Privacy Policy

Costa Blanca Spain respects your privacy and is committed to handling personal information lawfully, fairly and transparently.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, the legal grounds on which we process it, how long we keep it, when it may be shared and which rights are available to you.

This policy applies to visitors, prospective property buyers, estate agents, property developers and other people who communicate with Costa Blanca Spain.

Privacy at a Glance

Data controller: Janis Lopez, operator of Costa Blanca Spain

Contact email: contact@costa-blanca-spain.co.uk

Country of establishment: Spain

Main purposes: Responding to property enquiries, understanding buyer requirements, managing communications, identifying potentially relevant properties or professionals and sending requested property alerts.

Sharing with estate agents or developers: Your identifiable details will not be distributed automatically to multiple property businesses. We will normally identify the proposed professional and obtain your permission before sharing your contact details.

Marketing: Property alerts and other marketing communications will only be sent where you have requested them or provided valid consent.

User accounts and online payments: At the date of this policy, the website does not provide public user accounts and does not process online payments.

Retention: Property enquiries will normally be kept for up to 12 months after the last relevant communication.

Your rights: Depending on the applicable law, you may request access, correction, deletion, restriction, portability or objection and may withdraw your consent.

Who We Are

Costa Blanca Spain is an English-language property information and discovery website operated by:

Data controller: Janis Lopez
Trading name: Costa Blanca Spain
Legal status: Natural person
Postal address: MENDI ALDE 15, 48980, Santurce, Basque Country, SPAIN
Email: contact@costa-blanca-spain.co.uk
Website: costa-blanca-spain.co.uk
Country of establishment: Spain

For data protection purposes, Janis Lopez determines why and how the personal data described in this policy is processed.

Costa Blanca Spain provides information about Costa Blanca locations and helps international buyers communicate their property requirements.

Costa Blanca Spain does not currently act as the estate agent responsible for completing property transactions, does not provide legal or financial advice and does not accept property-purchase payments through the website.

Properties may be advertised or introduced by independent estate agents or property developers. Those businesses remain responsible for their listings, availability, communications and property sales processes.

Scope of This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies when you:

• Visit costa-blanca-spain.co.uk.
• Complete a property enquiry form.
• Submit a property finder request.
• Contact us by email.
• Contact us through WhatsApp.
• Ask for information about a Costa Blanca location.
• Ask to receive relevant properties for sale.
• Subscribe to property alerts or email updates where those services are available.
• Contact us as an estate agent, developer or property professional.
• Ask to be introduced to an estate agent or developer.
• Exercise a data protection right.
• Otherwise communicate with Costa Blanca Spain.

This policy does not govern the independent processing activities of estate agents, developers, lawyers, financial advisers, surveyors or other third parties.

Once your information has been transferred to a professional with your permission, that professional will normally process it under its own Privacy Policy and as an independent data controller.

Personal Data We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you use the website and which information you decide to provide.

Contact and identification information

We may collect:

• Full name.
• Email address.
• Telephone number.
• WhatsApp number.
• Country of residence.
• Preferred language.

Property search information

When you submit a property enquiry, we may collect:

• Purchase budget.
• Preferred Costa Blanca locations.
• Preferred property type.
• Preferred number of bedrooms or bathrooms.
• Intended use of the property.
• Buying timeframe.
• Accessibility requirements.
• Walkability preferences.
• Whether you expect to use a car.
• Desired property features.
• Preferred type of neighbourhood.
• Questions and information included in your message.
• Whether you wish to receive property alerts.
• Whether you authorise an introduction to an identified property professional.

Estate agent and developer information

When a property professional contacts us, we may collect:

• Name.
• Business name.
• Professional email address.
• Telephone number.
• Business website.
• Business address.
• Areas covered.
• Languages spoken.
• Property types offered.
• Information about available listings.
• Details required to assess a possible commercial relationship.
• Correspondence relating to listings or buyer enquiries.

