Home Student Accommodation Ipswich Rooms Private Rentals Payments About Us Help Contact Us
Est. 1998  ·  Essex, Suffolk, London & South Wales

Student Rooms &
Family Homes
Across Essex, Suffolk, London & South Wales

Budget friendly student accommodation in Colchester and private residential rentals across Essex, Suffolk, London and South Wales. Transparent pricing, no hidden fees.

Scroll
🚧 Coming Soon

Boxing Gym & Fitness Centre

Brand new state-of-the-art Boxing Gym and Fitness Centre coming to Forest Road House (Block 1 & Block 2) and Candan House. A fantastic new facility right on your doorstep.

🥊Boxing Gym
🏋️Fitness Centre
🏠On-Site — No Commute
Exclusive to Tenants
🥊
🏋️
Looking for a Place?

What are you looking for?

Are you a student, working, or looking for a home to rent?
What matters most to you?

Not Sure Where to Start?

Find your fit

Student Accommodation

Colchester · full-time students
From£96.92/wk
DepositNone
GuarantorNot required
Notice2 months

Ipswich Rooms

154 Norwich Road · open to everyone
From£115/wk
DepositNone
GuarantorNot required
Notice7 days

Private Rentals

Essex, Suffolk, London & South Wales
FromVaries by home
DepositNone
GuarantorNot usually required
Notice2 months
Why Millennium

What makes us different

🔑

No deposit, no guarantor

Students move in without a tenancy deposit and without needing a guarantor \u2014 one month's rent secures the room instead.

🛠️

Our own maintenance team

Repairs are handled by staff we employ directly, not a subcontractor \u2014 so problems get fixed faster.

🏠

We own what we manage

Family-run since 1998. We own every building ourselves, so there's no agent in the middle and nobody to pass you on to.

🎓

Rates frozen since 2024

No unexpected increases \u2014 what you're quoted is what you pay, for as long as you stay.

What Our Tenants Say

Real Reviews

Genuine feedback from students and tenants — verified via Google Reviews.

🟢 See more Google Reviews

Colchester Student Accommodation

Purpose-built student rooms and HMO houses in Colchester — minutes from the University of Essex. All-inclusive, zero hidden fees.

🎓 Near University of Essex ✓ Rooms Available 2026/27 💡 All Bills Included
Our Locations

Three Prime Complexes

All our student complexes are in Colchester — within easy reach of the University of Essex campus and the town centre. Click each complex to view on the map.

Forest Road House — courtyard and pond

Forest Road House

Our main student accommodation complex situated on Forest Road. A well-established property offering a range of room types — from standard singles to en-suite doubles.

📍 Forest Road House, Forest Road, Colchester, Essex, CO4 3XA
🎓 ~20 minutes walk to University of Essex campus
🛒 Walking distance to grocery shops, bus stops and Hythe train station
💷 multiple room types · all bills included
🚗 Free on-site parking available

Transparent Pricing

Rent is payable monthly. Termly and annual payment are optional alternatives you can choose if they suit you better — they are never a condition of the tenancy.

Forest Road, Colchester, CO4 3XA

👥

Sending someone off to university? You will have questions of your own.

Security, what the rent really covers, who answers the phone at 9pm — and why we ask for no deposit and no guarantor. Answered plainly, in one place.

Included As Standard

Everything Included

No nasty surprises — your rent covers everything below so you can focus on your studies.

Free Insurance

Collect Your Free Contents Insurance

In association with Gallagher — your belongings are already covered. Simply sign up to activate your free policy.

Gallagher Student Insurance
In association with Millennium Investments
  • 100% Free — no cost to you
  • Covers your room contents & belongings
  • Upgrade anytime for extra cover
  • Manage your cover online
  • Claim perks included

Tap below or scan the QR code with your phone to sign up:

Collect Your Free Insurance

📱 Scan with your phone camera:

Point your phone camera at the QR code
to open the sign-up page instantly

🎓 Rates frozen since 2024 — no unexpected increases | 📞 01206 500202 | Mon–Sat 9am–6pm

Ipswich Rooms to Let

A large professional house share on Norwich Road, Ipswich. All bills included, no deposit, and a simple weekly licence — open to all working tenants.

