INTRODUCTION

This is our privacy notice which is designed to inform you about how we gather, use and process your personal data. Any personal information which you provide to us will be treated strictly in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Acts 1988-2018.

Sherry Fitzgerald Group is comprised of three companies: Sherry Fitzgerald Ltd, Mortgage Insight Dac (trading as Sherry Fitzgerald Financial Services, Sherry FitzGerald Mortgages) and Sherry Fitzgerald Countrywide Ltd.  The Sherry Fitzgerald Group companies have a registered office at Silverstone House, Ballymoss Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18, D18 A7K7.

This privacy policy may be updated from time to time, so please check back for any updates.

DATA CONTROLLER

The relevant data controller is determined by the type of data processing and the part of the business you (the ‘data subject’) are interacting with. In the majority of cases data processing in relation to commercial, lettings, new homes and residential will fall under Sherry Fitzgerald Ltd as data controller and for countrywide under Sherry Fitzgerald Countrywide Ltd. For financial services, Sherry Fitzgerald Financial Services are the data controller. There may be some exceptions to this depending on the type of data processing involved. Our companies collect, process, and share personal data both as data controller and in some instances as joint data controllers.

Each Sherry Fitzgerald franchisee is an independent data controller. Please refer to the privacy policy in the footer of the web page of the relevant franchise office to locate their privacy policy.

For information specific to the data processing activities of each company please refer to the section entitled ‘The personal data we process. All the other sections in this privacy policy are common across all the Group companies.

DATA PROTECTION OFFICER CONTACT DETAILS

If you wish to contact our Data Protection Officer in relation to the processing of your personal data, you can do so by e-mailing dp@sherryfitz.ie.

THE PERSONAL DATA WE PROCESS

Sherry Fitzgerald Limited

• mySherryFitz

mySherryFitz is an online portal which allows the user to register for viewings, create a list of favourite properties and/or to make an offer on a property. To register for MySherryFitz we require your name, email address, mobile. We will require some personal data to facilitate property viewings and, in some cases, to handle preliminary enquiries. This includes virtual viewings. 

• Buying or selling a property

We require the following information from vendors and purchasers. Name, address, email, phone number, area of interest, purchasing position, proof of address, proof of name, proof of funds (purchasers), reasons for sale, property photographs, bank details, lender, solicitor.

• Identity Verification

As part of our legal obligations, we are required to verify your identity to provide some of our services (e.g. property purchase, sales etc). We may do this via the ID Pal app. The app provides a secure way for our clients to provide us with their ID documents. ID Pal use facial recognition (biometrics) to verify identity documents. ID Pal are a third-party provider which we select very carefully.

• Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)

We have CCTV in a small number of our Dublin offices.

• Valuations

to value your property, we will need your name, address, phone number and email address. If you request us to share this valuation with anyone e.g. bank, solicitor, we will require their details.

• Letting a property

For you to make an application to rent a property we will request the following information: name, address, email, phone number, work reference, proof of ability to pay rent, PPS number, bank details, photo ID, proof of current address, landlord reference, guarantor details (if applicable).

• Complaint or Enquiry Handling

We will require the following details to handle your complaint/enquiry – name, address, email address, phone number, details relating to query.

• Research

If you register your interest to receive our research article, we will collect your name and email address.

• Website Related Data

We collect and analyse certain statistical information about the use of our website including: 

• the Internet Protocol (IP) address from which you access the website in a format that does not enable us to identify who you are.
• the previous webpage from which you accessed the website.
• the identity of any search engine used to access the website, and any search terms used.
• the type of browser, device and operating system used to access the website.
• the date and time of your access to the website.
• a list of all the pages visited while on the website; and
• the page you exit the website from.

None of this information is associated with you as an individual and we do not track individual e-mail addresses, usage of web pages or any other information personally identifying you. Most information is collected via cookies or other analysis technologies. To learn more about our use of cookies, please refer to our cookie policy.

• Marketing

We process information relating to your marketing preferences, to send you information about the properties we are selling/our services and/Sherry FitzGerald Financial Services and/or to obtain your feedback about our service (customer surveys). You have the option to unsubscribe from our marketing communications at any time by emailing us at optout@sherryfitz.ie.

Sherry Fitzgerald Financial Services

• MySherryFitzMortgage

We may contact you if you register interest in applying for a mortgage through our online portal. To register, we require your name, email address and mobile phone number.