Communication records

We may retain:

• Forms submitted through the website.
• Emails sent to and from you.
• Relevant WhatsApp communications.
• Records of requested property alerts.
• Records of consent.
• Records of consent withdrawal.
• Records of authorised introductions.
• Complaints and requests.
• Notes needed to manage your enquiry.

Technical and website information

When you access the website, our website, hosting provider or security systems may process:

• IP address.
• Browser type.
• Device type.
• Operating system.
• Approximate country or region.
• Date and time of access.
• Pages requested.
• Referring page.
• Server logs.
• Security logs.
• Cookie preferences.
• Information required to prevent spam, misuse or unauthorised access.

Sensitive personal information

We do not normally need special-category or highly sensitive personal data for a general property enquiry.

Please do not submit:

• Identity documents.
• Passport copies.
• Bank account information.
• Payment card details.
• Medical records.
• Detailed health information.
• Criminal-record information.
• Other sensitive information.

Where an accessibility requirement affects your property search, you may describe the practical property features you need without providing a medical diagnosis.

How We Collect Personal Data

We collect most personal data directly from you when you:

• Complete a website form.
• Send us an email.
• Contact us through WhatsApp.
• Request property information.
• Request property alerts.
• Ask to be introduced to an estate agent or developer.
• Submit a professional partnership enquiry.
• Exercise a data protection right.

We may also receive limited technical information automatically from:

• Our website.
• Our hosting provider.
• Website-security systems.
• Cookie-consent technologies.
• Email-delivery systems.
• Analytics services, where introduced and lawfully activated.

We may occasionally receive information from an estate agent, developer or professional partner where that information has been collected and shared lawfully.

Where we receive personal data from another source, we will provide the required privacy information within the period required by applicable law.

Why We Use Your Personal Data

We only process personal data where an appropriate legal basis applies.

Responding to your enquiry

We use your contact details and property requirements to:

• Read and respond to your enquiry.
• Understand what kind of property you are looking for.
• Provide relevant information.
• Identify potentially suitable Costa Blanca areas.
• Ask follow-up questions.
• Manage your property-search request.

The legal basis is normally our legitimate interest in responding to genuine enquiries and operating the service.

Where you ask us to take specific steps with a view to receiving a service, processing may also be necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a possible service relationship.

Understanding your property requirements

We may organise your stated preferences to understand:

• Which locations may be relevant.
• Which property types may be appropriate.
• Whether accessibility or walkability is important.
• Which estate agents or developers may cover your preferred area.
• Which listings may match your stated requirements.

The legal basis is our legitimate interest in providing an organised and relevant response to your enquiry.

Managing communications and records

We use personal data to:

• Maintain relevant correspondence.
• Record what you have requested.
• Avoid requesting the same information repeatedly.
• Manage complaints.
• Manage data protection requests.
• Demonstrate when consent was provided or withdrawn.
• Maintain appropriate business and security records.

The legal basis is our legitimate interest in administering the website, maintaining accurate records and protecting our legal rights.

Introducing you to an estate agent or developer

We may identify an estate agent or developer that appears relevant to your property search.

We will normally ask for your consent before sharing your identifiable contact details with that business.

The legal basis for the transfer is your consent.

Sending property alerts and marketing communications

Where you separately request property alerts, guides, newsletters or promotional communications, we may use your email address and stated preferences to send relevant information.

The legal basis is your consent.

Submitting a general property enquiry does not automatically subscribe you to marketing communications.

Managing professional partnerships

Where an estate agent, property developer or professional service provider contacts us, we may process their information to:

• Respond to the enquiry.
• Assess the proposed relationship.
• Discuss listings or services.
• Manage communications.
• Prepare or administer a commercial arrangement.
• Maintain relevant business records.

The legal basis may be taking steps at the professional’s request before entering into an agreement, performing an agreement or our legitimate interest in managing professional relationships.

Operating and protecting the website

We may process technical information to:

• Deliver website pages.
• Protect forms and administration systems.
• Prevent spam and misuse.
• Detect unauthorised access.
• Investigate technical problems.
• Maintain backups.
• Diagnose security incidents.
• Keep the website available and reliable.

