Private sector housing privacy notice

Who is the Data Controller for the information I provide?

The information that you provide private sector housing service (housing enforcement, selective and HMO licensing) will be processed by Liverpool City Council, which is the data controller for the purposes of the Data Protection Act and GDPR.

What is the legal basis for collecting and processing this data?

Article 6 (c) of GDPR allows private sector housing service to process your information, as processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject, specifically the Housing Act 2004.

What information may we collect from you?

In order to fulfil its statutory obligations, the private sector housing service collects a range of information about you. This includes your name, address, business name and address, age, telephone number, date of birth.

Information collected under Part 2 and 3 of the Housing act 2004 requires that information is required to fulfil its statutory requirements this is to include the name, address, telephone number and e-mail address of:

  • the applicant
  • the proposed licence holder
  • the person managing the HMO or house
  • the person having control of the HMO or house
  • any person who has agreed to be bound by a condition contained in the licence
  • the address of the HMO or house for which the application is being made
  • details of any unspent convictions that may be relevant to the proposed licence holder’s fitness to hold a licence, or the proposed manager’s fitness to manage the HMO or house, and, in particular any such conviction in respect of any offence involving fraud or other dishonesty, or violence or drugs or any offence listed in Schedule 3 to the Sexual Offences Act 2003(a)
  • details of any finding by a court or tribunal against the proposed licence holder or manager that he has practised unlawful discrimination on grounds of sex, colour, race, ethnic or national origin or disability in, or in connection with, the carrying on of any business
  • details of any contravention on the part of the proposed licence holder or manager of any provision of any enactment relating to housing, public health, environmental health or landlord and tenant law which led to civil or criminal proceedings resulting in a judgement being made against him.

It is likely to be made up of information:

  • supplied by applicant on original application
  • provided during the scheme
  • generated by staff of the service for the purposes of the issuing of licences
  • generated by staff for reporting

Do I have to provide this information, and what will happen if I don’t?

If you privately rent out a property in Liverpool city boundaries and are not exempt under the provisions you are legally required to comply with the Housing Act 2004 and provide the information listed above in order to hold a licence.

Who will your information be shared with?

We may share your information with other council departments and external organisations such as the Police, and other local authorities.

How long will you keep this information for and why?

We will only keep your information for as long as it is required to deliver the licensing schemes that we provide. We will keep licence information for the required time after the licence has expired or been cancelled. The private sector housing service has a retention timescale that has been set to meet the requirements of Housing Act 2004. Please see What we do with your data for the council's full retention schedule.

How will my information be stored?

Your information will be stored securely on our computer databases. Access to these databases will be restricted to those who are entitled to view and process your data.

Source of the data if we are recipient and hold it for others

We receive information from you but we may also receive and hold information from internal council departments and external organisations on your behalf. This information helps us to deliver the service to you.

Additionally, we have a legal obligation to work with partner agencies, including credit reference agencies, to obtain and share information to prevent or detect crime and fraud.

Will this information be used to take automated decisions about me?

No

Will my data be transferred abroad?

No

What rights do I have when it comes to my data?

You have a number of rights that are set out on the How to access your data page of this section.

Where can I get advice?

View our Help and advice page for more information.