• Mortgage Application

The information we require to process your mortgage application is standard in the financial services industry. It includes name, current address, PPS, DOB, career, salary, savings, source of wealth, other income, outgoings, property of interest, dependants, proof of funds.

• Identity Verification

As part of our legal obligations, we are required to verify your identity to provide some of our services (e.g. mortgage application) This is done this via ID Pal through MySherryFitzMortgage. ID Pal provides a secure way for our clients to provide us with their ID documents. ID Pal use facial recognition (biometrics) to verify identity documents. ID Pal are a third-party provider which we select very carefully.

• Life Assurance Application

To process a life assurance application we require your name, email address, DOB, phone number, citizenship, health details, employment details and GP details.

• General Insurance Application

To enable you to receive a home insurance quote we require your name, email address and phone number.

• Complaint or Enquiry Handling

We will require the following details to handle your complaint/enquiry – name, address, email address, phone number, details relating to your enquiry.

• Processing Sensitive Data

As part of our role in the assessment of applications for life assurance we will ask for information relating to your health.

Sherry Fitzgerald Countrywide Limited

• Buying or selling a property

We require the following information from vendors and purchasers. Name, address, email, phone number, purchasing position, proof of address, proof of name, proof of funds (purchasers), reasons for sale, property photographs, bank details, payment card details, lender, solicitor.

• Valuations

To value your property, we will need your name, address, payment details, phone number and email address. If you request us to share this valuation with anyone e.g. bank, solicitor, we will require their details.

• Complaint or Enquiry Handling

We will require the following details to handle your complaint/enquiry – name, address, email address, phone number, details relating to your enquiry.

HOW WE COLLECT PERSONAL DATA

We collect personal data in several ways.

(1) Directly from you - Most of the data we process has been collected directly from you including when you:

• Engage our services (to buy, sell or let a property
• Visit our website. 
• Use our website chat function.
• Register and log into mysherryfitz or mysherryfitzmortgage
• Subscribe to marketing or research material.
• Apply for a financial product (mortgage, life assurance or insurance product)
• Give us feedback

(2) Automated technologies - We record data about how you visit our website using cookies. Please see our cookie policy for further information.

(3) From a third party -

• Analytic providers e.g. google analytics.
• Your data may be provided to us by someone close to you who is engaging our services. For instance, if a person provides a proof of name document which is in joint names. Out of courtesy we ask that individuals ask the permission of joint name holders before providing these documents as proof of address.

(4) Chatbot -

Our chatbot service enables website visitors to ask questions and receive automated responses. This service is powered by OpenAI to interpret and respond to queries.

How We Use Your Chatbot Data

• When you use the chatbot, the contents of your chat are processed by OpenAI to provide relevant responses.
• OpenAI only processes your chat data during the session and does not retain it beyond this interaction.
• You are not required to share personal data when using the chatbot. However, if you choose to do so, this information may be processed as part of the chat session.

Chatbot Retention and Analysis: Sherry FitzGerald retains chat transcripts in line with our retention policy for training and analysis purposes to improve chatbot functionality. We also collect statistical data on chatbot usage, but this does not contain any personal data.

THE PURPOSE OF PROCESSING YOUR INFORMATION

• Liaising with you prior to your decision to engage us to provide property services to you or on your behalf.
• To provide you with information on and provide you with recommended financial products.
• Carrying out estate agency activities on your behalf or in connection with a property which you own or are interested in acquiring, letting, or bidding for. 
• Operating the Website, including the live chat function. 
• Responding to any questions or queries that you send to us.
• Carrying out research using aggregated and anonymised data which may be required to analyse trends in the property market in Ireland.
• Complying with legal obligations.
• Preventing and detecting fraud or loss.
• Sending you property industry related newsletters and information; and
• Carrying out customer satisfaction surveys and sending you promotional materials, subject to any preference that you express. 
• Carrying out statistical analysis of the property market in Ireland, including in relation to the status of buyers and property prices.
• CCTV is in place for security and crime prevention.
• Verifying (on a spot-check basis) that franchisees are providing services to clients in a manner consistent with the standards required by the Group and with applicable legal requirements.
• Facilitating cross-referrals across the franchise network, where appropriate and with your consent.

THE SECURITY OF YOUR DATA

We employ a range of organisational and technical measures to prevent personal data from being lost or from unauthorised access or use. We limit employee and third-party access to personal data on a need-to-know basis. 