The legal basis is our legitimate interest in operating a secure website and, where applicable, compliance with legal obligations.

Legal obligations and claims

We may use or retain information where necessary to:

• Comply with applicable law.
• Respond to a valid request from an authorised public body.
• Maintain legally required records.
• Prevent or investigate fraud.
• Establish, exercise or defend legal claims.
• Protect the rights, property or security of Costa Blanca Spain or another person.

The legal basis is compliance with a legal obligation or our legitimate interest in protecting legal rights.

Information Required to Process an Enquiry

Fields marked as required in a form must normally be completed so that we can identify, understand and respond to your enquiry.

You are not legally required to submit a property enquiry.

However, without basic contact information and sufficient details about your request, we may be unable to:

• Respond to you.
• Identify relevant areas.
• Identify suitable properties.
• Propose a relevant property professional.
• Send an alert you have requested.

Optional form fields may be left incomplete.

Please only provide information that is relevant to your property search.

Property Enquiries and Professional Introductions

Costa Blanca Spain may help buyers clarify their requirements and identify estate agents or developers that operate in relevant areas.

Submitting a property enquiry does not mean that your identifiable information will automatically be sent to multiple businesses.

Our intended introduction process is:

1. We receive your property requirements.
2. We review your preferred area, budget and property type.
3. We identify a potentially relevant estate agent or developer.
4. We tell you which professional we propose to introduce.
5. We request your permission to share your details.
6. We share only the information reasonably necessary for the enquiry.
7. The professional may then contact you directly.

You may refuse a proposed introduction.

Refusing an introduction does not prevent you from using the publicly available information on Costa Blanca Spain.

Before agreeing, you may ask which information will be shared.

Once an authorised introduction has been completed, the estate agent or developer will normally become an independent data controller for its own communications and property services.

You should read that professional’s Privacy Policy before providing further personal, financial or identification information.

Property Alerts and Marketing Communications

Where available, you may separately request:

• New property alerts.
• Area updates.
• Buyer guides.
• Website news.
• Costa Blanca research.
• Relevant commercial updates.

Marketing consent will be requested separately from the submission of a general property enquiry.

Consent boxes should not be pre-selected.

You may unsubscribe at any time by:

• Using the unsubscribe option included in the communication.
• Emailing contact@costa-blanca-spain.co.uk.

Withdrawing marketing consent will not prevent us from responding to an active property enquiry or sending non-marketing information necessary to manage a request you have made.

Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of communications sent before your consent was withdrawn.

Cookies and Similar Technologies

The website may use cookies and similar technologies for:

• Essential website operation.
• Security.
• Remembering privacy preferences.
• Form functionality.
• Preventing technical abuse.
• Measuring website use, where consent has been provided.
• Supporting embedded third-party content, where applicable.

Cookies that are not strictly necessary should only be activated where the required consent has been obtained.

You can accept, reject or manage non-essential cookies through the cookie-consent tool displayed on the website.

Further information about current cookies, their purposes, providers and duration is available in our Cookie Policy.

Cookie Policy URL: /cookie-policy/

The Cookie Policy and consent configuration must be reviewed whenever we introduce:

• Analytics.
• Advertising technologies.
• Embedded videos.
• Interactive maps.
• Social media embeds.
• CAPTCHA services.
• Newsletter tracking.
• Other third-party technologies.

Who We Share Personal Data With

We do not sell personal data to advertisers, data brokers or unrelated businesses.

Personal data may be shared with the following categories of recipients where necessary.

Estate agents and property developers

We may share your information with an estate agent or developer where:

• The professional appears relevant to your request.
• We have identified the proposed recipient.
• You have authorised the introduction.
• Only the information required for the enquiry is shared.

Website hosting and technical providers

Personal data may be processed by providers that help us operate:

• Website hosting.
• Business email.
• Website backups.
• Website maintenance.
• Website security.
• Form delivery.
• Cookie consent.
• Analytics, where introduced and consented to.
• Newsletter delivery, where introduced.

These service providers should only process personal data for the agreed service and subject to appropriate contractual and confidentiality requirements.