📍 154 Norwich Road, IP1 2PT ✓ 1 Room Available 💡 All Bills Included
57
Rooms in total
1
Available now
£0
Deposit
Weekly
Licence agreement
Location

154 Norwich Road

154 Norwich Road, Ipswich, IP1 2PT

Rooms & Rates

Four Room Types

Every rate below includes all bills. There is no deposit and no agency fee.

SINGLE

Single Room

£115 / week
£460 per month
💷 Save £460 a year paying monthly
  • Single room
  • All bills included
  • Shared kitchen
  • Shared bathroom
  • No deposit required
  • Weekly licence — 7 days’ notice
Weekly rate£115
Monthly rate£460
A year, paying weekly£5,980
A year, paying monthly£5,520
You save£460
Compare weekly vs monthly
LARGE SINGLE

Large Single Room

£130 / week
£520 per month
💷 Save £520 a year paying monthly
  • Large single room
  • All bills included
  • Shared kitchen
  • Shared bathroom
  • No deposit required
  • Weekly licence — 7 days’ notice
Weekly rate£130
Monthly rate£520
A year, paying weekly£6,760
A year, paying monthly£6,240
You save£520
Compare weekly vs monthly
DOUBLE

Double Room

£165 / week
£660 per month
💷 Save £660 a year paying monthly
  • Double room
  • All bills included
  • Shared kitchen
  • Shared bathroom
  • No deposit required
  • Weekly licence — 7 days’ notice
Weekly rate£165
Monthly rate£660
A year, paying weekly£8,580
A year, paying monthly£7,920
You save£660
Compare weekly vs monthly
LARGE DOUBLE

Large Double Room

£185 / week
£740 per month
💷 Save £740 a year paying monthly
  • Large double room
  • All bills included
  • Shared kitchen
  • Shared bathroom
  • No deposit required
  • Weekly licence — 7 days’ notice
Weekly rate£185
Monthly rate£740
A year, paying weekly£9,620
A year, paying monthly£8,880
You save£740
Compare weekly vs monthly
Paying monthly saves you money. The monthly rate is four weeks’ rent, so over a 52-week year you pay for 48 weeks — a saving of four weeks’ rent, between £460 and £740 a year depending on your room. The agreement remains a weekly licence either way; monthly payment is simply offered as a way to save.
Included As Standard

What’s Included

💡All bills included
Gas, electric and water are covered in your rent.
🍳Shared kitchens
Fully fitted kitchens shared between residents.
🚿Shared bathrooms
Shared bathroom facilities throughout the building.
💷No deposit
Move in without finding a deposit up front.
📄Weekly licence
A straightforward agreement in plain English.
🛠️In-house maintenance
Repairs handled promptly by our own team.
Interested?

Apply for a Room

One room is available now. Applications use the same short form as our private rentals — it takes a few minutes.

📞 Call Us

Private Rentals

Houses, flats, and studio apartments across Essex, Suffolk, London and South Wales — ideal for professionals, couples, and families.

Affordability Tool

Rent Calculator

Find out how much rent you can comfortably afford based on your income.

Standard Rule

Rent should not exceed 30–33% of your monthly take-home income.

Landlord Rule

Most landlords require your income to be 2.5–3× the monthly rent.

Can't Find What You're Looking For?

We Have More Coming Soon

We're continuously adding new properties across Colchester, Ipswich, and beyond. Get in touch and we'll match you with the perfect home.

📞 Call Us Now

Paying Your Rent

Our bank details for rent and other payments. Please read the fraud warning below before you send any money.

Bank Details

Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd · Barclays Bank UK PLC

Account Name Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd
Account Number 93396630
Sort Code 20-97-40
SWIFT / BIC BUKBGB22
IBAN GB71BUKB20974093396630

💡 Always quote your reference. Use your full name and room or property address as the payment reference, so we can match your payment to your tenancy without delay.

Bank Address

For international transfers and standing order forms

Barclays Bank UK PLC
Braintree Branch
1 Bank Street
Braintree
CM7 1UN
United Kingdom

Paying From Abroad

Sending rent from outside the UK

Use the IBAN and SWIFT/BIC above. Please send in pounds sterling (GBP) and select “sender pays all charges” where your bank offers it, so the full rent reaches us. Transfers from overseas can take several working days — please allow for this so your rent arrives on time.

⚠️ Protect Yourself From Payment Fraud

We will never email, text or message you to say our bank details have changed. Criminals target tenants by impersonating landlords and sending fake “new bank details” messages. Money sent to a fraudster is very difficult to recover.

