection, the process described in the Terms of Service applies. That process is separate, and a complaint to the regulator about data handling can run alongside it.
24. How to contact the counter
The counter of YGF Southampton Limited is at 180 High Street, Southampton - SO14 2BY, United Kingdom GB. The contact email is enquiries@ygfsouthampton.mom and the contact telephone is +17089811848. The desk is open from Monday to Friday between 9:00 and 17:30, with a 17:00 close on Friday, and on Saturday morning by appointment.
When you contact the counter about a privacy matter, please say what the request concerns and provide enough detail for the record to be found. If you are asking about a specific shop unit, the address of the unit is the fastest way to locate the file. If your request concerns a survey or a front check, the month of the work will usually be enough.
This policy is provided so that you can understand in plain terms what the counter does with information. It is not intended to create rights beyond those given by law, and it should be read alongside the Terms of Service and the service descriptions on the services page.