Personal Data Act - Where do i stand.

merc1

In sept 2009 I was approached by a sales representative from a major power company. I was pleased with potential saving that I could make by signing over my electric and gas supplier to the company that they were representing. I completed the form\contract, provided my personal details, bank details for direct debit etc. Spoke to a representative of the company over the phone to verify who my current supplier was and that I agree to the switch. Came away from it all thinking great I've made myself a nice saving (over time of course) with a copy of the contract. Two weeks had passed I heard nothing, then a month and then another month. I became quite concerned and telephoned the Power company and I was told that they have not received my contract and if I was sure that I had signed up to that particular power company. I relied all the details I had in my contract including who the sales representative etc. All this information was legit. Then I was passed to the complaints department where they said that they would look into what has happened to my contract containing all my personal details. Its now been a month since the complaint process started and there has not been much progress apart from them calling me up and offering me £50 compensation to resolve the issue as they do not know what has happened to the contract containing my personal information. I had no idea that I would be offered any sort of money as I have made it clear that I will not sign up to the power company after learning that they have lost my personal details, it doesn't give me faith on the service they can offer to me after making such a big mistake what I wanted to know is what has happened to my personal details. They have failed to protect my personal data which by law they are supposed to do, as they are regulated by the FSA. They have failed. Can someone please explain to me what my legal rights are. My main concern is that all my personal details are out there and can be used to obtain a credit card or allow someone to commit some sort of fraud. Knowing the possible potential of crime, its far greater that £50. Advice appreciated.:mad::mad::mad:

hollydays

Sign up to experian,enjoy the £50?
Paperwork gets lost,it may not be sinister.

merc1

Thanks Hollydays for yoru reply.. Signing up to Experian will probably cost me £50. Can a major power company do something like this and get away with it. Sorry for not including the power company's name. Still not sure where I stand and don't want to say too much and get myself in trouble for it.

hollydays

You can usually get a short free trial to experian,if that helps at all.
Perhaps that is what you should spend the £50 on though.

Proc

So what do you want? Close the company down? A million pounds compensation?

Look, it's good practice to be signed-up to for credit reports anyway. I'm surprised that someone as paranoid as yourself hasn't already.

A piece of paper got lost. It could have got shredded, put in wrong file, sent to wrong department, binned, in amongst someone else's file by mistake. The chance of that single piece of paper, being left lying around, with public access to it, in it's full origina readable glory, then being found by someone who knows how to use the information to your detriment (although the damage they can do is limited) and them actually then going ahead and doing it are minimal.

merc1

Thanks Proc. I'm not after money. They have all my personal details. Name address, date of birth and bank details etc... They promise to keep my details safe we both entered into a contract and for them to simply loose it, is not right, I hope they have been shredded or put into the wrong bin. They should implement some sort of control for stuff like this happening. Otherwise companies as big as them will go round doing as they wish. Obviously they put their trust into the sale representatives, who for all I know may have gone to the pub at the end and left my details at the bar. The fact that they called the power company to verify my details and record my verbal agreement over the phone to switch, should have triggered something in their system and suggest that we do not seem to have received this particular persons details\contract. That obviously hasn't happened. So why bother with involved with signing up.

e-victims

You can raise a complaint with the Information Commissioner under the Data Protection act. Their helpline is 08456 306060

You can also consider registering with CIFAS.org.uk which is a service to help provide protection against someone taking out credit in your name. I think the fee is about £10

E-Victims.Org

merc1

I guess i have no other choice. Hopefully the IC will be able to help. Thanks all.

patty65

In sept 2009 I was approached by a sales representative from a major power company

How do you know who he was? Maybe he was collecting data so he can set up fake ID and hasn't got round to using your details yet? How do you know he was going to pass on the details to this mysterious power company?

I would be very carefull and check the bank account that you gave him details for. In fact I would go as far as closing that bank account.

They have all my personal details. Name address, date of birth and bank details etc

I would also check that no one has been trying to get a copy of your birth certificate, as no power company that I have ever changed to has asked for my date of birth.

Patrick

hippey

Patty65 I was thinking the same myself, random man approches me and says put all your details on this form and I'll give you cheap electric and gas ????

He could be anyone, maybe he does work for Xpower company and he just hasn't put the form in yet, one salesman making a mistake is hardly a big deal and £50 compo is excellent & if the OP has not been tranfered to the new supplier yet the saleman has not got his commission yet either!

As other posters have said sign up to a free trial with a credit agency, or even pay the couple of quid and get your report. I would not loose sleep over this.

dreamypuma

merc1 wrote: »

I relied all the details I had in my contract including who the sales representative etc. All this information was legit. Then I was passed to the complaints department where they said that they would look into what has happened to my contract containing all my personal details.

Maybe patty65 missed this bit of the original post? Not the easiest to read, but I'm sure it gets the point across.