Private sector housing privacy notice
This privacy notices sits beneath the Council’s top level privacy notice and provides information about how personal data is used by Hackney’s private sector housing team for:
- the property licensing scheme, and tenure intelligence project
Please see the main privacy notice for details on your rights and who to contact about use of personal data.
On this page:
Why do we collect data?
We need your information in order to process property licensing applications and locate properties in Hackney that may need a property license, as well as other service requirements.
The information we collect is in order to fulfil our statutory duties under the Housing Act 2004 including, but not restricted to:
- part 1 housing conditions
- part 2 licensing of houses in multiple occupation
- part 3 selective licensing of other residential accommodation
- part 4 additional control provisions in relation to residential accommodation
What legally allows us to collect and use your data?
Section 3 of the Housing Act 2004 states that it is a statutory duty for a local housing authority to keep the housing conditions in their area under review with a view to identifying any action that may need to be taken by them under any of the provisions.
Section 237 of Housing Act 2004 outlines how we can use information obtained, such as for the purpose of investigation whether any offence has been committed under Parts 1 to 4 of Housing Act 2004.
What data do we collect?
We collect personal and individual data primarily. This data, such as names, allows us to predict the number of occupants at a given property, and thus predict the type of tenure. However, when processing personal data, it is pseudonymised to ensure that no personal data is visible.
Where we share your data
From time to time, we are obliged to consult within the Council, with external agencies and with residents depending on the nature of work being carried out.
This may involve our sharing and obtaining of relevant information. As previously stated, where personal data is shared, it is pseudonymised so that it is not visible to external agencies.
We also receive allegations about poor housing conditions and unlawful privately rented housing activity, such as overcrowding.
We investigate and decide whether or not to act. Allegations are a useful way for us to learn about potential breaches of a licence and failure to license.
Private sector housing treat the personal details of the persons who make the allegation in confidence.
These personal details are not made public. We are required by statute to make public any enforcement notices we serve.
Statistical analysis
We use data collected to produce tenure information and performance statistics. Data used is pseudonymised, so that personal and individual data is not visible in the results. You can compare Hackney with other councils via the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
How long we keep your data for
This data will be retained for the duration of the licensing scheme, until October 2023. You can find out about other retention schedules on our main privacy notice.
Your rights
Please see our main privacy notice for more details on your right:
- to be informed
- to access your personal data
- to rectify your personal data if it is incorrect
- to restrict our processing of your personal data
If you do find that the information we hold on you is incorrect, you should contact us as soon as possible at property.licensing@hackney.gov.uk to update our records.