  • If you receive any message claiming our account has changed, do not pay it.
  • Check the details on this page against the details on your tenancy agreement.
  • If anything looks different, phone us on 01206 500202 before sending money. Use that number — not a number from the message.
  • Consider sending a small test payment first and confirming we have received it.

About Millennium

Family-run letting and property management across Essex, Suffolk, London and South Wales since 1998.

Our Story

Nearly Three Decades of Homes People Are Proud Of

Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd was founded in 1998 with a simple idea: that a rented home should feel like a real one. Nearly 28 years later, that principle still guides us — whether we're welcoming a first-year student into halls, handing over the keys to a young family in Colchester, or catching up with a long-term tenant we've known for years.

We're a family-run business. When you need us, you speak to someone who knows your property, your street, and often your name. It's an old-fashioned way of doing things, and we think that's what makes it work.

Family-run since 1998
You'll speak to a person, not a portal
No holding fees, no hidden extras
24/7 CCTV at our student properties
Responsive local maintenance team
Properties across Essex, Suffolk, London & South Wales
Millennium Investments property management team
Est. 1998Independent · Family-Run
Our Values

What Drives Us Forward

Get In Touch

Our friendly team is available Monday to Saturday, 9am–6pm. We aim to reply to all enquiries within 24 to 48 hours.

Contact Information

Reach us by phone, email, or visit our office.

📍
Office Address
Forest Road House
Forest Road
Colchester
Essex
CO4 3XA
🕐
Office Hours
Mon–Sat: 9:00am – 6:00pm
Sunday: Closed
On-site support available 24/7 · 365 days

Send Us a Message

Fill in the form and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can't find your answer below? Contact us and we'll be happy to help.

Questions about life at Forest Road House, Candan House and Greenstead House — bills, applications, and everything in between. Looking for private rental info? →

👥 For Parents

Parents usually ask a different set of questions from students — about safety, what it really costs, and who picks up the phone when something goes wrong. These are the ones we get asked most, answered plainly.

Every site has 4K Ultra HD CCTV covering entrances and communal areas. Residents are asked never to prop open fire doors or building entrances, and to report anything that concerns them straight to the office.

Electricity, heating, water and broadband are all included. The only thing charged separately is the coin-operated laundry.

There are no agency or admin fees.

No tenancy deposit is taken. One month’s rent is payable in advance once the agreement has been signed by both sides — so there is an up-front payment, but nothing is held as a deposit.

No. We do not ask students for a guarantor.

This matters more than it used to. Since May 2026 landlords can no longer require large sums of rent up front instead, which is how many students without a UK guarantor previously secured a room.

Repairs are carried out by our own in-house maintenance team rather than subcontractors. How quickly we attend depends on how serious the problem is — anything urgent is dealt with as soon as possible.

Faults should be reported to the office in writing within 48 hours.

The office is on site at Forest Road House and open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm.

For genuine emergencies outside those hours, call 07872 428232 or 07984 642813. Those are answered by us, not a call centre.

Yes — free contents insurance is provided through Gallagher, covering room contents and belongings at no cost. They can upgrade for extra cover if they wish.

Rent is payable monthly. Termly and annual payment are options they may choose, never a requirement.

Either side gives two calendar months’ written notice to end the tenancy. Rent can only be increased once a year, never within the first 52 weeks, and only with two months’ written notice. Our rates have been frozen since 2024.

Rooms are inspected monthly with at least 24 hours’ written notice, so problems are found early rather than at the end of the year.

We deal directly with your son or daughter about anything found — they are our tenant.

Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd has been family-run since 1998. We own and manage every property ourselves, so there is no agent in the middle and nobody to pass you on to.

Yes. We can send photos and videos of the room where they are available, so a room can be chosen before travelling.

For the right-to-rent check we need a passport and visa, or a Home Office share code. A CAS letter on its own is not enough.

Please do. Viewings are arranged with the office on 01206 500202 and take place during opening hours. You are welcome to walk round with us.

🎓 Applying

Our office is open Monday to Saturday, 9:00am to 6:00pm. We are closed on Sundays.

You can reach us on 01206 500202 or at enquiries@forestrd.co.uk.

We aim to respond within 24 to 48 hours. Occasionally it may take a little longer during busy periods.

