Confidentiality and data protection
Why we need to hold information about you
The Trust holds a range of information on all of its tenants
because:
- It enables us to fulfil our contract with you - in order
to provide you with housing which meets your needs we need certain
information about you and your family.
- We may need more information if you live in a sheltered or
supported scheme.
- In order for us to help you claim benefits or to apply for
grants, we may need further information about your
circumstances.
- We may hold information as a result of any investigations we
follow when a tenant has breached the terms of their tenancy.
- Regulatory bodies, like the Tenant Services Authority, require
us to keep certain information.
- From the transfer applications that we receive, it helps
identify the need for more family accommodation.
How we collect information?
Most of the information that we have comes from you. We
receive it in the form of housing application forms, transfer
requests, letters, where necessary, notes of conversations or
meetings we may have had.
We make every effort to ensure that any information is accurate
and up to date so if any of your details change please let us
know.
Confidentiality
The information that we hold can be personal and sensitive so it
is very important that it’s secure and we treat any information we
have as confidential.
Any information we have is held securely in locked desks or
filing cabinets. It is not left unattended.
Our staff are careful not to discuss confidential matters where
others may overhear. If you need to discuss any private
matters with us we can arrange to meet somewhere where this can be
respected. Information is held only as long as it is
needed. Once it is no longer needed it is destroyed using
secure methods. If the information is held on a tenant’s file
and they leave the Trust, then the information is archived for a
limited period then destroyed securely.
Any breaches of confidentiality by our staff are viewed very
seriously.
Passing on information
We will only pass on information about you if we have your
permission, but there are some exceptions. By law, we are obliged
to pass on details if:
- There are child protection concerns.
- There are concerns about the abuse of the elderly or any other
vulnerable person(s).
- To prevent terrorism.
- In cases of crime prevention or when the police are
investigating a crime.
- There are concerns that an individual is a danger to themselves
or others.
- There is clear evidence of fraud.
- It is essential to allow the Trust to carry out its
duties.
- It is used anonymously for statistical or research purposes.
This might be basic information such as name, gender, date of birth
and ethnicity.
Generally only Trust staff are entitled to see and process
data.
Your rights under the Data Protection Act 1998
We are registered with the Data Protection Commissioner and
follow approved codes of practice on the holding of personal
information.
Under the law on Data Protection you have the following
rights:
- To know why information is being collected and/or
processed.
- To have a description of the information being collected and/or
processed.
- To have access to the information the Trust holds on you except
in special circumstances.
- To know who else may see information and for what purpose.
- Information must be accurate and relevant and not
excessive.
- Information must only be kept as long as is necessary.
- Information must be protected against accidental loss,
unauthorised use or processing.
- If any information we hold on you is not accurate we will
correct it or put a note on your file noting your concern(s).
How to access information that we hold about
you
You can write to the Data Protection Officer
to request to see what information we hold about you. We charge a
£10 administration fee and we will need to check your identity
first.
We may not be able to give you access to information if this also
involves giving information about someone else. If it has been
supplied by someone else, we may need their permission first.
Send questions and requests about data protection to the Data
Protection Officer at:
The Maltings
River Place
Lower Bristol Road
Bath
BA2 1EP