The Key

Privacy Policy

How we collect, use, share and protect your personal data, and the rights you have over it under UK data protection law.

Last updated 30 June 2026

1. Introduction

The Key 4 UK Cities Limited ("The Key", "we", "us" or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose and safeguard your personal data when you visit our website, use our key worker application, register your interest in a home, or engage with us as an investor, partner or landowner.

This policy is issued in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Please read it carefully. By using our website or services, you acknowledge the practices described here.

2. Who we are

For the purposes of UK data protection law, the data controller is:

  • The Key 4 UK Cities Limited, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 11619717).
  • Registered office: 101 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6XH.
  • ICO registration number: ZB557373.

If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, contact us at info@thekey4ukcities.com.

3. The personal data we collect

We collect and process the following categories of personal data:

Information you give us

  • Identity & contact data — name, email address, telephone number and postal address.
  • Eligibility data — employer, occupation/profession, key worker status, place of work and, where you choose to provide it, household income and household composition, so we can assess eligibility for our homes.
  • Account data — login credentials and preferences if you create an account in our key worker application.
  • Investor, partner & landowner data — your organisation, role, and the contents of enquiries or correspondence, including requests for access to our investor data room.
  • Communications — the content of messages you send us by email, web form or in-app messaging.

Information we collect automatically

  • Technical data — IP address, browser type and version, device information, operating system and time-zone setting.
  • Usage data — pages viewed, links clicked, and how you navigate the website, collected via cookies and similar technologies (see our Cookie Policy).

Information from third parties

  • Analytics providers and our hosting platform.
  • Where relevant, employers or partner organisations who refer key workers to us, and publicly available sources for investor due-diligence.

4. How we use your data and our lawful bases

We only use your personal data where the law allows. The lawful bases we rely on under Article 6 of the UK GDPR are set out below.

PurposeLawful basis
To assess your eligibility for, and to allocate, key worker homesPerformance of a contract; legitimate interests
To create and administer your account in our applicationPerformance of a contract
To respond to your enquiries and provide customer supportLegitimate interests; performance of a contract
To manage investor, partner and landowner relationships and grant data room accessLegitimate interests; performance of a contract
To send you updates about developments and opportunities you have asked to hear aboutConsent; legitimate interests
To operate, secure, analyse and improve our website and servicesLegitimate interests
To comply with legal, regulatory and accounting obligationsLegal obligation

Where we rely on consent (for example, for certain marketing emails), you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we have balanced those interests against your rights and freedoms.

5. Income and eligibility information

To assess affordability and eligibility, you may choose to provide details such as your household income and employment. We treat this information as confidential and use it only to determine eligibility and the terms on which a home may be offered. We do not intentionally collect "special category" data (such as health or ethnicity) through our website, and ask that you do not send it to us unless we specifically request it.

6. Who we share your data with

We do not sell your personal data. We may share it with:

  • Service providers who process data on our behalf — including our website hosting and analytics provider (Vercel Inc.) and our transactional email provider — under contracts that require them to safeguard your data.
  • Delivery and operating partners — registered providers, managing agents, landowners and developers — where necessary to deliver and manage homes.
  • Professional advisers — lawyers, auditors, accountants and consultants.
  • Authorities and regulators where we are required to do so by law, or to establish, exercise or defend legal rights.
  • Successors in the event of a reorganisation, merger or sale of our business.

7. International transfers

Some of our service providers are located outside the United Kingdom, including in the United States. Where we transfer your personal data outside the UK, we ensure an appropriate safeguard is in place — such as a UK adequacy decision, the International Data Transfer Agreement, or the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses — so that your data receives a level of protection consistent with UK law.

8. How long we keep your data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy any legal, accounting or reporting requirements. In general:

  • Enquiry and applicant data is retained for the duration of our relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
  • Tenancy, financial and transaction records are kept for the periods required by law (typically up to six years).
  • Marketing data is kept until you unsubscribe or otherwise withdraw consent.

When data is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymise it.

9. Your rights

Under UK data protection law you have the right to:

  • request access to a copy of your personal data;
  • request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data;
  • request erasure of your data in certain circumstances;
  • object to, or request restriction of, our processing;
  • request the transfer of your data (data portability);
  • withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent; and
  • lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority.

To exercise any of these rights, email info@thekey4ukcities.com. We will respond within one month. There is normally no charge.

10. How we protect your data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse or alteration, including encryption in transit, access controls and restricting access to those who need it. No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, but we take all reasonable steps to protect your information.

11. Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate and improve our website. For details of the cookies we use and how to control them, see our Cookie Policy.

12. Children

Our website and services are intended for adults and are not directed at children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us so we can delete it.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "last updated" date at the top of this page shows when it was last revised. Material changes will be notified through the website or, where appropriate, directly to you.

14. How to contact us

For any questions about this policy or to exercise your rights, contact our data protection contact at info@thekey4ukcities.com.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection, at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113. We would, however, appreciate the chance to address your concerns first.