Legal
Privacy Policy
How we collect, use, and protect your information.
Last updated: April 2025
Halcyon Household was founded on the understanding that those who engage our services — whether as clients or as candidates — do so on the basis of absolute trust. Every piece of information shared with us is received in that spirit, and this policy reflects our commitment to honouring it.
Introduction
Halcyon Household Ltd (“Halcyon Household”, “we”, “us”, “our”) is a London-based private staffing consultancy specialising in the considered placement of housekeepers and domestic professionals within private households. We work exclusively with a discerning private clientele, including principals, family offices, and estate managers, and with the domestic professionals we represent.
The nature of our work demands, above all else, discretion. Our clients share details of their households, their families, and their way of life. Our candidates share their professional histories, their personal circumstances, and their ambitions. Both place a significant degree of trust in us, and we take that responsibility with the seriousness it deserves.
Privacy is not a compliance obligation at the margins of what we do. It is a governing principle that shapes every decision we make about how information is collected, used, and protected. This Privacy Policy sets out what personal data we hold, how and why we use it, the strict controls we apply to its disclosure, and the rights available to you at all times, whether you are a client or a candidate.
Halcyon Household Ltd is the data controller for all personal information processed in connection with our services. We are committed to handling personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy applies to our website at halcyonhousehold.co.uk and to all services we provide. If you have any questions after reading it, our contact details are at the end of this page.
Information we collect
The personal data we collect varies according to whether you engage with us as a client, a candidate, or a visitor to our website. In every case, we collect only what is necessary and proportionate to the purpose for which it is needed.
Clients
When we work with private households, family offices, or estate principals, we collect only what is necessary to understand your requirements and deliver an accurate, considered service. This typically includes your name and preferred form of address; contact details and, where applicable, those of a nominated point of contact such as an estate manager or chief of staff; information about the nature and scope of the role you are seeking to fill; details of the household environment relevant to identifying a suitable candidate; and a record of our correspondence and conversations throughout the engagement.
We recognise that the identity of a principal, the location and character of a household, and the details of a family’s domestic arrangements are highly sensitive. All client information is treated as confidential as a matter of course, and handled with strict control, regardless of whether it has been explicitly marked as such. Where instructions are received through a family office or estate manager on behalf of a principal, we take particular care to limit our handling of details relating to that principal to what is strictly necessary, and to ensure that any disclosure at the introduction stage is calibrated with precision.
Candidates
For the domestic professionals we represent, we collect a fuller range of information in order to conduct thorough vetting, assess suitability, and present you accurately and fairly to prospective clients. This includes your full name, address, date of birth, nationality, and contact details; your employment history and the nature of previous roles held; professional qualifications, training certificates, and areas of expertise; and character and professional references, which we verify as part of our standard process.
We also collect proof of your right to work in the United Kingdom and, where applicable, relevant identity documentation; a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, undertaken with your written consent; a professional photograph, where provided; your employment preferences, availability, and salary expectations; and a record of all communications between you and Halcyon Household throughout the recruitment process.
In certain circumstances, and only where strictly relevant to the role in question, we may process information that falls within special categories under applicable data protection law — for example, health information relating to a candidate’s physical capability for a specific role. Such data is handled with the utmost care and processed only where we hold a valid legal basis to do so, and only with your knowledge and agreement.
We are equally conscious of the trust that candidates place in us. The information you share about your professional background and personal circumstances is not treated as freely available data. Your details are disclosed selectively, at the appropriate stage of a process, and only to those for whom an introduction has been carefully considered.
Website visitors
When you visit our website, we may collect limited technical information, including IP address, browser type, and pages visited, for the purpose of maintaining site security and understanding how our site is used. Where you contact us via an enquiry form, we will collect the information you voluntarily provide. Please see the Cookies section below for further detail.
How we use your information
We use the personal data we hold to deliver our service with precision, integrity, and discretion. Every use of personal data is governed by the principle that information is entrusted to us for a defined purpose and is not used beyond that purpose. We process your information only as described below, and only to the extent each purpose requires.