Professional advisers

Information may be shared where reasonably necessary with:

• Legal advisers.
• Accountants.
• Tax advisers.
• Information-technology consultants.
• Data-protection advisers.
• Other professional advisers.

Public authorities

We may disclose personal data where required by:

• Applicable law.
• A court order.
• A valid request from a competent authority.
• The need to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim.

Business transfer

If the website or its relevant business activities are sold, transferred or reorganised, relevant personal data may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to applicable legal requirements and appropriate safeguards.

International Data Processing

Costa Blanca Spain is operated from Spain.

If you access the website from the United Kingdom or another country, the information you submit may be transferred to and processed in Spain or elsewhere in the European Economic Area.

Some hosting, email, security, analytics or communication providers may process information in countries outside the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom.

Where a transfer requires additional protection, we will seek to rely on an appropriate legal mechanism, which may include:

• An applicable adequacy decision.
• Approved standard contractual clauses.
• A legally recognised transfer agreement or addendum.
• Another safeguard permitted by applicable data protection law.

The providers used by the website may change. The Cookie Policy or this Privacy Policy will be updated where a change materially affects how personal data is processed.

How Long We Keep Personal Data

We retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.

Property enquiries

Property enquiries and related communications will normally be retained for up to 12 months after the last relevant communication.

They may be retained for longer where:

• Your property search remains active.
• You ask us to continue assisting you.
• A professional introduction remains active.
• There is an unresolved complaint.
• Retention is required by law.
• Retention is necessary to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim.

Information may be deleted earlier where you request deletion and no overriding legal reason requires continued retention.

Property alerts and marketing

Marketing and property-alert information will normally be retained until:

• You unsubscribe.
• You withdraw your consent.
• The relevant service ends.
• There has been no meaningful interaction for approximately 24 months and continued retention is no longer justified.

After unsubscribing, we may retain a limited suppression record to ensure that marketing is not accidentally sent again.

Consent and introduction records

Records showing when consent was provided, refused or withdrawn may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary to demonstrate compliance and manage any resulting enquiry.

Professional communications

Information relating to estate agents, developers and other commercial partners may be retained for the duration of the relationship and afterwards for the period required to comply with legal, tax, accounting or claims-related obligations.

Technical and security records

Routine server, security and technical logs may normally be retained for up to 12 months.

They may be retained for longer where necessary to investigate:

• A security incident.
• Suspected fraud.
• Unauthorised access.
• Website abuse.
• A technical dispute.
• A legal claim.

Backups

Deleted information may remain temporarily in protected backup copies until those backups are overwritten through the normal backup-retention cycle.

Your Data Protection Rights

Depending on the law applicable to your personal data, you may have the following rights.

Right of access

You may ask whether we process your personal data and request a copy of the relevant information.

Right to rectification

You may ask us to correct information that is inaccurate or complete information that is incomplete.

Right to erasure

You may ask us to delete personal data where there is no valid legal reason to continue processing it.

This right is not absolute and may not apply where continued retention is legally required.

Right to restrict processing

You may ask us to temporarily limit how personal data is used in certain circumstances.

Right to object

You may object to processing based on legitimate interests.

You may object to direct marketing at any time.

Right to data portability

Where the legal requirements are met, you may request certain information in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format or ask that it be transferred to another controller.

Right to withdraw consent

Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing that took place before withdrawal.

Right to complain

You may submit a complaint to a competent data protection authority.

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise a data protection right, contact:

contact@costa-blanca-spain.co.uk

Please provide:

• Your full name.
• The email address or telephone number used in your enquiry.
• A clear explanation of the right you wish to exercise.
• Enough information to identify the relevant enquiry or communication.

We may request reasonable proof of identity where necessary to protect personal data from unauthorised access, alteration or deletion.

We will respond within the period required by applicable law.

There is normally no charge for exercising a data protection right. However, applicable law may permit a reasonable charge or refusal where a request is manifestly unfounded, excessive or repetitive.

