Housing Development and Strategy privacy notice

Housing Development and Strategy at New Forest District Council (NFDC) is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. For the purpose of the 2018 General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Controller is New Forest District Council, Appletree Court, Beaulieu Road, Lyndhurst, Hampshire SO43 7PA (data.protection@nfdc.gov.uk).

When you contact the Housing Development and Strategy Team we will ask you for certain personal and financial information. Some of this information will need to be recorded and stored on our systems. This Privacy Notice aims to explain:

The different kinds of personal data we process
How we use your data
How we store your data
Why we process your data
When and why we shared your information
What are the legal grounds for processing your information

1. What kind of personal data we process

When you contact Housing Development and Strategy we will collect certain personal information from you, for example your name, contact details, date of birth, information on family members, your employment, what property you own and financial information.

The type of information we collect will depend on the service you are requesting, or activity you are participating in, for example raising a development or strategic housing enquiry, applying for shared ownership, or taking part in housing needs research.

2. How we use your data

The information you provide us is used in a variety of ways depending on the activity:

Assessing eligibility for the Council's shared ownership scheme
Assessing applications to purchase a Council shared ownership home, including financial, affordability and national status checks.
Letting you know of shared ownership housing available for purchase
Completing the sale of property to you
Addressing and completing development related land or property enquiries and acquisitions.
Entering a lease agreement, or license.
Completing development related land or property matters you are dealing with the council about, e.g. valuations
Arranging building inspections, defects inspection and works related to your property
To help us investigate any concerns or complaints that you may have about services you receive from us.
Identify and assess levels of need and demand for affordable housing
To advise you of other council housing services.
To assess applications for development grant funding, including the Community-led Housing Fund.
To award and monitor grant funding.
To let you know of any relevant changes to national or local policy affecting your enquiry or the service we are providing.
Analyse, evaluate and collate consultation feedback.

If you have contacted us and require a reply, your information is needed to enable us to make contact with you or to process your request.

If you chose not to provide some of the required information, we may not be able to progress your request.

3. How we store your data

The information we collect is recorded and then stored on our secure system. Where you have purchased a property from us your data will be recorded and stored on our property and housing management data base systems.

Shared Ownership Interest List - 24 months
Shared ownership leaseholders - 12 years after the end of the lease
Covid-secure questionnaires - 1 month
Housing Needs Survey - 24 months
Consultations - 12 months
General enquiries - 12 months

4. Why we need to process your data

We need to process your data in order to

provide you with the services you are requesting
provide services in the public interest
complete the actions and activities identified in section 2

In you have contacted us and a reply to your enquiry has been requested, your information is needed to enable us to follow this up.

5. When and why we share your information

Sometimes, in order to provide the services you have requested we will need to share your information with other services within the Council, or with other external organisations.

Shared with	What and why
Legal Services	To complete the acquisition or sale of land or property, including shared ownership staircasing and re-sales. To enter into a lease agreement and licences To enter into a grant agreement. Name, address, contact details, financial information and details of legal representative.
Finance	To complete lease, land or property acquisition or sale, including shared ownership shaircasing and re-sales. To collect or return shared ownership reservation fees To make grant payments Name, address, contact details and financial information
Housing Services	Your contact details will retained on our Housing and Property services secure data systems to manage your lease, provide housing, repairs and estate services. Name, age, contact details, financial information, details of household members.
Estates and Valuation Services	To process enquiries concerning land or property acquisition or sale. Name, address and contact details.
External contractors	To carryout defects inspection and complete defects repairs works. Name, address, contact details.
External solicitors where engaged to process work on behalf of the Council	To complete the acquisition or sale of land or property, including shared ownership staircasing and re-sales. Complete lease agreements and licences Name, address, contact details, financial information and details of legal representative.
Financial Institutions & Advisors	To complete shared ownership eligibility and affordability assessments and credit checks. Name, address, contact details, financial and employment details, household members.

This is not an exhaustive list, and information may need to be shared with other Council Services or external organisations where there is a legal basis to do so.

6. What are the legal grounds for processing your information?

Where you have given your consent to do so;
In order to comply with a legal obligation;
Where there is a public interest to do so or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Council;
Where there is a legitimate interest for the Council to do so;

If you wish to withdraw this consent, you can do so by contact us at the address above or by contact Housing Development and Strategy at housing.development@nfdc.gov.uk

7. Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you have rights including:

Your right of access - You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information.
Your right to rectification - You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.
Your right to erasure - You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.
Your right to restriction of processing - You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
Your right to object to processing - You have the the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
Your right to data portability - You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances. You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights.

If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you. Please contact us at data.protection@nfdc.gov.uk if you wish to make a request.

8. More Information

We work hard to ensure that we only gather information that we need to process your enquiry, or delivery our services. However, if you have any concerns relating to this or your privacy in general, please email housing.development@nfdc.gov.uk.

For further information, plus information on access, portability, withdrawal of consent, correction etc. please see:

Information Rights Policy (PDF, 237 KB)

9. How to complain

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to us at Amanda.wilson@nfdc.gov.uk.

You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data. The ICO's address:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113 ICO

Website: https://www.ico.org.uk