Recruitment matching and introductions
The primary purpose for which we process personal data is to identify and facilitate well-considered introductions between clients and candidates. We use information from both parties to assess compatibility and suitability, and to ensure that any introduction is made thoughtfully, with regard to the particular nature of the household or role concerned.
Candidate vetting and verification
Before presenting any candidate to a client, we conduct thorough verification of employment history, professional references, right-to-work status, and, with written consent, a Disclosure and Barring Service check. This process is fundamental to the standard of assurance we offer our clients, and to the duty of care we hold towards those we represent.
Communication and relationship management
We maintain careful records of our communications with clients and candidates to manage ongoing relationships, respond to enquiries with appropriate context, and provide a consistent and attentive service. These records are used only for the management of your relationship with Halcyon Household.
Legal and compliance obligations
We process certain data where required by law, for example in connection with verifying a candidate’s right to work in the United Kingdom, or responding to a lawful request from a regulatory authority.
Service quality
We may use anonymised, non-identifiable information to assess and improve the quality of our service. No individual is identifiable from this analysis, and no personal data is shared with third parties for this purpose.
Legal basis for processing
We are required to identify a lawful basis for each way in which we process personal data. We rely on the following bases, applied with care.
Legitimate interests
The majority of our processing is carried out on the basis of legitimate interests: our interest in operating an effective and reputable consultancy, and the shared interest of our clients and candidates in achieving a well-matched placement. We assess these interests against individual rights and do not process data where doing so would be disproportionate or prejudicial to the person concerned.
Contractual necessity
Where we have entered into, or are taking steps to enter into, a formal engagement with a client or candidate, we process personal data to the extent necessary to fulfil that relationship, including fulfilling a placement, arranging introductions, and managing the terms of an engagement.
Legal obligation
We process certain data because we are required by law to do so, for example verifying a candidate’s right to work in the United Kingdom, or responding to a lawful request from a regulatory authority.
Consent
Where we rely on consent, for example when processing special category data such as health information, or when conducting a DBS check, we will always seek your explicit and informed agreement before proceeding. You have the right to withdraw consent at any time, and we will explain the implications of doing so where relevant.
Sharing your information
We do not sell, license, or share personal data for commercial purposes. Disclosure is governed by strict control and minimum necessary sharing: information is disclosed only when there is a clear and specific need to do so, only with those who require it for a defined purpose, and only to the extent that purpose demands. All parties with whom we share data are bound by confidentiality obligations and required to handle it to the same standard we apply ourselves.
With clients
When we introduce a candidate to a client household, we share a carefully prepared professional profile comprising information relevant to the role in question: typically a summary of employment history, skills and experience, professional references, and, where provided, a photograph. Candidate profiles are curated with care. We do not submit raw application materials or disclose personal information that is not directly relevant to the role or environment. Candidates are informed before any introduction is made, and no submission is made without our considered assessment of its suitability.
With candidates
We share with candidates only the information necessary to allow them to consider and prepare for an introduction: the nature of the role, the general location and type of household, and the specific requirements of the position. The identity of a principal, the precise address of a property, and the sensitive particulars of a household’s domestic arrangements are withheld until an introduction has been formally agreed and, where appropriate, a confidentiality agreement is in place.
We are conscious that candidates place considerable trust in us when sharing their professional histories and personal circumstances. That information is not treated as freely available to any prospective client. It is shared purposefully, at the appropriate stage, and only with those for whom an introduction has been genuinely and carefully considered.
Third-party service providers
We engage a small number of carefully selected service providers to support our operations, including referencing agencies, DBS check providers, and secure digital platforms. Each operates under a formal data processing agreement and is permitted to use data only for the specific service for which they have been engaged. We do not use third-party providers for marketing, profiling, or any purpose beyond direct operational necessity.
Legal and regulatory authorities
We will disclose personal data to law enforcement bodies, regulatory authorities, or courts only where we are legally required to do so, or where it is necessary to protect the safety or legal rights of an individual. We do not make such disclosures voluntarily, and we disclose no more than is strictly required.