Withdrawing Consent

Where processing is based on your consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

This includes consent for:

• Marketing emails.
• Property alerts.
• Sharing your contact details with an identified estate agent.
• Sharing your contact details with an identified property developer.

To withdraw consent, email:

**contact@costa-blanca email:

contact@costa-blanca-spain.co.uk

Withdrawal does not affect processing that was lawful before the withdrawal.

If your information has already been shared with an estate agent or developer, you may also need to contact that business directly regarding its independent processing.

Complaints

We encourage you to contact us first so that we can investigate and attempt to resolve your concern.

Email: contact@costa-blanca-spain.co.uk

Because the controller is established in Spain, you may have the right to submit a complaint to the:

Agencia Española de Protección de Datos — Spanish Data Protection Agency

Where United Kingdom data protection law applies to the relevant processing, you may also have the right to raise a concern with the:

Information Commissioner’s Office

You are not required to contact Costa Blanca Spain before approaching a competent supervisory authority.

Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures intended to protect personal data against:

• Unauthorised access.
• Accidental loss.
• Destruction.
• Alteration.
• Unlawful disclosure.
• Misuse.
• Website attacks.

Measures may include:

• HTTPS encryption.
• Restricted access to website administration.
• Restricted access to business email.
• Password protection.
• Software and plugin updates.
• Website backups.
• Security monitoring.
• Limited access to property enquiries.
• Access controls for service providers.

No internet transmission, website or electronic-storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Do not send identity documents, bank details or other highly sensitive information through an ordinary property enquiry form or unencrypted email unless we have specifically requested it and explained the secure method to use.

WhatsApp and External Communication Services

The website may provide links that allow you to contact Costa Blanca Spain through WhatsApp.

When you choose to communicate through WhatsApp:

• WhatsApp processes your account and communication information under its own terms and privacy information.
• Your telephone number and profile information may be visible to the recipient.
• Communication data may be processed through infrastructure operated by WhatsApp or its associated companies.
• The security and retention of information within WhatsApp are also affected by your own account settings.

Using WhatsApp is optional.

You may contact us by email instead:

contact@costa-blanca-spain.co.uk

Third-Party Websites

Costa Blanca Spain may contain links to:

• Estate agents.
• Property developers.
• Lawyers.
• Financial advisers.
• Surveyors.
• Local authorities.
• Transport providers.
• Social media services.
• Other external websites.

We do not control how those third parties collect or use personal data.

A link does not mean that Costa Blanca Spain is responsible for that third party’s privacy, security, accuracy or services.

You should review the Privacy Policy of an external website before submitting personal data.

Children’s Privacy

Costa Blanca Spain is intended for adults researching or purchasing property.

The website is not directed at children under the age of 18, and we do not knowingly collect children’s personal data for property-search or professional-partnership purposes.

If you believe that a child has submitted personal data, contact:

contact@costa-blanca-spain.co.uk

We will review the matter and delete the information where appropriate.

Automated Decision-Making and Profiling

Costa Blanca Spain does not currently use solely automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects.

Information such as budget, preferred location, property type and lifestyle priorities may be organised or compared to help identify potentially relevant areas, listings or professionals.

Any proposed professional introduction is subject to human review.

If significant automated profiling or decision-making is introduced in the future, this policy will be updated before that processing begins.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy where:

• Website functionality changes.
• A new form is introduced.
• A newsletter provider is introduced.
• Analytics or advertising technology is introduced.
• User accounts are introduced.
• Online payments are introduced.
• The property-introduction process changes.
• New service providers are used.
• Legal or regulatory requirements change.
• The business structure changes.

The current version will be published on this page with an updated revision date.

Where a change materially affects how previously collected personal data is used, we will provide additional notice or request new consent where required.

Contact Us

For questions about this Privacy Policy, the use of your personal data or the exercise of your rights, contact:

Janis Lopez
Costa Blanca Spain
ADDRESS: MENDI ALDE 15, 48980, Santurtzi, Bizkaia
Email: contact@costa-blanca-spain.co.uk
Website: costa-blanca-spain.co.uk