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

darkblue_2

xXMessedUpXx wrote: »

They can have my details if I can have all of theirs. there should be a way to check for unscrupulous landlords too. (At the minute there's only the responsible landlord scheme-if they choose to eb a aprt of it)

Hear Hear!

The only protection I have is checking the land register to see if the landlord actually OWNS the property. Seems silly, but you can't be too careful.

tbs624

lynzpower wrote: »

When I speak to the information commissioner Ill be finding out if I can also run my own alternative site for tenants to upload information regarding their terrible landlords as well . Of course theyll have an opportuniy to upload photos full descriptions of any problems theyve had.....

I tend to have a hotline to the ICO think they know me there.

Tbs dont you love the phtrase DATA CREEP , thats what it is an insidious creep and before you know it..

Any news Lynz?

clutton_2

i note that Lynzpower has not come back here to tell us what the Data Commissioner said......

lynzpower

sorry i completely forgot to phone them as have a lot on- thanks for the reminder, i might bell them tomorrow

dizziblonde

No I don't have any hidden agenda. I simply object to my personal data, tarred with someone else's opinon... or memory of me (and so many pieces of research have shown how memory can fail) is going to be stored without any right of tenants to appeal or correct errors in data. I'm happy to provide references, to provide proof of who I am, what I earn etc - but I'm not at all happy about it because yet again it's assuming all tenants are scummy scoundrels, on the make and the scam and only one step above common criminals.

We've seen in the past how the LLs on here tend to take that view. You'd all be up in arms if we had set up a similar site designed to name and shame landlords who don't do repairs, who try to con people out of deposits, who try to make people live in unsafe, unhealthy and just downright unpleasant conditions - you'd all be up in arms demanding a right of appeal, a right to correct things and your personal rights to privacy, data protection etc.

Yet because it's those scummy tenants - it's perfectly acceptable to treat them like scum - after all - they rent so it's all they're worth.

Sooner we get this mortgage approved and never have to deal with scumbag landlords again - the better.

neverdespairgirl

HappyLandlord wrote: »

All you people who doubt or worry about the excellent service that is being supplied must surely have their own hidden agendas and I am right behind Clutton. Why dont you go on to their site and contact them with your worries and stop hiding behind forums like this?

No hidden agenda. I just don't like people's private data being splashed all over the place with no control.

millym

The system operated by this website is clearly open to abuse.

In my previous tenancy, where I lived for 7 years, trouble free, no rent arrears etc, I gave my LL 1 months notice in writing that I was leaving. He was straight on the phone, saying, oh millym, please don't leave, you're my best tenant etc etc. In fact he phoned several times, trying to talk me into staying. As I was relocating, this was not an option for me.

I had asked him to provide LA with a reference, which he happily agreed to. However, LA were unable to contact him at all, and kept phoning me, asking me to chase it up, while I was still in the old property. Suddenly old LL, who always answered his phone, became unobtainable.

On the day I was to get the keys to my new place, they still couldn't get a hold of him, and eventually gave me the keys without having spoken to him.

As you can imagine, all this was very embarassing for me. I can only think that old LL thought that if he didn't give me a reference, I wouldn't be able to move out.

I think a website like this could do a lot of harm, albeit in an attempt to weed out bad tenants. Would a tenant even know if they were refused a tenancy due to incorrect/deceitful info from this site?

LydiaJ

bitsandpieces wrote: »

Even if the use of data is DPA compliant, there is also an obligation to take reasonable steps to keep it secure. Does LRS do this? Someone fresh out of prison for identity theft could quite legally set up 'Freddy the Fraudster Letting Agency' the same week they're released - could they immediately (before even taking on any properties to let) register on this site and access all the tenant info on there?

I've checked the LRS website to find out how it works. The people who need to be really worried are people who are renting for the first time.

