Privacy Policy

About This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains the types of personal information City Masters Auctioneers may collect, the circumstances in which we collect it, how we use it, when it may be shared, how we protect it, and the rights available to individuals under applicable data protection law.

It applies to personal information collected through our website, telephone calls, email correspondence, auction registration processes, physical interactions, professional engagements, documents, forms and other legitimate business channels.

Different services may involve additional privacy requirements depending on the nature of the assignment and the parties involved.

Who We Are

City Masters Auctioneers is an auctioneering and related professional services firm operating in Nairobi, Kenya.

Our services may include public and private auctions, asset recovery, debt collection, valuation, investigations, execution of court warrants, eviction-related processes and other lawful auctioneering services.

For privacy-related matters, City Masters Auctioneers is responsible for handling personal information in accordance with applicable legal and professional requirements.

Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect information such as:

• Name and other identifying information.
• Telephone and WhatsApp contact details.
• Email address and correspondence details.
• Identification and verification information where legitimately required.
• Business, company or organizational information.
• Auction registration and bidding information.
• Transaction, payment and account information.
• Information contained in professional instructions, documents or records.
• Website and technical information.
• Other information reasonably necessary for a lawful business purpose.

Information You Provide to Us

We may receive personal information directly from you when you contact us, request a quotation, submit an enquiry, register for an auction, participate in a bidding process, purchase an asset or engage us for professional services.

Information may also be supplied through forms, emails, telephone conversations, physical documents, correspondence, consultations and other legitimate communication channels.

You should provide information that is accurate and relevant to the purpose for which it is requested and avoid submitting unnecessary sensitive personal information.

Auction Registration and Participation

Certain auctions may require bidders or prospective buyers to provide information necessary for registration, identification, verification, communication and administration of the auction.

Depending on the auction, this may include contact information, identification details, registration information, bidding records and information necessary to confirm eligibility or compliance with the applicable conditions of sale.

Information collected during registration may be retained as part of the official records associated with the auction.

Client Information

When a client engages City Masters Auctioneers, we may collect information required to understand the assignment, establish the relationship, communicate with authorized representatives and perform the agreed services.

This may include names, contact details, company information, instructions, ownership information, supporting documentation and information concerning the assets or obligations involved in the assignment.

Clients should ensure that information supplied to us is accurate and that they have the necessary authority to provide information relating to another person or organization.

Transaction and Payment Information

Where you purchase an auctioned asset or engage us for a service, we may process information relating to the transaction, including invoices, receipts, payment records, transaction references and information necessary to reconcile or administer the transaction.

Where payment processing is performed by a third-party payment provider, that provider may process payment information under its own terms and privacy practices.

We retain transaction records where required for accounting, legal, regulatory, audit or legitimate business purposes.

Website and Technical Information

When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically by our hosting, security, analytics or website infrastructure.

Depending on the technologies in use, this may include IP address, browser type, device information, operating system, approximate location, referring pages, pages visited, access times and technical log information.

Such information may be used to maintain website security, understand website performance, diagnose technical problems and improve our online services.

Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website may use cookies or similar technologies to support essential website functionality, security, performance and, where applicable, analytics.

Cookies are small data files stored on a device by a website. Some cookies may be necessary for the website to function, while others may help us understand how visitors interact with our website.

You may be able to control or restrict cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect some website functionality.

How We Use Personal Information

We may use personal information for legitimate purposes connected with our business and professional responsibilities, including:

• Responding to enquiries and requests.
• Providing and administering our services.
• Registering and communicating with auction participants.
• Processing and documenting transactions.
• Conducting valuations and asset-related assignments.
• Performing lawful debt collection activities.
• Conducting authorized investigations.
• Executing lawful court-related assignments.
• Maintaining business and professional records.
• Meeting legal and regulatory obligations.
• Protecting our systems, property and legal interests.

Communication With You

We may use your contact information to respond to enquiries, provide information concerning an auction or assignment, communicate transaction requirements, arrange inspections or appointments and provide other information directly related to your interaction with us.

Depending on the circumstances, we may communicate by telephone, email, SMS, WhatsApp, physical correspondence or other appropriate communication channels.

You should ensure that contact details supplied to us remain accurate and that communications can be received securely.

Legal and Regulatory Requirements

We may collect, use, retain or disclose personal information where necessary to comply with applicable Kenyan law, regulations, court orders, lawful instructions, regulatory requirements or other legal obligations.

This may include requirements relating to auctioneering activities, financial records, taxation, court processes, investigations, asset recovery, dispute resolution and other professional obligations.

Where disclosure is legally required, we will disclose only information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose to the extent permitted or required by law.

Auction and Asset Records

Auctioneering activities may require us to maintain records concerning assets, sellers, bidders, buyers, auction results, viewing arrangements, bids, transactions and related communications.

Some information may form part of records that must be maintained for legal, accounting, audit, contractual or professional purposes.

Public auction information may also be published where appropriate for the legitimate administration and promotion of an auction, subject to applicable privacy and legal requirements.

Debt Collection Information

Where we are instructed to undertake debt collection, we may process information relating to creditors, debtors, representatives, accounts, obligations, correspondence, payment arrangements and supporting documentation.

Information may be used to verify an assignment, communicate with relevant parties, trace or contact individuals through lawful means, document recovery activity and report progress to the instructing client.

Information will be handled within the lawful scope of the assignment and applicable data protection requirements.

Private Investigation Information

Authorized investigation assignments may involve the collection and analysis of information concerning individuals, businesses, assets, activities, transactions or other matters relevant to the assignment.