If something is urgent, please call 01206 500202 during office hours rather than waiting for an email reply.

For genuine emergencies outside office hours, please call 07872 428232 or 07984 642813.

Please use these numbers for urgent matters only. Anything that is not an emergency is best raised during office hours.

Viewings are arranged directly with the office. Call 01206 500202 or email enquiries@forestrd.co.uk and we will agree a date and time with you.

Viewings take place during office hours, Monday to Saturday between 9:00am and 6:00pm.

Yes. If you cannot attend in person, we can send photos and videos of the room where they are available.

Email enquiries@forestrd.co.uk telling us which building and room type you are interested in.

Yes, you will need to let us know who you'll be staying with — so it's best that you come and register with your friend or group of friends. Providing we have availability, we will always try to help keep friends together.

No, a guarantor is not required.

The circumstances in which the advanced rent (equal to one month's rent) will be required to be refunded are defined by the Tenant Fees Act 2019 and Renters' Rights Act 2025. If we intend to withhold your advanced rent from you, we will always notify you in writing of this intention.

The exact advanced rent is made up of an amount equal to one month's rent of the room type of your choice.

Provided we have availability, we offer both single and mixed sex accommodation.

We can offer 1st year-only undergraduate accommodation, subject to availability.

We can offer PhD-only accommodation, subject to availability.

Yes, we do have a limited supply of en-suite rooms — booking early will avoid disappointment.

We reserve the right to share information submitted in your application with the University of Essex.

Yes, you need to be a full-time student to stay in our student accommodation.

You'll need to provide a completed application form as well as ID showing that you have the right to be in the UK.

💷 Payments & Charges

No, all utility bills are included in the rent.

No, this is fully included in the rent.

The rent-free 12th month is a loyalty bonus available to returning students who sign for the next academic year. It applies to students who choose to pay termly — if you stay with us and renew your tenancy for the following academic year, your 12th month is rent-free. This offer is not available to students paying monthly or annually in advance.

Rent is payable monthly in advance, on the date set out in your agreement.

If you would prefer to pay by term, you are welcome to — it is an option rather than a requirement. Students who choose termly payment usually pay by 1st October, 15th January and 23rd April.

🏠 My Accommodation

No, you cannot smoke anywhere inside the property. However, you may smoke outside the building.

If you wish to watch TV in your room, you will need a TV licence. See www.tvlicensing.co.uk for further details.

No, as a full-time student you are exempt from paying council tax.

We offer free car parking at our properties, subject to availability. A free parking permit can be obtained from the administration office.

Yes, we have a secure bike shed and a free key for the bike shed may be obtained from the administration office.

We provide a free basic level of contents insurance to all tenants via Gallagher. We always recommend additional cover if it is not covered by the included policy, or if the policy is not entirely suitable for your needs.

No pets are allowed within the accommodation.

We deliver mail to your flat's kitchen daily. Parcels and recorded letters will need to be collected from the office — a note will be left in your flat's kitchen to notify you of their arrival.

Our staff carry out a general clean of all communal areas once a week. However, tenants are responsible for cleaning any shared facility after each use. Bin bags must be removed by tenants and disposed of in the 1100-litre bins located outside the property.

Yes, we (the landlord or his representatives) carry out monthly room inspections for health and safety reasons.

Yes — there is a laundry room on the ground floor of each block with coin-operated washing machines and dryers.

Please note the laundry is a paid service charged per use and is not included in your rent. Please clean the lint filter after every use, as this is a fire safety requirement.

Each room has a smoke detector, a half-hour fire door with intumescent strip surround, as well as heavy duty hinges and door closures. All furniture supplied conforms with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.

🔑 Moving In / Moving Out

In some instances it is possible to move in before your contract start date of 1st September. Please check with the administration office prior to moving in.

Keys are collected from the on-site office at Forest Road, by the car park, during opening hours — Monday to Saturday, 9:00am to 6:00pm.

If you cannot get there during those hours, please tell us in advance. We can sometimes arrange for a member of staff to meet you outside office hours, though this is occasional rather than guaranteed.

The reservation period starts from the date on which we take the advanced rent and runs for 15 days, including the day the advanced rent is taken. If no agreement has been entered into by the expiry of the 15th day, the reservation will be deemed cancelled. This applies subject to prior arrangements having been made to extend the 15-day period.

Yes, we offer free storage to all students with confirmed bookings.

