Tenants - are you happy for your personal data to be shared ?

tbs624

Tenants may want to take a look at this web site.

LLs and LAs are being encouraged to upload their current ( and past ) tenants' names, addresses, DOBs , NINOs etc to a database, the purpose of which is ostensibly to alert LLs to "problem" Ts.

It' s apparently the brainchild of one Paul Routledge, a LL with a portfolio of around 100 houses - see related newspaper article here

bitsandpieces

Aren't there major DPA issues here, not to mention potential libel?

PasturesNew

The Data Protection Act has been broken if data supplied is used for a new purpose to which it was intended when handed over.

So, you'd have your name/address on an AST and in an agent's rolladex ... but once they post that information into the online database, that's broken the DPA.

And ... as it's held on a computer system, doesn't that now mean that everybody could request details of everything that's held about them?

I can understand that it's a great idea... I just think it's underhand, possibly illegal ... and all the other things.

I do support the idea of good/bad tenants getting what they deserve, but fail to see that this website will achieve it.

lynzpower

TBS Have you just found this?

I might run this past the information commissioner on Monday if you havent already?

NI number and DOB :eek: Sounds like a recipe for ID fraud to me !!!!!!!

PasturesNew

The date at the bottom of the privacy page says: "September 2005"

PasturesNew

Any landlords on here use it? Go on ... sign up with a new ID here if you have to .... tell us.

Do they have 3 people on it, or 3000?

clutton_2

the DP issues have been very thoroughly debated over on Property Tribes forum if anyone wants to read over there... there was a Very Heated Debate over there with many landlords being very cynical - it did go off track in a silly way for a while.....

the NI number is simply used to prevent someone with an identical name being the subject of referencing incorrectly

Whenever a tenant signs a tenancy application form (eg the one on landlorzone) they agree to their data being used for referencing, credit checking, fraudulent activity etc - the DP disclaimer clause which is quite legal

Having lost a considerable amount of money last year i have signed up...

Up to now i have received the name and NI number of a tenant submitted by another landlord ... thats all ..... if i want further information (if that tenant were to approach me for a tenancy for example) i contact LRS who put me in contact with the ex-landlord and i would speak on the phone to him/her about said tenant.

We as landlords have to find a way of identifying the pool of "professional tenants" who spend their lives stealing tax payers money, not paying rent, damaging properties, clogging up court time, and causing untold misery, and damaging the good reputation of the vast majority of the tenant pool due to their illegal and fraudulent behaviours...

I appreciate this will be a contentious issue......

MissMoneypenny

http://www.bileta.ac.uk/Document%20Library/1/Data%20protection%20and%20database%20theory%20-%20Applying%20database%20design%20principles%20to%20personal%20data%20identification.pdf

MissMoneypenny

clutton wrote: »

the NI number is simply used to prevent someone with an identical name being the subject of referencing incorrectly

That is enough for a landlord or letting agent to use that information to commit fraud.......or sell it on. Landlords and letting agents aren't regulated.

clutton wrote: »

Up to now i have received the name and NI number of a tenant submitted by another landlord ... thats all .....

So you are admitting to accessing and downloading someones personal ID.

tbs624

clutton wrote: »

the NI number is simply used to prevent someone with an identical name being the subject of referencing incorrectly

NINOs are increasingly being used for purposes for which they were never intended. Look on the back of your NI card " this card is not a form of ID"

clutton wrote: »

Whenever a tenant signs a tenancy application form (eg the one on landlorzone) they agree to their data being used for referencing, credit checking, fraudulent activity etc - the DP disclaimer clause which is quite legal

Perhaps Ts need to start adding their own clauses/striking through those which they feel are detrimental.This seems to me to be an example of data creep

clutton wrote: »

Having lost a considerable amount of money last year i have signed up...

Up to now i have received the name and NI number of a tenant submitted by another landlord ... thats all ..... if i want further information (if that tenant were to approach me for a tenancy for example) i contact LRS who put me in contact with the ex-landlord and i would speak on the phone to him/her about said tenant.

We as landlords have to find a way of identifying the pool of "professional tenants" who spend their lives stealing tax payers money, not paying rent, damaging properties, clogging up court time, and causing untold misery, and damaging the good reputation of the vast majority of the tenant pool due to their illegal and fraudulent behaviours...

This is not simply a database of Ts who have created problems -the idea is that LLs upload as much T info as they can recall.You may well have people's personal data in there from tenancies that existed two/three or more years ago and who, having now bought their own properties are unlikely to be renting a property again. Data must not be held for longer than is necessary.

We could argue that Ts equally need to be able to ID those LLs who may seek to deprive them of their deposits, fail to maintain their properties, fail to undertake gas safety checks et al.

Would you be okay about your Ts asking for your NINO and DOB and uploading that to a site set up by a random T?

Who vets the vetters Clutton?

tbs624

The site's Ts and Cs :

"T&C's

Membership to LRS requires all landlords to:

• Upload ALL tenants to their "LRS File"
• Keep their "LRS File" up to date in order to receive FREE searches on the LRS database
• Only submit truthful and accurate "Tenant Ratings"

My highlighting - yep, folks, that's "all Ts" personal data

LRS is in no way responsible for the "Rating" a landlord assigns to a tenant.
Tenant references are supplied for information purposes only and are in no way the opinion of LRS.
It is the landlords decision whether to accept the reference or not.

Landlord reference relies on the honesty of landlords. Any landlord who breaches the system by offering a good reference when they are aware that a tenant is bad or dishonest, in order to get rid of a tenant, will immediately be removed as a member - without question or right to appeal."

How about any LL who offers a poor reference for a T who has reliably met their own obligations but has raised legitimate complaints about their LLs shortcomings? A sort of extension of the good old retaliatory eviction...any sanctions to be applied for that one?


Please note Ts that you will have to pay 10 quid to find out what this site holds in its clutches about you, plus fill in a form detailing your.. erm .. DOB and your NINO. If you weren't on there before your enquiry , it's likely that you will be afterwards......