DATA RETENTION

We will not hold your data for longer than is necessary. We will retain your personal data for the duration of your engagement with us and for such a period, after your contract ends as is necessary to comply with our obligations under applicable law and, if relevant, to deal with any claim or dispute that might arise relating to your contract. 

Where you do not enter a contract with us, we will only retain your information for so long as is necessary to comply with our obligations under applicable law and, if relevant, to deal with any claim or dispute that might arise relating to our interactions with you Each of our marketing communications will contain an opt out or unsubscribe so that you are fully in control of how we communicate with you.

DATA SHARING

We engage several third-party processors (in the form of systems, software or physical companies). In some cases, this involves sharing your personal data with the following:

• Service providers: We may need to share personal information with our service providers to assist us to provide our services to you. If there has been a breach of contract (or otherwise) we may also share personal information with our legal advisors. All our service providers are obliged to keep your personal information safe and secure.
• To other companies within the Sherry Fitzgerald Group.
• Business Transfer: Where some or all our company and/or its assets may potentially be or have been acquired, we may need to transfer your personal information to the new or prospective owners.
• Legal and safety: In certain instances, we may share information where we reasonably believe that it is necessary for legal reasons, to defend our legal rights, to enforce our terms of use or to protect our rights, property, users, customers, or the safety of any person. We may provide personal information to regulatory or other authorities where we are required by law.
• Other: We will share your information with a third party other than a service provider (e.g. to a franchise office) where you have given your consent for us to do so.

LEGAL BASIS FOR PROCESSING DATA

1. The legal basis we rely upon for our primary business activity is processing necessary for the performance of a contract.
2. Processing with your consent e.g. the use of non-essential website cookies, most of our marketing and the provision of valuations. In the limited circumstances where we rely on your consent you have the right to withdraw your consent. You can do this in several ways (e.g. unsubscribing) including emailing us at optout@sherryfitz.ie
3. Processing necessary for the Sherry Fitzgerald Group to pursue its legitimate interest (e.g. CCTV, requesting proof of funds).
4. Processing that is required under applicable law (e.g. Revenue/PRSI).
5. We process sensitive data with your explicit consent (Article 9, 2 (a) GDPR, Section 50 of the Data Protection Act 2018).

YOUR DATA PROTECTION RIGHTS

Under data protection law, data subjects have certain rights. Subject to certain restrictions, which are set out below, you can exercise these rights in relation to your personal data we process.

1. The right to be informed about the processing of your personal data. 
2. The right to access your personal data
3. The right to rectification of your personal data 
4. The right to erasure of your personal data
5. The right to data portability
6. The right to object to processing of your personal data.
7. The right to restrict processing of your personal data.
8. Rights in relation to automated decision making, including profiling. 
9. You have the right to complain to the Irish Data Protection Commission (www.dataprotection.ie) and to seek compensation through the courts.

We reserve the right to request you to provide additional information to enable us to identify your personal data and/or to verify your identity.

RESTRICTION OF DATA SUBJECT RIGHTS IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES

Article 23 of the GDPR allows for data subject rights to be restricted in certain circumstances. In addition, the 2018 Act contains certain provisions dealing with the restriction of rights of data subjects, in particular Sections 59, 60 and 61, which give further effect to the provisions of Article 23. Further information can be found here.

DATA TRANSFERS ABROAD

We generally store personal data on servers located inside the European Economic Area. However, in certain cases it may be necessary for us to transfer certain information to servers located outside of the EU. It is important to be aware that the privacy protections in certain jurisdictions may not be equivalent to those in Europe but we will only transfer your information outside the EEA where permitted by law and ensuring that it is subject to appropriate protections.

GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

All issues regarding this website are governed exclusively by Irish law and are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Irish courts.

GENERAL

Generally, you are not under a statutory or contractual obligation to provide us with any personal data. However, sometimes personal data is required for us to comply with our obligations under applicable law and to provide services to you and, if you do not provide us with the required data, then we may not be able to provide you with our services.

Delay or failure on our part in enforcing any of our rights shall not constitute a waiver by us of our rights and remedies. If any part of this Privacy Policy is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the validity or enforceability of the remainder will not be affected.

HOW TO CONTACT US

If you have any questions about this policy, our practices relating to the website or you’re dealing with the website you can contact us at dp@sherryfitz.ie.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to make a complaint to the Irish Data Protection Commission at www.dataprotection.ie. 

This privacy policy was last updated 21.03.2025