Yes, you can keep the same room. Please make sure that you inform us at your earliest convenience. You will need to go through the booking procedure and confirm your booking.

Yes. You can end your tenancy at any time by giving two calendar months’ written notice, expiring at the end of a rental period. You remain responsible for the rent until that notice expires.

If we agree in writing to accept shorter notice, a cancellation fee of one month’s rent applies as a contribution towards re-letting costs. Please speak to the office as early as you can if your plans change.

You may move out at any point, but please note that the rent will continue to become due for the entire term of the tenancy, irrespective of when you decide to move out. Your liability to pay the rent will also continue until the expiry of the term.

Still have a question?

📞 01206 500202
WhatsApp Us
Email Us
🏠
What are you applying for?

Choose the type of accommodation you would like to apply for and we will guide you through the process.

🎓
Student Accommodation

En-suite rooms in Colchester. Bills included, no deposit, near University of Essex.

From £96.92/pw
🏡
Private Rental

Houses and flats across Essex, Suffolk, London & South Wales. Ideal for professionals, couples and families.

From £750/month

Prefer to speak to us? Call 01206 500202 Mon–Sat 9am–6pm

Room photo
Property photo

Application Received!

Thank you for your application. Our team will review your details and contact you within 24 hours.

📞 Urgent? Call 01206 500202

🏡

Private Rental Application

Takes about 5 minutes to complete

About You Employment Property Documents Review & Sign
Step 1 of 5 — About You

Tell us about yourself

We need a few basic details to process your application.

Fields marked * are required

Required for tenancy referencing & tracing. Stored securely under UK GDPR.

Get yours at gov.uk/prove-right-to-rent. Not needed for British/Irish citizens — use the option on the right instead.

Leave this blank if you have a share code above.

Employment & income

These details help us assess affordability.

What are you looking for?

Tell us about your ideal property so we can match you well.

References & documents

Upload your ID and proof of income. We accept JPG, PNG or PDF (max 4MB each).

Passport, BRP or driving licence

Payslip, employment contract, or 3 months bank statements

Review & sign

Please review the summary below. If anything is wrong, go back to correct it.

Application Summary
 
 
Draw your signature above

Application Received!

Thank you for applying. We will contact you within 24 hours at the email address provided.

📞 Urgent? Call 01206 500202

🎓

Student Application

Takes about 4 minutes to complete

About You Studies & Room Documents Review & Sign
Step 1 of 4 — About You

Tell us about yourself

Basic contact details and your home address.

Fields marked * are required

Get yours at gov.uk/prove-right-to-rent. Required for international students under UK Right to Rent law.

Leave this blank if you have a share code above.

Studies & room

Your university details and room preferences.

Emergency contact & documents

Upload your ID and CAS letter. We accept JPG, PNG or PDF (max 4MB each).

Passport, BRP or driving licence

Required for immigration compliance

Review & sign

Please review the summary below. Go back if anything needs correcting.

Application Summary
 
 
Draw your signature above
⚖️

Disclaimer & Copyright Notice

Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd

Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd makes all reasonable efforts to ensure that the contents of its website are accurate and up-to-date, but can accept no responsibility for omissions, errors or subsequent changes. Information on the website regarding accommodation or booking is provided for information and guidance purposes only and is not intended to form part of the contract between you and the company.

It is the responsibility of the user to check the accuracy of relevant information before entering into any commitment and Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd accepts no liability for any loss or damage resulting directly or indirectly from inaccuracies in the information held on its website.

Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd would appreciate it if users would report any inaccuracies they might find. For further information please email enquiries@forestrd.co.uk.

Unless expressly stated to the contrary, all text, images, design and other content is copyright © Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd and all rights are reserved, although individuals may download, retain and copy website content for their personal use only. Requests for any other reproduction of website content should be made using the contact methods stated under Contact Us.

📋

Terms & Conditions

Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd

📜

Government Information Sheet — Renters' Rights Act 2025

By law, all tenants in the private rented sector must receive this sheet by 28 May 2026.

↓ View PDF
Important — Renters' Rights Act 2025 status. Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd has applied for membership of a Government-approved code of practice for student accommodation providers. Pending approval of this membership, certain provisions of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 — which came into force on 1 May 2026 — may apply to your tenancy alongside these terms. Once our code membership is confirmed, the full student-let exemption will apply and we will update these terms accordingly. The Government Information Sheet linked above sets out your rights in full.

