Privacy Policy

Last updated: 5 October 2026

This policy explains how Meristem Developments Ltd collects, uses and protects personal information when you visit this website, register your interest in one of our homes, lend to one of our projects, or otherwise deal with us. We keep it short and plain, and we only collect what we need.

Who we are

Meristem Developments Ltd ("Meristem", "we", "us") is the data controller for the personal information described in this policy.

  • Registered in England and Wales, company no. 17243599

  • Registered office: Ground Floor, Victor House, Barnet Road, London Colney, AL2 1BJ

  • Registered with the Information Commissioner's Office, registration no. ZC265041

  • Contact: info@meristemdevelopments.co.uk

The information we collect

When you contact us. If you use our contact form or email us, we collect your name, email address, phone number (if you provide it) and anything you choose to tell us. If you tick the newsletter option, we also keep your email address for that purpose.

When you register your interest in our homes. If you fill in one of our registration forms, we collect your name, phone number, email address and the answers you give us, such as whether you are looking for a one- or two-bedroom home, your budget, the areas you prefer and what matters most to you in choosing a location.

When you join one of our information sessions. For online sessions we collect the name you join with and any questions you ask. We may record a session to help us take accurate notes; we will always tell you at the start if a session is being recorded, and you can keep your camera off.

When you lend to one of our projects. If you lend to one of our project companies, we and our professional advisers must check your identity and the source of your funds. We collect your name, date of birth, address, identity documents, proof of address, bank statements and information about where the funds come from, as well as your bank details for repayment.

When we contact property owners, agents and professionals. When we are looking for buildings, we may contact owners of properties that could suit our projects. We obtain their names and addresses from public records such as HM Land Registry and Companies House. We also keep business contact details for agents, advisers and other professionals we work with.

Information collected automatically. This site is built on Squarespace, which sets cookies and collects basic technical data, such as your device type, browser, approximate location and how you use the site, to keep the site working, secure and improved. See "Cookies" below.

We do not ask for special category data (for example information about your health), and we ask you not to include it in messages or forms. We do not knowingly collect information from children.

How and why we use it

We use your information to:

  • Respond to your enquiry and deal with you, for example to discuss a building, a conversion or working together. Lawful basis: our legitimate interests in responding to enquiries and, where relevant, taking steps at your request before entering into a contract.

  • Keep you updated about a project you have registered for, including when a building is found and when homes become available. Lawful basis: your consent, which you can withdraw at any time.

  • Plan our homes and choose locations, using registration answers in summary form (for example how many people prefer a particular area or budget). Lawful basis: our legitimate interests in designing homes that meet our buyers' needs.

  • Record information sessions so that we can take accurate notes. Lawful basis: our legitimate interests in keeping an accurate record of questions asked.

  • Carry out identity and source-of-funds checks and manage loans from people who lend to our projects. Lawful basis: our legal obligations under anti-money laundering law, and the performance of the loan agreement.

  • Contact property owners about buying their building. Lawful basis: our legitimate interests in finding buildings for our projects. If you are an owner and would prefer not to hear from us, tell us and we will stop.

  • Send you news and updates, only if you have asked us to. Lawful basis: your consent, which you can withdraw at any time.

  • Operate, secure and improve the website. Lawful basis: our legitimate interests in running a safe, functional site.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for automated decision-making or profiling.

Cookies

This website uses cookies. Some are essential for the site to function and stay secure; others help us understand how the site is used so we can improve it. You can control or block cookies through your browser settings, and where a cookie banner is shown you can set your preferences there. Blocking some cookies may affect how the site works. Our website platform, Squarespace, provides further detail on the cookies it sets.

Who we share it with

We share personal information only where necessary, with:

  • Our service providers, who process data on our behalf under contract, including Squarespace (website and forms), Google Workspace (email and registration forms), Zoom (online information sessions) and Notion (our internal records). These providers act on our instructions and are not permitted to use your data for their own purposes.

  • Our professional advisers, such as solicitors and accountants, and, for lenders, the banks and lenders involved in the project where they need to carry out their own checks.

  • Authorities or regulators, if we are required to by law.

International transfers

Some of our providers (such as Squarespace, Google, Zoom and Notion) may process data outside the UK. Where they do, we rely on appropriate safeguards, such as UK adequacy regulations or standard contractual clauses, so your information remains protected to UK standards.

How long we keep it

  • Enquiries: for as long as needed to deal with your enquiry and a reasonable period afterwards.

  • Registrations of interest: until you ask us to stop, or until the project you registered for is completed and sold.

  • Session recordings: deleted within 12 months of the session.

  • Lender identity and source-of-funds records: at least five years after the loan is repaid, as anti-money laundering law requires.

  • Property owner contact details: up to two years after our last contact, unless we are in active discussions.

  • Newsletter sign-ups: until you unsubscribe.

We then delete or anonymise the information.

Your rights

Under UK data protection law you have the right to: access the personal information we hold about you; have it corrected if it is wrong; have it erased; restrict or object to how we use it; ask for it to be transferred (portability); and, where we rely on consent, withdraw that consent at any time. To exercise any of these, email info@meristemdevelopments.co.uk and we will respond within the time the law allows. Some records, such as anti-money laundering checks, must be kept for the period the law requires even if you ask us to delete them.

To stop receiving updates, use the link in any email we send, or email us.

Complaints

We hope to resolve any concern you raise with us directly. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK regulator for data protection:

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows when it was last changed. Please check back occasionally.