Tenants' personal details given to "Persons Unknown"

Lambeth's new Housing Association, Community Trust Housing, provided personal details of over a thousand tenants and leaseholders in a serious breach of the Data Protection Act.

Community Trust Housing gave a 12 page spreadsheet containing over 1300 names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and dates of tenancies and leases to "persons unknown" as part of a court action to gain possession of five houses. These documents were filed with the court, and attached to the outside front door of each of the properties, where anyone walking past could have read them.

Community Trust Housing was set up in 2007 after a transfer of over 1000 homes on the Stockwell Park Estate from Lambeth Council. It is promoted as a tenant-led housing association whereby 7 members of the 12 member board are appointed by tenants, 4 are independently selected and 1 is a Lambeth councillor.

Community Trust Housing took possession proceedings in the Lambeth County Court against the five properties that were occupied by unknown persons. On Friday 25th January 2008 they were awarded possession of the properties. It was in attempting to prove the legal determination of previous tenancies that the document was submitted to the court. However the document also contained the details of over a thousand other tenants and leaseholders. There was no attempt to erase or block out the details of the other properties not affected in the court proceedings.

These proceedings are public and the court documents form part of the public record. Any person can inspect the court record documents and access these private details. It is a serious breach of the Data Protection Act and shows that it is not just government that is cavalier with people's data.

The Solidarity Federation fights for the rights of workers at work and where they live. We support community involvement in managing housing, but will continue to keep watching the management.