Occupants

All occupants must be in full time education.

Bookings

Late bookings will be accepted, if places are available. Should the property you wish be full, then we will hold a first come first served waiting list.

Additional Charges

In the event that rent remains unpaid for a period of more than 14 days from the date on which the same is due, a fee will be charged which is equal to 3% above the Bank of England's base rate of the rental amount that is overdue. This fee will continue to accrue until the date on which payment is made.

All charges set out below comply with Schedule 1 of the Tenant Fees Act 2019 and represent reasonable costs incurred by the landlord.

Charge Fee
False Alarm Call-Out £25
Lock-Out Charge (Out of Office Hours) £10
Replacement Key Charge £10

Miscellaneous

Monthly room inspections will be carried out by the Landlord or his representatives.

Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd reserves the right to charge a payment in respect of damages for breach of the tenancy agreement, if it is so breached.

Please note that whilst network and internet services are available, the equipment and services belong to and are the responsibility of Glide — therefore any complaints, problems or issues must be taken up with Glide directly. Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever from any issues which arise from or by the use of the service. Please contact them directly on 0333 123 0115. In the event of a dispute with the internet service, the liability of Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd is limited to the pro-rata rate it pays to the service provider.

Council Tax

Full-time students are exempt from paying council tax under the Local Government Finance Act 1992. To maintain this exemption, you must provide a valid Student Certificate issued by your university, which we will share with the local council where required. If at any time you cease to be a full-time student during your tenancy, you must notify us immediately, as the council tax liability will transfer to you.

Right to Rent

In accordance with the Immigration Act 2014, we are required by law to verify that all occupants have the right to live in the UK before the tenancy commences. You will be asked to provide original identification documents (e.g. passport, BRP or other approved ID) so we can complete this check in person. Copies of these documents are retained for the duration of your tenancy in compliance with Home Office requirements.

Disclaimer

Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd makes all reasonable efforts to ensure that the contents of its website are accurate and up-to-date, but can accept no responsibility for omissions, errors or subsequent changes. Information on the website regarding accommodation or booking is provided for information and guidance purposes only and is not intended to form part of the contract between you and the company.

It is the responsibility of the user to check the accuracy of relevant information before entering into any commitment and Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd accepts no liability for any loss or damage resulting directly or indirectly from inaccuracies in the information held on its website.

Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd would appreciate it if users would report any inaccuracies they might find. For further information please email enquiries@forestrd.co.uk.

Unless expressly stated to the contrary, all text, images, design and other content is copyright © Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd and all rights are reserved, although individuals may download, retain and copy website content for their personal use only. Requests for any other reproduction of website content should be made using the contact methods stated under Contact Us.

🔒

Privacy Policy

Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd

Last updated: 13 May 2026  ·  Effective from: 1 May 2026

This privacy policy explains how Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses and protects your personal information when you apply for our accommodation, become our tenant, visit our website or contact us. It is written to comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are (Data Controller)

Millennium Investments 2000 Ltd is the Data Controller responsible for your personal information.

Registered office: Forest Road House, Forest Road, Colchester, Essex CO4 3XA
Contact: enquiries@forestrd.co.uk  ·  01206 500202

2. What Information We Collect

The categories of personal data we collect depend on whether you are applying for student accommodation or a private rental.

All applicants and tenants:

  • Identity data: full legal name, date of birth, nationality
  • Contact data: email address, phone number, current and forwarding addresses
  • Identification documents: passport, BRP, driving licence (for Right to Rent checks under the Immigration Act 2014)
  • Emergency contact details (name and phone of next of kin or guardian)
  • Signature (collected on the application form and tenancy agreement)
  • Tenancy records: rent payments, repair reports, inspection records, correspondence

Student applicants — in addition:

  • University, course, year of study and student ID
  • CAS letter and/or Student Certificate

Private rental applicants — in addition:

  • Employment data: employer, job title, length of employment, annual income
  • Proof of income: payslips, employment contract or bank statements
  • National Insurance number — collected for credit referencing and for tracing in the event of unpaid rent or damages
  • Previous landlord reference details
  • Credit history information obtained from credit reference agencies with your consent

3. Why We Use It & Legal Basis

Under Article 6 of the UK GDPR, every use of your data must have a lawful basis. Our processing relies on the following:

Purpose Legal Basis
Processing your application & managing your tenancyContract (Art. 6(1)(b))
Right to Rent checks; gas / electrical / EPC compliance; HMRC reportingLegal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c))
Credit referencing & tracing (private rental)Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)) — Schedule C of tenancy agreement
Preventing fraud, recovering rent and damages, enforcing the tenancyLegitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f))
Verifying student status with universityContract (Art. 6(1)(b)) and Consent
Marketing communications (where you have opted in)Consent (Art. 6(1)(a))

4. Who We Share It With

We will not sell your data. We share it only with the parties listed below, and only to the extent necessary:

  • Credit reference agencies (e.g. Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) — for referencing and credit history reports (private rentals, with consent)
  • Tracing agents and solicitors — for locating tenants who have vacated with monies outstanding
  • The County Court — for money claims and possession proceedings, including registering County Court Judgments (CCJs)
  • Local authorities — for council tax registration and HMO licensing compliance
  • The Home Office — for Right to Rent disclosures where required by law
  • HMRC and DWP — where required for tax reporting or universal credit verification
  • University of Essex (and other educational institutions) — for verifying student status, with your consent
  • Maintenance contractors — limited to the minimum needed to carry out repairs at your property
  • The PRS Landlord Ombudsman and PRS Database — once these become operational under the Renters' Rights Act 2025
  • Service providers — our email host, form processor (Web3Forms), website host (GitHub Pages), all subject to written data processing agreements

5. How Long We Keep It

We only keep your information for as long as we need it for the purposes set out above, or as required by law:

  • Unsuccessful applications: 6 months from rejection (then securely deleted)
  • Tenancy records: 6 years from the end of the tenancy (the limitation period for contract and debt claims under the Limitation Act 1980)
  • Right to Rent records: throughout the tenancy plus 1 year afterwards, as required by the Home Office
  • Financial / accounting records: 6 years from the relevant tax year, as required by HMRC
  • Credit referencing records: 6 years (in line with the credit industry standard)
  • Marketing consents: until you withdraw consent or 3 years of inactivity
  • Website logs and cookies: 12 months maximum

6. International Transfers

Your data is processed and stored within the United Kingdom and the European Economic Area (EEA) where adequacy decisions apply. Some of our service providers (e.g. cloud email, form submission services) may process data on servers located in countries with appropriate UK GDPR safeguards (Standard Contractual Clauses or adequacy decisions). We do not transfer your data to any country without such safeguards in place.

7. Your Rights

Under the UK GDPR you have the following rights, free of charge in most cases:

  • Access (Art. 15) — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
  • Rectification (Art. 16) — ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete data
  • Erasure (Art. 17) — ask us to delete your data, subject to any legal retention requirements
  • Restriction (Art. 18) — ask us to stop processing your data in certain circumstances
  • Portability (Art. 20) — ask us to provide your data in a machine-readable format
  • Object (Art. 21) — object to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct marketing
  • Withdraw consent at any time, where processing is based on consent

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us. We will respond within one calendar month.

8. How to Complain — The ICO

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

Website: ico.org.uk
Phone: 0303 123 1113
Post: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF

We would, however, appreciate the chance to deal with your concerns first — please contact us before approaching the ICO.

9. How We Protect Your Information

  • Personal data is stored on secure systems with access limited to authorised staff
  • All web traffic to this site is encrypted via HTTPS / TLS
  • Application form submissions are transmitted via an encrypted form service (Web3Forms)
  • We never ask for credit card or bank login details through our website
  • Documents containing sensitive data are securely shredded or digitally erased once retention periods expire

10. Cookies

Our website uses a minimal set of cookies and similar technologies:

  • Essential cookies — strictly necessary for the website to function (no consent required)
  • Local storage — to remember rooms you've shortlisted or compared, your conversation with our help chat, referral codes you've generated, and dismissed banners — within your browser only, not accessible to us unless you contact us directly

We do not use third-party advertising or tracking cookies. You can disable cookies in your browser at any time without affecting the core functionality of the site.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time, particularly to reflect legal changes or new processing activities. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will always reflect the most recent revision. For material changes, we will give existing tenants reasonable advance notice.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, please contact us:

Email: enquiries@forestrd.co.uk
Phone: 01206 500202
Post: Forest Road House, Forest Road, Colchester, Essex CO4 3XA