Ok are you ready- this is how it works:

The 1st security system in place : a landlord can search for a tenant and if that tenant is on the data base, a reference is passed on and the landlord can directly contact the listed landlord to obtain a reference from which they can then make a decision as to whether to take the tenant or not. In a perfect world this would be fine BUT we are not in one SO be proactive:

The 2nd security system in place to protect landlords against bad tenants and the reason that all landlords should be members irrespective whether they are looking for a reference or not is because of the alert system which only goes out to members; When a Landlord searches a name and if the search comes back with “No Information” this may be for one of two reasons – firstly, it may be their previous landlord has not become a member (which we cannot prevent) or secondly it may be that their previous landlord has not uploaded them but for whichever reason there is a solution. If Landlords request a “extended search” in the message box which is at the bottom of the search a tenant page, this will initiate their data controller to send out an alert to all the members in their area to ask whether any member has any knowledge of the prospective tenant. The reason for this is that many Landlords physically cannot go back over the years and upload their old tenants but they generally can remember them; so, by sending out alerts it does give us the opportunity to prod a landlord into recalling that tenant - especially if it was a bad one, This helps the Landlord who registered the tenant two-fold; firstly, if the tenant is going to do a “moonlight” and breach his existing agreement, then this will be the first warning that their tenant is on the move and, secondly, if the tenant has already left, then it will give the old landlord the opportunity to contact the proposed one and let them know, without doubt, if the tenant has conned or scammed them. It is a double secure system for both the old and the new Landlord.

The 3rd system, which is again why every Landlord should be a member, is that any member who has discovered a tenant has done a runner owing them rent and/or damaged their property, can email their data controller and ask them to send out an alert to every other Landlord in the surrounding areas that the said tenant has absconded breaching their tenancy agreement and that other landlords should be aware that they may be looking for accommodation elsewhere. This will immediately alert other landlords of a potential rogue tenant as well as working on a back to back telling the last landlord where their rogue tenant has gone so they can then pursue them for the outstanding debts they owe.

So, if you have never rented before, or have never rented in this country before, then the database won't find a reference for you. It will then send out your name, DoB and NINo to every LL in the area who's a member - including the chap running "Freddie the Fraudster Letting Agency".

clutton_2

LLs will not only use LRS to make decisions as to whether to offer a prospective tenant a new tenancy or not...

There are many other ways to check up on the information provided by a prospective tenant - its only if these other ways (credit check - employment check - previous landlord check, electoral roll, etc) produce unsatisfactory data that i will be using LRS to supplement my normal vetting procedures....

i have received alerts about 2 LHA-thieving tenants in the last 2 months and NO NINO has been circulated...

I am sure most landlords dont think of their tenants as scum.... i certainly dont... and it saddens me to think that some tenants think all landlords think like this ... we dont....

My tenants are my customers who are looking after my asset ... and i treat them with respect - as do the majority of landlords

tbs624

HappyLandlord wrote: »

I have been a member of LRS for about a month now and was following the threads and last week I was alerted about a tenant who had left another Landlord leaving such landlord with a damaged property and rent arrears. I spoke to the Landlord and was also put in touch with the previous Landlord to find the tenant had done it to them too - clearly a serial swindler and I was saved by LRS. THANK YOU. All you people who doubt or worry about the excellent service that is being supplied must surely have their own hidden agendas and I am right behind Clutton. Why dont you go on to their site and contact them with your worries and stop hiding behind forums like this?

Hmmm, any connection at all to LRS "Happy Landlord"? I think we can guess the answer.:D

No -one is hiding behind anything on this forum , except perhaps you, and the LAs/LLs tittle tattling and sharing T's personal data via websites such as the one in question.

Good to hear that you are behind Clutton ( I do hope she doesn't mind you standing that close ). Whilst I can understand her distress at dealing with occasional difficult Ts, she has AFAIAA always avoided answering questions about how much of her own personal information she would like to share with Ts, in return for insisting on having the maximum amount of theirs