Lincshomefinder

Privacy Notice

How we use your personal information

Lincshomefinder is a partnership of City of Lincoln Council and North Kesteven District Council. The Partners are what is known as 'Joint Controllers' of the data you provide and are each registered with the Information Commissioner's Office. The Partners take your privacy seriously and we will process your personal information:

• fairly, lawfully and keep you informed of how we do this
• keep your information accurate, with your assistance and rectify any inaccuracies
• retain your information only for as long as necessary (6 years from the end of the tenancy agreement or any unsuccessful application)
• store your information securely at a level appropriate for its sensitivity
• not share your personal information with third parties without your consent, unless they are processing this on our behalf, or because we are legally required to or it is necessary for us to perform our statutory functions under the Housing Act 1996.

We are processing your personal information for the purposes of considering and administrating your application for housing, on the basis that this is necessary for us to deliver our statutory functions under Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996.

Where any personal information requested by us, is not necessary for this purpose, you will be given an option to provide the information in your application and whether you choose to provide this or not will have no effect on your application.

Who might we share your personal information with?

These third parties may include where necessary passing your information and receiving information about you and your family with the agencies/services listed below:

• Other sections of either City of Lincoln Council or North Kesteven District Council and other Local Authorities
• Housing Associations where applicable for example Longhurst, Derwent, Waterloo, ACIS
• Landlords
• Credit agencies
• General practitioner’s (GPs) - only with your consent
• Department of work and pensions
• Police
• Health authorities

This may include the sharing of your personal information which is sensitive for example regarding you or your family's health, although only where you have consented or it is necessary to perform our statutory functions under the Housing Act 1996. Where you provide information about your family we assume you have done so with their consent.

We are also under a duty to protect the public funds we administer and we may use the information you have provided for the prevention and detection of fraud. We may also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes. For further information and contact details, see www.lincoln.gov.uk/dmnotice

How can I access the personal information you hold about me?

You have the right to request access to your information, to request that it be rectified if incorrect, to object to or restrict its processing and to its erasure in certain circumstances.

Your housing application is decided upon using a point based system which is automated by an IT system. For further information as to how this works see our policy. You have a right to obtain human intervention, to express your point view and to contest the automated decision if believe it to be incorrect.

If you want to know more about your rights relating to the personal information we hold about you or you have a complaint regarding the way we have handled your personal information please contact our Data Protection Officer, City of Lincoln Council, City Hall, Beaumont Fee, LN1 1DD (dpo@lincoln.gov.uk) if you have expressed a wish to live in Lincoln or for North Kesteven (customer_services@n-kesteven.gov.uk).

If you however you remain unhappy, then you have a right to complain to the Information Commissioner at: - Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Telephone: 01625 545 700 www.ico.org.uk