1. Introduction
LESSHOMELESS LIMITED (“LessHomeless”) is a temporary accommodation provider with accommodation predominantly in the Medway and Maidstone areas of Kent, and a small number on the Sussex coast.
As an essential part of our business, we receive and hold customer data. In doing so, we observe UK data protection legislation, and are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy and rights.
In order that you are reliably informed about how we operate, we have developed this Privacy Statement. This Privacy Statement describes the ways in which we receive, hold and share information about you, and about how you can have control over our use of your data.
Please note that we will be reviewing this Privacy Statement on a regular basis, to keep you fully up-to-date with our approach to data protection and privacy. If you have any comments or queries regarding our use of your data, please contact our Data Protection Officer by email at: info@LessHomeless.co.uk or by calling LessHomeless on 01634 921 996.
2. What Information Do We Receive About You?
The information that we receive about you may include your; name, previous address, date of birth, e-mail address and telephone number;
We receive this data in a number of different ways; initially from the Local Authority or Statutory Service who refer you to us, or information provided by you when corresponding with us by telephone (all incoming calls are recorded for monitoring and training purposes), email, or when filling in forms relating to your placement.
Only in very rare instances will we need to collect any sensitive information about you (known as “special categories of data”) which may include for example; details about your racial or ethnic origin, or; where necessary to support a safeguarding risk assessment, data relating to your health or where known to Probation Services. This is referred to as your “personal data”.
Should it ever be necessary for us to ask you for this type of data, we will provide you with separate details about how we will protect that information at that time.
Should it ever be necessary for us to ask you for this type of data, we will provide you with separate details about how we will protect that information at that time.
3. How Will We Use That Information?
Currently, we use your data to support your placement in the following ways, to (but not limited to):
- Maintain contact with you during your occupancy.
- Book appointments to carry out reported housing maintenance repairs when needed.
- Organise property inspections.
- Arrange mandatory gas or electrical safety inspections, or third-party contractor appointments (where you have given us your specific consent, your contact details may be passed to third party contractors e.g. registered gas safety engineers).
- Emergency call outs, or situations arising which may involve the emergency services.
- To liaise with your Local Authority.
4. How Long Will We Keep Your Data?
Unless you ask us to do so, we will not keep your data for longer than is necessary for us to complete the activity for which your data was received in the first place. However, sometimes there is a legitimate and/or legal reason that means we need to retain your data, or personal data may be kept for a longer period for archiving purposes.
5. With Whom Do We Share Your Personal Data?
Notwithstanding the above, we assure you that we will only exchange your data with another organisation where i) we have your express permission to do so (e.g. third-party contractors as noted in point 3.1) ; or (ii) we have a legal obligation to share the information; or (iii) it is in the public interest; or (iv) it is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; or (v) it is necessary to protect the vital interests of you or another person.
We will never sell your personal data to any external organisation. We follow strict security procedures to protect your personal information.
6. How Can You Access the Personal Data We Hold?
You have the right to ask us, in writing, for a copy of all the personal data we hold about you. This is known as a “Subject Access Request”. Except in exceptional circumstances (which we would discuss and agree with you in advance), you can obtain this information at no cost. We will send you a copy of the information within 30 days of your request. To make a Subject Access Request, please contact our Data Protection Officer, as shown on the first page of this policy.
7. Updating or Amending Your Personal Data
If at any time you want to update or amend your personal data or consent preferences, please contact our Data Protection Officer, as described in section 1 of this policy. Any requested and legitimate changes will take effect within 28 days of receipt of your request.
8. Data Privacy and Security
We maintain a data organisation system which includes processes for ensuring that data protection is a key consideration of all new and existing systems which hold customers personal data. Where any concerns, risks or issues are identified, we conduct relevant impact assessments to determine any actions necessary to ensure optimum privacy.
Our information website does not use geo-location tracking, and does not facilitate any type of transactions, nor collects or stores personal data.
9. Disclaimers
Every effort is made to ensure that the information provided in this Privacy Statement and our website is accurate and up-to-date, but no legal responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions contained herein.
We cannot accept liability for the use made by you of the information in this Privacy Statement. All material accessed or downloaded from our website is obtained at your own risk. It is your responsibility to use appropriate anti-virus software.
This Privacy Statement applies solely to the data received by us, and therefore does not also apply to data collected by third party websites and services that are not under our control. Furthermore, we cannot be held responsible for the Privacy Statements on third party websites, and we advise users to read these carefully before registering any personal data.
10. Accessibility Statement
We are committed to providing a website in which content is accessible to everyone. We therefore update our website regularly to make it as adaptable as possible.
However, should you require a copy of this Privacy Statement in a different form, please contact our Data Protection Officer as described in section 1 of this policy. We cannot guarantee that we can fulfil all requests, but we will endeavour to help you as much as practical.
25 March 2024