Privacy policy

This privacy statement contains the circumstances in which Brik – Student in Brussels non-profit organization, with registered office at 1000 Brussels, Zavelput 20, KBO 0464.281.788 (hereinafter BRIK), collects, processes and uses your personal data, as well as the way in which we secure it. 

BRIK undertakes to strictly comply with the legal regulations regarding the protection of personal data as included in Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 (General Data Protection Regulation, hereinafter “GDPR”). 

BRIK is committed to informing its customers and the parties involved in its activities about which personal data it stores, the way in which this is done, as well as the reasons why it does so. This information can be found in the current privacy statement. 

The current privacy statement concerns the data in which BRIK acts as the controller, i.e. when BRIK collects personal data for its own purposes and not on behalf of a customer or partner institution. 

If you are of the opinion that this privacy statement does not adequately protect your privacy, you can always contact us at welkom@brik.be.

1. Liability

Your data can be stored and processed by BRIK in function of the execution of its activities and services. BRIK is responsible for the processing of the data. 

BRIK proceeded to appoint a DPO. To this end, Seeds of Law (Peeters Advocaten-Avocats BV), registered office at 1050 Elsene, Marsveldplein 5-5, KBO 0816.588.065, contact person: dpo@seeds.law, has been appointed as DPO.

2. Categories of data.

The following categories of personal data can be processed by BRIK depending on the service you use: 

  • Surname and first name 
  • Language 
  • Date of birth 
  • Place of birth 
  • Sex 
  • Place of residence 
  • Account number 
  • Fixed and/or mobile telephone 
  • E-mail address 
  • Activities on and interaction with our website 
  • IP-address 
  • Student card number and educational institution 
  • Any additional personal data provided 

In addition to the above data, BRIK may also use certain personal data that are sensitive to the data subject. This information includes: 

  • Personal data from which ethnic origin can be inferred. 

This potentially sensitive data is only processed in function of complying with the applicable rental legislation, if a student concludes a rental agreement with BRIK.

3. Objectives and bases of the processing.

BRIK will generally only process your personal data in the cases permitted by art. 6.1 GDPR, i.e.: 

  • When this is necessary for the performance of an agreement; 
  • To comply with a legal or regulatory obligation; 
  • When this is necessary to protect the vital threats of the data subject; 
  • Where appropriate, the processing is in the interests of the general/public interest; 
  • When this is necessary for the representation of the legitimate interests of the company (e.g. prevention of fraud, internal administration, direct marketing, …). 

BRIK processes your personal data in particular for the following purposes: 

  • In order to allow BRIK to optimally perform the services to which it undertakes, including in the context of student housing or mobility; 
  • The general management of the non-profit association and the realization of its tasks, including: 
  • Projects and events to promote and improve Brussels as a student city; 
  • Facilitating accommodation rental (MyKot) as well as renting out accommodation ourselves; 
  • Strengthening Dutch-language higher education in Brussels; 
  • In order to contact you – if necessary – in the context of the services provided by BRIK, this will mainly be the case if you have concluded a rental agreement with BRIK; 
  • Sending newsletters and offers to students and other parties involved, including with regard to the implementation of its objectives; 
  • Collecting arrears of rent; 
  • To inform future students about studying in Brussels; 
  • Engaging volunteers at events; 
  • Protecting BRIK’s rights in the event of any form of dispute regarding an act or activity of BRIK. 

These actions are either based on the agreement and cooperation between the student or the person concerned and BRIK or on BRIK’s legitimate interests in order to ensure a correct and optimal service. 

With regard to BRIK’s legitimate interests, the data of the students and those involved are used to inform them about products or services similar or related to those that they have previously purchased or that they can use or have already used. 

The processing of personal data by BRIK can also be justified by the legal obligations resting on BRIK. In this context, BRIK is, among other things, subject to tax and accounting rules that oblige the retention and transfer of certain personal data to the competent administrations, and it also fulfils certain legally imposed tasks of its partner institutions in the context of the Higher Education Codex.

4. Retention periods

 BRIK will not store your personal data for longer than is strictly necessary to achieve the purposes for which the data was collected. For example, the data will be kept by BRIK at least during the performance of the services and commitments. Afterwards, BRIK undertakes not to keep this data for longer than 2 years. 

After this period, all personal data will be deleted except for the following categories: 

  • Payments and billing data are kept for an additional period of 5 years (or a total of 7 years) in order to comply with tax obligations. 
  • Any data that must be kept by legal obligations.

5. Transfer and third parties

In principle, your data will only be handled internally by BRIK (and any associated companies, as well as legal successors). In function of the performance of its objectives and tasks, data will also be shared and compiled with BRIK’s partner institutions. Brik’s partner institutions are: 

  • Vrije Universiteit Brussel 
  • Erasmushogeschool Brussel 
  • LUCA – School of Arts 
  • Catholic University Leuven 
  • Odisee 

The personal data processed by BRIK can be used by the various employees of BRIK in order to guarantee the best possible service. 

BRIK hereby guarantees that its employees will only use and process this personal data that is necessary for the performance of his or her tasks. BRIK guarantees that any processing carried out by or for it by a processor will take place in accordance with the applicable regulations. 

BRIK also calls on certain processors to keep its services optimal. This concerns: 

  • Internet environment (hosting website); 
  • IT Infrastructure (Servers, CRM, mail service, etc.); 
  • ISP and telephony providers; 
  • event planners. ( Ex: Eventbrite ) 

Since these external parties may come into contact with personal data, BRIK undertakes to conclude the necessary processing agreements with such external parties in order to ensure adequate protection of personal data. 

Sometimes BRIK is also obliged to transfer your personal data to third parties. This is mainly the case if a law obliges us to do so or if public authorities have the right to request this information from us. In principle, your data will not be transferred to third countries (outside the European Union) nor to any international organizations. 

Statistical data on students in Brussels will also be transmitted to certain public authorities. 

In addition to these recipients, BRIK will not pass on any personal data to a third party without your prior approval.

6. Rights of the data subject

You have the right to inspect and correct the personal data that BRIK stores about you. In addition, you can also request the deletion of your data in the cases provided for by law, in order to: 

  • If the data is no longer necessary to fulfil the purposes of its processing. 
  • If you have withdrawn your consent and there is no other legal basis for processing 
  • If you have exercised your right to object 
  • If there is an unlawful processing 
  • In order to comply with a legal obligation 

You also have the right to consent to a processing of your personal data again (if the processing was based on consent), and subject to the possible influence of this on any services. 

If you dispute the processing of the data by BRIK, you can request the restriction of the processing until a solution to this dispute has been found. 

Finally, you also have a right to transfer your data if the processing takes place via automated processes. You can also object, without any justification, to the use of the personal data for direct marketing. 

If you wish to exercise these rights, you can send an e-mail to the address: welkom@brik.be. 

In order to be able to verify the identity of the applicant and to prevent an unauthorized person from gaining access to personal data that does not concern this person, a copy of the front of your identity card or passport must be attached. 

If you believe that there is reason to do so, you can file a complaint with the Belgian Data Protection Authority: 

Belgian Data Protection Authority: 

Drukpersstraat 35 

1000 BRUSSELS 

+32 (0)2 274 48 00 

+32 (0)2 274 48 35 

commission@privacycommission.be

7. Security of the data.

BRIK permanently monitors the security of the personal data that is stored and processed within its organization. As the controller and potential processor, BRIK undertakes to take all necessary technical and organizational measures to prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access to the personal data entrusted to it. In doing so, it also tries to avoid the loss, destruction or unauthorized distribution of this data. 

BRIK uses systems that are regularly updated, limit access to personal data and contain firewalls that comply with the applicable standard in this regard. BRIK undertakes to inform you of any breach of this privacy statement that may have a serious impact on you.

8. Amendments

BRIK is free to unilaterally change this privacy statement from time to time, if necessary, in accordance with changing legislation. In such case, an announcement will be made on the website.