Tenants’ Financial Information Not Reported to ICO

The Information Commissioner’s Office, UK independent authority that protects information rights, recently announced that very few landlords and lettings agencies notify it when it comes to dealing with people's personal financial information. However, the British law (Data Protection Act) obliges them to do so.

ICO reported that only 3,734 estate agencies and 1,416 lettings agencies in the United Kingdom are included in the public register. Organisations that have certain authority over lettings and estate agencies (for instance, National Association of Estate Agents and Association of Residential Lettings Agents) have already been informed by ICO and urged to notify their members.

Commenting on the situation, Mr. Gorrill of Information Commissioner’s Office said that it wants to ensure all market players comply with legal requirements and that it will launch legal action against those who don't. He mentioned that ICO’s work resulted in a 15% increase in the number of notifications this year.