SWLA’s Guide to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which will apply from 25th May 2018
GDPR will form the new standard by which landlords and agents deal with personal information from their tenants, prospective tenants, residents and guarantors and any others from whom they collect information. It replaces the Data Protection Act and introduces significant changes to the way you should process personal information.
1. If you haven’t done so already, register with the ICO (Information Commissioners Office). It costs £40.00 per year for most landlords.
www.ico.org.uk/for-organisations/register/
2. Use the ICO’s ‘12 step process’ to review your business and make adjustments to comply with GDPR;
https://ico.org.uk/media/1624219/preparing-for-the-gdpr-12-steps.pdf
3. You as a landlord are the ‘Data Controller’. Operations which are subject to GDPR are called ‘Data Processing’ and includes collecting data, storing data, altering data, sharing data and destroying/deleting data. Part of the ‘12 step process’ is to review and audit all the information that you receive and record what you do with it.
4. Another important part of the ’12 step process’ is to issue all new/existing tenants/residents, guarantors and prospective tenants with an updated privacy notice.