International data transfers
Halcyon Household operates from the United Kingdom, and we store and process personal data within the UK as a matter of course. On occasion, in connection with international placements or the use of service providers with operations overseas, data may be transferred to countries outside the United Kingdom.
In such circumstances, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place before any transfer takes place, in accordance with our data protection obligations. This may include reliance on UK adequacy regulations, the use of standard contractual clauses as recognised by the ICO, or other lawful transfer mechanisms. We will not transfer personal data internationally where adequate protections cannot be confirmed and documented to our satisfaction.
Data retention
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law.
Clients
Client records are typically retained for seven years following the conclusion of our most recent engagement, in line with standard contractual and business record-keeping requirements. Where contact is made but no formal instruction follows, records are held for a shorter period and reviewed periodically.
Candidates
Where a placement is made, candidate records are retained for seven years following the conclusion of that engagement. Where a candidate registers with us but no placement results, records are kept for two years, after which we will make contact to confirm whether you wish to remain on our register. You may request removal at any time and we will act promptly.
Website enquiries
Data submitted via website enquiry forms is retained for a period sufficient to respond to your query and, where relevant, to progress a formal engagement. Where no ongoing relationship results, this data is deleted within twelve months.
Data security
We recognise that the personal data held by Halcyon Household is of a uniquely sensitive character. The identity of a private client, the details of a household, and the professional and personal histories of the candidates we represent are not ordinary commercial information. They warrant a heightened standard of care, and we treat them accordingly.
Access to personal data within our business is controlled on a strict need-to-know basis. Only those directly involved in managing a specific client or candidate relationship are granted access to the relevant information, and that access is reviewed on an ongoing basis. Information is not broadly accessible within the business and is handled through controlled processes designed to minimise unnecessary access, duplication, or exposure.
All personal data held digitally is stored within secure, access-controlled systems. Physical documentation is stored securely and disposed of in a confidential manner when no longer required. Communications and documents shared externally are transmitted through appropriate channels, and we apply professional judgement to every decision about how sensitive information is conveyed.
Discretion in the handling of personal information is a matter of professional conduct, not policy alone. It is embedded in how we work at every level of the business.
In the event of a personal data breach likely to result in a risk to your rights or freedoms, we will notify the ICO and, where required, the individuals concerned, in accordance with our legal obligations.
Your rights
Under UK GDPR, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. We are committed to upholding them promptly and without unnecessary formality. To exercise any of the rights below, please contact us using the details at the end of this page.
We will respond to all requests within one calendar month. In complex cases we may extend this by a further two months and will inform you promptly. We will not charge a fee unless a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.
You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at any time, at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113. We are always willing to address concerns directly and would encourage you to contact us before doing so.
Cookies
Our website uses cookies — small text files placed on your device — to support basic functionality, retain your preferences, and help us understand how our site is used. We use only those cookies that are strictly necessary, or those to which you have expressly consented through the cookie management tool on the site.
You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at any time, at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113. We are always willing to address concerns directly and would encourage you to contact us before doing so.
Third-party links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites not operated by Halcyon Household. These are provided for convenience only. We have no control over the content, data practices, or privacy policies of those sites and accept no responsibility for them. We recommend that you review the privacy policy of any external website you visit via a link from our pages.
Changes to this policy
We review this Privacy Policy regularly and may update it from time to time to reflect changes in our services, our practices, or applicable legal requirements. When material changes are made, we will update the date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you directly. We encourage you to review it from time to time to remain informed of how we protect your information.
Contact us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your data protection rights, or have a concern about how your personal data is being handled, please contact us. All enquiries are received in confidence and addressed with care.
Halcyon Household Ltd · April 2025
Halcyon Household
Boutique private household recruitment. Placing exceptional housekeepers and selected household staff within London’s most distinguished private residences.
© 2025 Halcyon Household Ltd · London
Absolute Discretion · Always