How Before You Rent handles information.
This privacy policy explains what information may be collected when you use Before You Rent, how it may be used, and the choices you have.
Last updated: May 2026
Privacy Policy
This privacy policy applies to the website Before You Rent, available at beforeyourent.co.uk.
For the purposes of this policy, “Before You Rent”, “we”, “us”, and “our” refer to the operator of this website. “You” means a visitor or user of the website.
Before You Rent provides general rental safety information, rental scam risk indicators, checklists, and question templates. It is not a letting agent, legal advice service, or financial advice service.
Information we collect
The information we collect depends on how you use the website.
We may collect:
- Information you choose to send through the contact page, such as your name, email address, topic, subject, and message.
- Technical information about your visit, such as your browser type, device type, approximate location, pages visited, and basic usage data, if analytics are enabled.
- Cookie or similar technology information, depending on your cookie choices and the tools used on the website.
We do not intentionally collect bank details, identity documents, payment card details, tenancy documents, special category personal data, or private legal documents.
Rental checker data
The rental scam checker is designed to run in your browser. The information you type into the checker is used to generate your on-page risk report and is not intentionally saved by Before You Rent.
You should only paste rental listing information that you are comfortable checking on the site. Avoid adding your own personal details, private messages containing sensitive information, bank details, identity documents, or payment information.
If the site is later changed to save checker submissions, user accounts, reports, or uploaded screenshots, this privacy policy should be updated before those features are used.
Contact form and email data
If you contact us, we may receive the information you choose to provide, such as your name, email address, message, and enquiry type.
We use this information to read, respond to, and manage your enquiry. For example, you may contact us to report a bug, suggest a red flag, make a partnership enquiry, or give feedback.
Please do not send bank details, identity documents, rental contracts, payment screenshots, or confidential personal information through the contact page.
How we use information
We may use information for the following purposes:
- To provide and operate the website.
- To generate on-page checker results and templates.
- To respond to messages and enquiries.
- To fix bugs, improve content, and improve website usability.
- To understand which pages and tools are useful, if analytics are enabled.
- To protect the website from spam, misuse, or security issues.
- To comply with legal obligations if required.
How long we keep information
We only aim to keep personal information for as long as needed for the purpose it was collected.
- Contact enquiries may be kept while we respond to the enquiry and for a reasonable period afterwards for record-keeping.
- Website analytics data, if enabled, may be kept according to the settings of the analytics provider.
- Checker inputs are not intentionally saved in the current browser-based version of the checker.
If the website later adds saved reports, accounts, uploads, or email alerts, this section should be updated with clearer retention periods.
Your rights
Depending on your location and the situation, you may have rights over your personal information. These may include the right to:
- Ask for a copy of personal information we hold about you.
- Ask us to correct inaccurate information.
- Ask us to delete information in certain circumstances.
- Ask us to restrict or object to certain uses of your information.
- Withdraw consent where consent is the basis for processing.
- Complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you are unhappy with how your information is handled.
To exercise these rights, contact us using the details below.
Children and young renters
Before You Rent is intended as a general rental safety resource. If you are under 18, ask a parent, guardian, trusted adult, university accommodation team, or renter support service before sending money, sharing documents, or entering into a rental agreement.
Links to other websites
The website may link to external websites, such as rental platforms, official guidance, reporting tools, or partner resources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of those websites.
Changes to this policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page.
This privacy policy is a practical template for your website and should be reviewed before launch. Consider getting professional legal advice if you add accounts, saved reports, uploaded files, advertising, affiliate tracking, email marketing, or advanced analytics.