GDPR: Top 7 tips for your agency
As an industry that handles a significant volume of personal data, estate agencies and agents will be greatly affected by the GDPR. For that reason, BestAgent came up with the top 7 tips* to help agents be GDPR ready:
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- Don’t leave it until the last minute to sort it out: GDPR will go into effect from 25th May 2018.
- Undertake a data audit: Make a list of the personal data you hold: names, surnames, emails, telephone contacts, copies of passports. Organise it in one central, secure place.
- Get and record consent now: In order to contact and market to your database, you must obtain and record consent, or have another lawful basis for processing your data.
- Erase/tidy your data: Delete any data that is not relevant to your business, or if you were not given permission to continue to use it.
- Get everyone in your business involved: Make sure everyone in your agency understands what GDPR is and how it affects your agency. Don’t assume you can leave it to anyone else to sort it out on their own. If there is a breach or non-compliance the whole business is culpable, not an individual.
- Adjust your privacy and cookie policy on your website. Any way in which your business collects personal data is subject to GDPR rules, including utilising data obtained from hits to your website.
- Enquire with your software provider about its GDPR prep: Agencies are ultimately responsible for the proper processing of data, showing that you’ve done your homework will be a helpful way to avoid liability in case your software provider mishandles data.
BestAgent hopes these practical steps makes the GDPR a little less intimidating. To save you time, BestAgent has created a GDPR handbook to help you easily understand what is required of your business before the 25th May 2018 deadline, as well as saving you from the lengthy 11-chapter read detailing GDPR regulations.
You can download your copy here.
*These tips we’ve provided are for guidance only, and are not to be considered legal advice.