Privacy Policy

Expat Mortgage Expert, CCJ Mortgage Expert, IVA Mortgage Expert and The Mortgage Expert are trading styles of The Mortgage Expert Group Ltd. The Mortgage Expert Group Limited is an appointed representative of Zebra Mortgages Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under Financial Services Register number is 618018.

You can check this on the Financial Services Register by visiting the FCA’s website www.fca.org.uk/firms/systems-reporting/register or by contacting the FCA on +44 (0)800 111 6768.

The FCA is the independent watchdog that regulates financial services. Use this disclosure document to decide if our services our right for you. It explains the service we offer and how you will pay for it.

Our Service

Our service and permitted business includes advising and arranging mortgages and insurance products as stated below:

Insurance
We offer products from a range of insurers for non-investment contracts, such as Life Insurance, Critical Illness Cover, Income Protection and Family Protection Plans.

We only offer products from a limited number of insurers for Accident Sickness & Unemployment contracts and Building and Contents insurance contracts.

We will advise and make a recommendation to you after we have assessed your insurance needs.

Mortgages
We offer a comprehensive range of mortgages from across the market, but not deals that you can only obtain by going direct to a Lender.

We will advise and make a recommendation to you on residential mortgages, second charge, further advances, unsecured lending, consumer buy to lets, after we have assessed your needs.

Alternative Finance Option
Further advance with your existing Lender; Note: If you are looking to increase your borrowing on an existing mortgage then there are a few options available to you, including:

• Second charge regulated mortgage;
• Unsecured lending, such as a personal loan.

We provide advice on all of the above and will take into account all options available before making a recommendation on the most suitable route.

Service Costs

Insurance
We do not charge a fee for our service as we are paid commission from the Insurer.

You will receive a quotation from us informing you of any other fees relating to the insurance policy.

Mortgages
We charge a fee of between £750 and £1495. We will also receive commission from the Lender.

You will receive an European Standardised Information Sheet (ESIS) when considering a particular mortgage which will tell you about any fees relating to it. It will also include the actual amount of commission we will receive.

Complaints

It is our intention to provide you with a high level of customer service at all times. If there is an occasion when we do not meet these standards and you wish to register a complaint, please contact us by:

Address: Complaints Department, The Mortgage Expert Group Limited, 1 Union Street, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 3AN, UK or by phone: +44 (0)1582 450000.

If you cannot settle your complaint with us, you may be entitled to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

Financial Services Compensation Scheme

We are covered by the FSCS. You may be entitled to compensation from the scheme if we cannot meet our obligations. This depends on the type of business and the circumstances of the claim.

• Insurance advising and arranging is covered for 90% of the claim, without any upper limit.
• Mortgage advising and arranging is covered up to a maximum limit of £50,000.

Further information about the compensation scheme arrangements is available from the FSCS.

Our Service

About Us
The Mortgage Expert Group Limited is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of all individuals and takes its responsibilities regarding the security of data very seriously. We abide by the rules of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) upheld by the Information Commissioner Officer (ICO) and are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to advise and/or arrange mortgage and protection products. This includes processing any personal data lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner.

Information collected via our website
We collect web usage information when you visit our website including information such as the date, time, page viewed or searched relating to your browsing activity. Where you have provided personal data we may collect web usage information to enable us to build a demographic profile.

We may also use web usage information to create statistical data regarding the use of our website. Where statistical data is produced we may then use that data to help us assess the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, develop and deliver services and information to improve the overall effectiveness of our website. We will also use IP addresses to analyse trends, track users movements and gather broad demographic information for our own internal use.

Within our website you can interact with us, if you so wish. Where you provide your personal data on our website it will be taken as a positive action that you would like us to contact you for the purpose as set out on our website.

Cookies
When you visit our website we may store some information (commonly known as a cookie) on your computer. Cookies do not damage your computer. Cookies are pieces of information that a website transfers to your hard drive to store and sometimes track information about you. Cookies are specific to the server that created them. They cannot be accessed by other servers. You do not have to accept cookies. You can decide if you want to accept cookies by changing the settings on your browser to either accept, reject or notify you when a cookie is set. All cookies used by this website are used in accordance with current UK and EU Cookie Law.

Type of Cookie Purpose
Strictly necessary cookies. These are cookies that are required for the operation of our website. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of our website. Like most websites, our site uses Google Analytics (GA) to track user interaction. We use this data to determine the number of people using our site, to better understand how they find and use our web pages and to see their journey through the website. Although GA records data such as your geographical location, device, internet browser and operating system, none of this information personally identifies you to us.

Linking to third party websites
We do not take responsibility for the privacy policies or practices of other sites, even where you access them using links from our website. You are advised to read the Privacy Notice of other websites prior to using them.

What information do we collect about you if you are interested in our services and why?
As a Brokerage and as part of our service we will only collect information from you so that we can advise/arrange mortgage and protection products that maybe suitable for you. In the financial services industry we call this fact-finding which provides us with all the information that we need from you to provide you a with suitable product that meets your circumstances and requirements.

When obtaining information from you we will do this by phone, email or post and will confirm the accuracy of the data collated. It is important that all the data we hold on you is accurate so that we can advise/arrange suitable products for you.

The types of information we will collect from you includes; contact details, occupation, income and expenditure, credit details, mortgage requirements, insurance requirements, existing policies, solicitor’s/accountant’s details, bank details. In addition, we may collect sensitive personal data such as medical conditions or criminal offence data where required to do so to arrange a policy on your behalf.

