GDPR compliance for property guardian providers

Do you process data?
 As part of the property guardian application process, you will gather personal data about those applicants. That data helps you to decide whether the property guardian’s application has been successful. But did you know that anyone who processes data (which you are doing as part of the application process) has a legal responsibility to protect that information under data protection law?

What’s the issue?
Common complaints from tenants/licensees to the ICO relating to lack of data protection include:

• Inaccurate recordkeeping which may lead to anxiety
• Necessary repairs being refused due to a misunderstanding about data sharing
• Concerns from residents who require extra support due to language barriers, health or additional needs or where there is a history of domestic abuse

The ICO’s complaints data suggests there is a lack of understanding about data protection law by some organisations in the UK housing sector.

Common issues
Common data protection issues that may arise through the property guardianship model include:

• Inappropriate disclosures of personal information.
• Failure to keep accurate records – including a need to train staff on the correct processes.
• What personal data is necessary and appropriate to process? For example, when taking photos of a property guardian’s room during a routine inspection, or as evidence of items left behind after they have vacated (find out more about this in our article – What to do if a property guardian leaves items behind?) is there a risk of breaching data privacy?

What are the potential consequences of getting it wrong?
Property guardian providers must comply with GDPR law to avoid any breaches or fines. As well as potential regulatory fines issued, there could be potential reputational damages if you are “named and shamed” by the ICO, and/or if you have to pay compensation for data losses or illegal disclosure.

What next?
Safeguarding sensitive information is not only essential for maintaining compliance but also for fostering trust with your property guardians and employees.  Our Data Privacy expert, Penny Bygrave, recently shared some practical insight relating to data protection in the workplace, which may also be of interest – Data protection in the Workplace: 5 quick wins. Stay vigilant, stay secure!

We offer a range of GDPR support packages tailored to your needs, to find out more, please take a look at our Support for the DPO Package.  If you would like to discuss how best to approach GDPR compliance within your business please contact our Data Privacy team at dataprivacy@greenwoods.co.uk.