Hastoe will comply with all current and future legislation concerning the rights of tenants, former tenants, applicants and former applicants for housing to have access to information held on them.
Hastoe will be as open and helpful as possible and will respond to requests for information without undue delay.
Current and former applicants for housing and current and former tenants will be allowed access to personal information relating to themselves. Information held on computer and information held on file will be made available. Joint applicants and joint tenants will have the same right but will not be given information about each other.
Access to information will be provided, on provision of proof of identity, either:
- in person, at the regional office by prior appointment or
- by post, in which case copies will be provided within 40 days of receipt of written request.
When information is requested Hastoe will state whether it is held and if so whether it can be made available under Hastoe’s confidentiality policy.
Where access is refused or restricted Hastoe will state the exemptions concerned.
In all cases copies of the request and copies of the information and data supplied will be retained by Hastoe in case of challenge.
Hastoe will correct or erase any information which it is satisfied is inaccurate. The document will be marked accordingly and copied to the tenant or applicant.
Access will not be given to information about possible action or proposals by the association concerning an individual, for example action concerning arrears of rent or other breaches of tenancy conditions.
Information supplied to Hastoe by third parties or outside bodies, such as housing departments or social services, will only be made available with the explicit agreement of the person or organisation that supplied it. Consent to disclose such information will be sought within 14 days of receiving a request from a tenant or applicant.
Hastoe will not make available information that:
- identifies someone who has not consented to the disclosure;
- concerns an individual’s health, for example from a doctor, and may cause harm;
- is held for the purposes of crime prevention;
- is subject to legal professional privilege.
Normally, Hastoe will make no charge for providing access to information as described in this procedure. However, the association reserves the right to make a reasonable charge for administration and photocopying.
Where tenants, former tenants, applicants or former applicants are dissatisfied with a decision to withhold information, or not to amend existing records, they may make a formal complaint to the Director of Customer and Neighbourhood Services as described in the Association’s complaints procedure.
Hastoe will take all possible steps to provide equal opportunities for all people. The Association is opposed to discrimination on any grounds, including race, religion, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, age or other unjustifiable criteria.