Where you provide your personal data on our website it will be taken as a positive action that you would like us to contact you for the purpose as set out on our website.

Contact details received from a third-party lead generator
Occasionally we may receive your contact details from a third-party lead generator who you have expressed an interest in the products/service we have to offer. Where we use lead generators we will request from them that they have obtained your consent and have made it clear to you that they will pass your details on to a firm such as ours and that you will be expecting us to contact you.

Information from other sources
We may obtain information from other sources such as public records, if required. This is to enable us to verify who you are or facts that you have told us are accurate.

How will we use this information?
We will only use your data in ways that you would reasonably expect us to. Below summarises how we will use your data.

We will use the information you provide to us to research the market on your behalf to find a suitable policy that meets your circumstances and needs. Once we have carried out research we will provide you with a personalised quotation/illustration detailing the product information. Whilst you consider the quotation/illustration we will remain in touch to answer any questions you may have.

If you are happy to proceed we will then use your data to complete an application form which will then be forwarded to the relevant Lender/Insurer. We will then liaise with them on your behalf until the mortgage/policy has been arranged.

We will then contact you at renewal or when your mortgage/policy is due for review, i.e. when the fixed rate is expiring. Where your circumstances or personal information have changed we will update our records and notify the Lender/Insurer to do the same.

We will also use your data to assist you with handling a complaint if you are not happy with the service you have received.

As part of our service we like to keep our customers up to date with new products or offers that are available and maybe of interest. Therefore, we may contact you from time to time through email marketing, phone, text or other types of marketing material. If you wish to opt out of this at any point, then please let us know.

In the interest to improve our services, telephone calls may be monitored and/or recorded for training purposes and to assist us handle a complaint. Where we record the call, you will be informed of this.

The lawful basis on which we use this information
How we use your information (detailed above) we will do so using the lawful basis legitimate interests. We have decided upon this basis as it allows us to meet with the ICO and FCA rules and is the most suitable lawful basis for processing data with a view to arranging a policy.

Who will it be shared with?
As stated above, if you wish to proceed to take out a policy then we will pass your details on to the Lender/Insurer the policy will be arranged with. The information we pass on will be detailed within the application we complete on your behalf. We may also liaise with your Solicitor and/or Accountant where relevant to arrange a product on your behalf.

Where required we may forward your details onto regulatory authorities or fraud agencies where we have a legal obligation to do so to comply with our regulatory requirements or where fraud is suspected. We may do this under the lawful basis legal obligation.

What we will do to ensure the security of personal information
We will not share any of the information you provide to third parties for marketing purposes or store any of your information outside of the European Economic Area. The information you provide will be held securely by us regardless of whether the information is in electronic or physical format. We use leading technologies and security measures to safeguard your information and keep strict security standards to prevent any unauthorised access to it.

How long will we retain your data?
We will hold data for no longer than is necessary. Where we have arranged a policy on your behalf we will keep your file including your personal data and any call recording, on record for a minimum of six years, in line with our regulatory obligation with the FCA. Where we need to hold your file for longer than this then we will inform you of this.

What are your rights?
You have the right to:

• Be informed about how we use, share and store your personal information;
• Request access to the personal data we hold on you (also known as a Subject Access Request (SAR)). Where a SAR is requested we will respond promptly and within one month from the date we receive the request;
• Request your personal data is amended if inaccurate or incomplete;
• Request your personal data is erased where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing and we don’t have a legitimate interest to retain it;
• Request that the processing of your data is restricted;
• The right to object to your personal data being processed;
• Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling.

Where the processing of your data is based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw this consent at anytime by contacting us by phone or email. We do not use automated decision making or profiling systems.

Marketing
Where we need your consent, we will ask for this separately. We do not use pre-ticked boxes or make assumptions that you have given your consent. Your consent must be freely given by positively opting in or making a clear affirmative action that you are giving your consent. We will do our very best to ensure you know exactly what you are consenting to and remind you that you may withdraw your consent at anytime by contacting us by email or phone. Where consent is obtained a record of this will be made confirming what you have consented to, the time and date and how consent was obtained.

Customers: Our customers are important to us however we appreciate that on some occasions you may wish to look elsewhere. If you do, we would like to stay in touch and therefore will ask for your consent in order for us to do so.

Potential Customers: Where you have expressed an interest in a product but have then decided not to proceed we would like to keep in touch therefore will ask for your consent to do so in case a product maybe of interest to you at a later date.

Non-Customers: We will only send you information about regulated products or services if we have obtained your consent to do so.

Right to complain
We hope that the service you receive from us is to the high standard you would expect. If at any point you are unhappy with the way we have used your data then please notify: Damon Palmer, Director by either email, post or phone below. If you remain concerned about the way we collect or use your personal data, you can raise your concern with the Information Commissions Office (ICO) on 0303 123 1113. For further details you may visit the ICO website www.ico.org.uk

We will tend to disclose the complainant’s identity to whoever the complaint is about, however if you wish your identity to remain anonymous, we will try to respect that. We will keep your complaint on record for two years once closed or six years if it also relates to how we arranged a policy and falls under the FCA ruling.

Changes to the information
We regularly review and, where necessary update our Privacy Notice. If we plan to use personal data for a new purpose our Privacy Notice will be updated, and you will be notified.

How to contact us
If you wish to contact us about the above or any other matter, then please contact us at:

The Mortgage Expert
Carson Tower B,
DAMAC Hills,
Dubai,
United Arab Emirates

Tel: +44 (0)800 488 0004
Email: info@tmexpert.co.uk