Privacy Policy | Elite Merit Real Estate

At Elite Merit Real Estate, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your data when you visit our website at www.elitemerit.ae or use any of our services.

By using our Website, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. Please read it carefully.

1. Who We Are

Elite Merit Real Estate is a licensed real estate agency based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. We provide property buying, selling, leasing, off-plan investment, and advisory services across the UAE.

• Company: Elite Merit Real Estate
• Website: www.elitemerit.ae
• Email: info@elitemerit.ae
• Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of personal information from you:

a) Information You Provide Directly

• Full name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Nationality and country of residence
• Property preferences and requirements
• Any other information submitted through our contact, enquiry, or listing forms

b) Information Collected Automatically

• IP address and browser type
• Device type and operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on the Website
• Referring URLs and search terms used
• Cookie and tracking data (see Section 7)

c) Information from Third Parties

• Data from property portals or listing platforms where you have enquired about a property
• Information from social media platforms if you interact with our content or advertisements
• Referral information from partners or affiliate agencies

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:

• To respond to your property enquiries and provide relevant listings
• To connect you with one of our real estate agents
• To process property listing requests submitted through our platform
• To send you property updates, market news, and relevant communications (where you have consented)
• To improve our Website, services, and user experience
• To comply with legal and regulatory obligations in the UAE
• To detect and prevent fraud or unauthorised use of our Website
• To analyse Website traffic and user behaviour using analytics tools

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data on the following legal bases:

• Consent: Where you have given us clear consent to process your data for a specific purpose, such as receiving marketing communications.
• Contractual necessity: Where processing is necessary to fulfil a service you have requested, such as connecting you with an agent.
• Legitimate interests: Where we have a legitimate business interest in processing your data, such as improving our services or preventing fraud.
• Legal obligation: Where we are required to process your data to comply with UAE laws and regulations.

5. How We Share Your Information

Elite Merit Real Estate does not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your data in the following limited circumstances:

• Our Agents and Staff: Your enquiry details may be shared with our internal real estate agents to respond to your request.
• Property Developers: If you enquire about an off-plan project, your details may be shared with the relevant developer with your knowledge.
• Service Providers: We may share data with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our Website, such as CRM systems, email platforms, and analytics tools. These providers are bound by confidentiality obligations.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities in the UAE.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. When your data is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymise it.

Enquiry and contact data is typically retained for up to 3 years unless you request deletion earlier or unless we have an ongoing business relationship.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our Website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and analyse Website traffic. Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our Website.

We use the following types of cookies:

• Essential Cookies: Necessary for the Website to function properly. These cannot be disabled.
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our Website (e.g. Google Analytics).
• Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements and track the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns (e.g. Meta Pixel, Google Ads).
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences to improve your experience on return visits.

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Website.

8. Your Rights

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of Access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to Erasure: You have the right to request that we delete your personal data, subject to certain legal exceptions.
• Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to request that we limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
• Right to Object: You have the right to object to our processing of your data for marketing purposes at any time.
• Right to Data Portability: You have the right to request that we transfer your data to another organisation in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@elitemerit.ae. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe in accordance with applicable UAE law.

9. Data Security

We take the security of your personal data seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it against unauthorised access, loss, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include secure servers, encrypted data transmission (SSL), and restricted access to personal data by authorised personnel only.

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

10. Children's Privacy

Our Website and services are not directed at children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to delete such information.

11. Links to Third-Party Websites

Our Website may contain links to third-party websites, including property portals, developer websites, and social media platforms. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

12. International Data Transfers

Your personal data is primarily stored and processed within the United Arab Emirates. If we transfer your data to service providers or partners located outside the UAE, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

Elite Merit Real Estate reserves the right to update or amend this Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information. Your continued use of the Website following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us:

• Company: Elite Merit Real Estate
• Website: www.elitemerit.ae
• Email: info@elitemerit.ae
• Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates