Housing Britain - Privacy Notice (GDPR)

This notice explains what information I/we collect, when I/we collect it and how I/we use this. During the course of our activities, I/we will process personal data (which may be held on paper, electronically, or otherwise) about you and I/we recognise the need to treat it in an appropriate and lawful manner. The purpose of this notice is to make you aware of how I/we will handle your information.

Who am I?

Housing Britain at 34 Church Street, Dagenham, Essex, RM10 9UR, ("I"/ "we" or "me"/ "us") take the issue of security and data protection very seriously and strictly adhere to guidelines published in the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 which is applicable from the 25th May 2018, together with any domestic laws subsequently enacted.

I/we am/are notified as a Data Controller with the Office of the Information Commissioner under registration number ZA353905 and I/we am/are the data controller of any personal data that you provide to us. Our Data Protection Officer is Ali Turker.

Any questions relating to this notice and our privacy practices should be sent to The Data Protection Officer, Housing Britain, 34 Church Street, Dagenham, Essex, RM10 9UR.

How I/we collect information from you and what information is collected

I/we collect information about you:

From your application for accommodation;
From any local authority;
From any emergency service;
From our general business activities, including but not limited to, placements, property inspections and maintenance services;
From subcontractors, suppliers and other trades people;
From your family, friends and neighbours;
From your employer;
From any third party where you may have been associated to any kind of incidence of whatsoever nature;
From any CCTV;
From any utility provider;
From any financial, credit check or insurance organisation; and
From the Home Office

I/we collect the following information about you:

Prospective tenants and/or guarantor names, email address, date of birth, address (including any previous addresses, relationship to other prospective tenants, employment status, name of university or college where you are studying (if applicable);
Tenant name, email address, telephone number, Date of Birth, address (including any previous addresses), marital status, National Insurance Number, nationality, next of kin, name of university or college where you are studying (if applicable), the name of family and/or friends that you are staying with (if applicable);
Guarantor name, e-mail address, telephone number, Date of Birth, address (including any previous addresses), marital status, National Insurance Number, nationality, next of kin (if applicable);
Property address, term, rent, deposit, utility and service responsibilities;
The employment status of tenants and/or guarantors, address, contact details (including email, phone and fax numbers) of the employer/accountant, payroll numbers, length of employment, salary information (including any regular overtime or commission), and any other income received;
Bank account details of the tenant and prospective tenants, including account number and sort code, and any hire purchase/loan agreements/credit cards or store cards that you have;
Any welfare benefits that you may be eligible for, or are currently on; and
Any information associated to any nonconformance, antisocial behaviour or criminal activity where you are the alleged witness, victim or perpetrator

Why I/we need this information about you and how it will be used

I/we need your information and will use your information:

to undertake and perform our obligations and duties to you in accordance with the terms of our contract with you or any other contract with any associated third party;
to enable us to supply you with the services and information which you have requested;
to help you to manage your tenancy;
to carry out due diligence on any prospective tenant and/or guarantor, including whether there is any money judgements against them, or any history of bankruptcy or insolvency;
to analyse the information we collect so that we can administer, support and improve and develop our business and the services we offer;
to contact you in order to send you details of any changes to our suppliers which may affect you; and
for all other purposes consistent with the proper performance of our operations and business.

Sharing of Your Information

The information you provide to me/us will be treated by me/us as confidential.

I/we may disclose your information to other third parties who act for us for the purposes set out in this notice or for purposes approved by you, including the following:

If I/we enter into a joint venture with or merge with a business entity, your information may be disclosed to our new business partners or owners;
To carry out due diligence on you as a prospective tenant/ guarantor, including but not limited to the carrying out of affordability checks, due diligence checks and the obtaining of references from relevant parties, whose data you have provided;
If you request so, your information shall be disclosed in order to determine if there are any money judgements against you, as the prospective tenant/guarantor, or to determine if they have a history of bankruptcy or insolvency;
If you are unable to make payments under your tenancy, your information may be disclosed to any relevant party assisting in the recovery of this debt or the tracing of you as a tenant;
In the creation, renewal or termination of the tenancy, your information will be disclosed to the relevant local authority, tenancy deposit scheme administrator, service/utility provider, freeholder, leaseholder, factor, facilities manager or any other relevant person or organisation in connection with this; and
If you perpetrate any non-conformance, including any breach of tenancy agreement, antisocial behaviour or crime, then your information may be shared with any third party who may have an interest or connection, including but not limited to, any local authority and emergency service.

Unless required to do so by law, I/we will not otherwise share, sell or distribute any of the information you provide to me/ us without your consent.

Transfers outside the UK and Europe

I/we may transfer your information outside the UK and/or EEA when I/we are overseas and need to access your information; and when you are overseas and have requested us to provide personal information related to you.

Where information is transferred outside the UK or EEA, I/we ensure that there are adequate safeguards in place to protect your information in accordance with this notice, including the following:

Access to information will be password protected
Antivirus software will be maintained

Security

When you give me/us information I/we take steps to make sure that your personal information is kept secure and safe. Our electronic database systems are password protected and have antivirus protection. A copy of the Housing Britain Data Protection Act and Data Protection Privacy Act policies can be found at Housing Britain, 34 Church Street, Dagenham, Essex, RM10 9UR

How long we will keep your information

I/we review my data retention periods regularly and will only hold your personal data for as long as is necessary for the relevant activity, or as required by law (I/we may be legally required to hold some types of information), or as set out in any relevant contract I have with you or any associated third party, which may include but not be limited to, any local authority or utility company. My/our full retention schedule is available at Housing Britain, 34 Church Street, Dagenham, Essex, RM10 9UR.

Your Rights

You have the right at any time to:

ask for a copy of the information about you held by me/ us in my records;
require me/ us to correct any inaccuracies in your information;
make a request to me/ us to delete what personal data of yours I/ we hold; and
object to receiving any marketing communications from me/ us.

Individuals do not have the right to access information related to other individuals hence we will investigate whether or not the disclosure reveals any third-party information. In such cases, information of third parties may need to be obscured/deleted prior to disclosure to avoid unfair intrusion into others privacy.

If access to information could prejudice preventing or detecting crime or apprehending or prosecuting offenders, then we may not disclose information.

If you would like to exercise any of your rights above, please contact me/us at info@housingbritain.com

Making a Complaint

Should you wish to complain about the use of your information, I/we would ask that you contact me/us to resolve this matter in the first instance. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office in relation to my/our use of your information.

England

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House, Water Lane
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Email: casework@ico.org.uk

Scotland

The Information Commissioner's Office
45 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7HL
Telephone: 0131 244 9001
Email: Scotland@ico.org.uk

Wales

Information Commissioner's Office
2nd floor, Churchill House
Churchill way, Cardiff, CF10 2HH
Telephone: 029 2067 8400
Email: wales@ico.org.uk

Northern Ireland

Information Commissioner's Office
3rd Floor, 14 Cromac Place
Belfast, BT7 2JB
Telephone: 028 9027 8757
Email: ni@ico.org.uk

The accuracy of your information is important to me - please help me/us keep my/our records updated by informing me/us of any changes to your email address and other contact details.