My credit card details held against my wishes

UKContractor

Hi

I've just renewed with Tesco car insurance for another year. Afterwards I asked them once again to turn off autorenew which keeps mysteriously turning itself on . Anyway never mind.

The transaction has taken place now but they still are holding my credit card details, I have asked them to take it off and they refuse saying this is industry standard etc, I even spoke to a manager.

So what out my rights here? I thought data protection act may cover this? I don't want them to retain my credit card details.

Thanks

unholyangel

Data protection would cover it however data protection only really sets out principles.

For example you can object to a company processing your data - but that company doesn't have to stop processing your data if they have a valid reason.

Even if retailers have systems that allow you to register & delete payment methods, they will undoubtedly keep a record of any transactions using whatever payment methods for tax purposes and to prove compliance with money laundering laws etc.

meer53

What worries you about them keeping the details ?

ARandomMiser

In this digital era i think we have to accept that companies hang onto information. Possibly because their systems have the means of collecting data but no facility to selectively delete items. The solution is simple ...... Only use companies that meet your digital needs.

agrinnall

ARandomMiser wrote: »

Possibly because their systems have the means of collecting data but no facility to selectively delete items.

That wouldn't be a valid reason under the DPA. Any company claiming that would be in breach of (at least) Principle 5 of Schedule 1.

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/data-protection-principles/

bris

It would only breach the DPA if they shared those details without permission.


Companies can hold onto your info for six years as long as they keep them safe.

Hermione_Granger

bris wrote: »

Companies can hold onto your info for six years as long as they keep them safe.

That's not correct.
There is no time limit specified in the DPA that personal data can be held for.
However, it should only be held for as long as there is a valid reason for doing so.
If the OP doesn't have a continuous payment agreement in place then I can't see a valid reason for keeping the card details.

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/principle-5-retention/

In brief – what does the Data Protection Act say about keeping personal data?

The Act does not set out any specific minimum or maximum periods for retaining personal data. Instead, it says that:

Personal data processed for any purpose or purposes shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose or those purposes.

[Deleted User]

bris wrote: »

Companies can hold onto your info for six years as long as they keep them safe.

While six years is certainly the deadline most institutions choose to observe, it's not a statutory obligation. They can therefore delete the information sooner, or keep it for far longer, if they have valid reasons for doing so.

UKContractor

Hermione_Granger wrote: »

That's not correct.
There is no time limit specified in the DPA that personal data can be held for.
However, it should only be held for as long as there is a valid reason for doing so.
If the OP doesn't have a continuous payment agreement in place then I can't see a valid reason for keeping the card details.

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/principle-5-retention/

That's how I see it.

martinsurrey

Hermione_Granger wrote: »

If the OP doesn't have a continuous payment agreement in place then I can't see a valid reason for keeping the card details.

While the policy is active the OP could cancel and get a refund of unused premiums, that refund would be made to the same card as the payment was taken from, to help comply with money laundering and fraud, so they need the card details on file.

That's a good enough reason.

Hoof_Hearted

You could get a new card. Just tell the card company the old one has split and is unusable.