Investigative information will be processed only within the lawful scope of the assignment and subject to applicable legal restrictions.

Because investigation assignments may involve confidential or sensitive circumstances, access to relevant information may be restricted to personnel or authorized parties with a legitimate need to know.

Court and Legal Processes

Court warrants, orders, execution processes and other legal assignments may require us to process personal information contained in court documents, instructions, notices, records and related correspondence.

Such information may be processed, retained or disclosed where necessary to lawfully perform the assignment or comply with the relevant court or statutory requirements.

We may also retain records demonstrating actions undertaken during a legal process where such records are necessary for professional, legal or evidentiary purposes.

When We Share Personal Information

We do not treat personal information as information that can be freely disclosed. Where information is shared, there should be a legitimate business, contractual, legal or operational reason for doing so.

Depending on the circumstances, information may be shared with:

• Clients and authorized representatives.
• Buyers, sellers or other transaction participants where necessary.
• Professional advisers and service providers.
• Courts and competent authorities.
• Regulators or government institutions.
• Technology, hosting and communication providers.
• Other parties where disclosure is authorized or required by law.

Third-Party Service Providers

We may use third-party providers to support our operations, including website hosting, email, communications, technology, security, analytics, document management, payment processing and other business functions.

Where such providers process personal information on our behalf, access should be limited to information necessary for the relevant service.

Third-party providers may have their own privacy policies and contractual obligations governing their handling of information.

Government and Competent Authorities

Personal information may be disclosed to courts, government agencies, regulators, law enforcement bodies or other competent authorities where we are required or lawfully authorized to do so.

This may arise in connection with court processes, statutory obligations, investigations, enforcement activities, regulatory requirements, fraud prevention, disputes or protection of legal rights.

We will seek to limit disclosures to what is reasonably necessary for the relevant lawful purpose.

Data Security

We take reasonable organizational, administrative and technical measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, disclosure or destruction.

Security measures may include access controls, restricted handling of records, secure systems, authentication procedures, appropriate staff practices and other safeguards relevant to the information being processed.

No method of electronic transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You should therefore exercise caution when sending confidential information through ordinary email, messaging or public website forms.

Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, subject to legal, regulatory, contractual, accounting, professional and legitimate business requirements.

Auction records, transaction records, client files, correspondence, financial records, investigation materials and court-related records may need to be retained for different periods depending on the nature of the assignment.

When information is no longer required, appropriate measures may be taken to securely delete, anonymize or otherwise dispose of it where appropriate.

Your Privacy Rights

Subject to applicable law and any lawful limitations, individuals may have rights concerning their personal information, including the right to:

• Be informed about the use of their personal information.
• Request access to personal information held about them.
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Request deletion where applicable.
• Object to certain forms of processing where legally applicable.
• Request restriction of processing in circumstances provided by law.
• Exercise other rights available under applicable Kenyan data protection law.

These rights are subject to applicable legal exceptions and may not apply in exactly the same way in every situation.

Access, Correction and Requests

If you believe that personal information we hold about you is inaccurate, incomplete or outdated, you may contact us and request that the information be reviewed or corrected.

Privacy requests should contain sufficient information for us to understand the request and locate the relevant records.

We may need to verify the identity or authority of a person making a request before releasing or changing personal information. This is intended to protect personal information from unauthorized access.

Marketing and Communication Preferences

Where we use contact information for promotional or marketing communication, we will do so subject to applicable requirements and available consent or other lawful basis.

You may contact us to request that promotional communications be stopped where applicable.

Opting out of marketing communication will not necessarily stop operational or transaction-related communications that are necessary to provide a service, administer an auction, complete a transaction or comply with a legal obligation.

Children's Information

Our services are primarily intended for adults and businesses participating in professional, commercial, legal or auction-related activities.

We do not knowingly seek to collect unnecessary personal information from children through our website.

If you believe that a child has provided personal information to us unnecessarily, please contact us so that the matter can be reviewed and appropriate action taken where required.

Third-Party Websites and Services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, social media platforms, payment services, mapping services or other external resources.

These third-party websites and services operate independently from City Masters Auctioneers and may have their own privacy policies and terms.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, security or content of third-party websites that you access through external links.

Personal Data Breaches

We maintain reasonable safeguards intended to reduce the risk of unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, loss or destruction of personal information.

If a personal data breach occurs, we will assess the incident and take appropriate steps in accordance with applicable Kenyan data protection requirements.

Where notification is legally required, affected parties and relevant authorities will be notified in accordance with the applicable requirements and circumstances of the incident.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, business processes, technology, legal requirements or data protection practices.

When changes are made, the updated version will be published on our website with a revised "Last Updated" date.

We encourage visitors, clients and other users of our services to periodically review this page so they remain aware of how personal information is handled.

Complaints and Data Protection Concerns

If you have concerns about how City Masters Auctioneers has handled your personal information, we encourage you to contact us first so that we can review the matter and attempt to address the concern.

A complaint should provide sufficient information to identify the issue, relevant correspondence or transaction, and the outcome you are seeking where appropriate.

Nothing in this section prevents an individual from exercising any right to complain to a competent data protection authority or pursue another lawful remedy available under Kenyan law.

Contact Us About Privacy

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to make a privacy request, request correction of personal information or raise a concern about how your information has been handled, please contact City Masters Auctioneers using the official contact details provided below.

Where your request relates to a specific auction, transaction, client assignment, investigation, debt collection matter or court-related process, providing relevant reference information can help us locate the appropriate records.