Cosmopolitan Housing Association : About us : Data Protection

About us : Data Protection

The Data Protection Act give you the legal right to see information we hold about you.

It says that we must:

make sure that any personal information we keep is accurate, and that we remove it when we no longer need it
deal with requests for information and queries promptly
advise and assist you with making requests for information
help you understand any information we provide

We receive information about you in two main ways:

you give us most of the information we hold when you fill in forms before you become a tenant and during your tenancy
other agencies that work with you, such as Councils and perhaps the police, sometimes pass on personal information to us

Data may be placed in two categories: personal data; and sensitive personal data. Information categorised as sensitive personal data relates to information about the following:

Racial or ethnic origin
Political opinion
Religious beliefs or other beliefs of a similar nature
Whether a person is a member of a trade union
Physical or mental health condition
His/her sexual life
Commission or alleged commission of any offence
Any proceedings for any offence, disposal or sentence

How do we use this information?

If you apply for a home we use information you give us about your rehousing needs to decide what kind of home you need and how quickly you need to move there. When you become a tenant we use your personal information to help us manage your home and the surrounding neighbourhood, such as the kind of support and services you need.

How do we share this information?

We share your information with other agencies like Councils, or the police, but only when we need to - for example to prevent crime or provide extra support. We ask them to keep the information safe and remove it from their files when they no longer need it. They are not allowed to pass the information on to anyone else.

How can you see the information we keep about you?

You have the right to see any of the information we hold about you. To ask for the information you can print out this request form, if you are unable to print out this form please request one from the Resident Involvement Team on 0151 224 0204 or e mail getinvolved@cosmopolitanhousing.co.uk, once you have completed the form please return it to:

Cosmopolitan Housing Association

Cosmopolitan House

2 Marybone

Liverpool

L3 2BY

If you need to, you can ask someone else to fill in the form for you. We will acknowledge your request and send what you have asked for within 40 working days (eight weeks). The law says we must do this under the 'Data Protection Act'

Please note: There is a Ł10 charge for requesting access to information.

What if you're unhappy with how we keep your information?

If you feel that the way we use or keep your information is causing you damage or distress you can write and ask us to stop using the information (see address above). We do not have to do that if:

you have said we can use the information (such as your housing application)
we are using it to perform a service for you (such as maintaining your home)
we must use the information by law (such as in anti-social behaviour cases or criminal activities)

© Cosmopolitan Housing Association - Exempt Charity under Charities Act 1960 and 1992
Registered with the Housing Corporation (LH1298) and the F.S.A. (19012R) a charitable Industrial and Provident Society
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