Agents 'fail to meet legal needs'
Estate agents and letting agents are risking legal action by failing to inform the privacy watchdog that they are handling people's personal information, it has been warned.The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said only 3,734 estate agents and 1,416 letting agents appeared on the public register, representing only a small proportion of the industry.
Under the Data Protection Act all organisations that handle personal information are legally required to notify the ICO.
The group warned that as property agents routinely processed personal data, such as financial information, the vast majority would be subject to the Data Protection Act and needed to notify it as a matter of urgency.
The ICO has written to a number of professional bodies, including the National Association of Estate Agents, the Association of Residential Letting Agents and the National Federation of Property Professionals, urging them to encourage their members to notify it.
Mick Gorrill, head of enforcement at the ICO, said: "We want to work with the industry to ensure all property agents meet the legal requirement to notify us that they are processing personal information.
"A targeted approach working with stakeholders and membership bodies has proved highly successful in other sectors. We will be writing to organisations providing them with advice and encouragement to notify.
"However, if that encouragement is ignored, we will take action against those who flout the law. The message is very clear - notify with the ICO or face regulatory action."
The group said it had seen a 15% increasing in notifications during 2009/2010, with a surge in the number of private doctors and solicitors contacting it following a targeted campaign.
But during the same period it prosecuted seven organisations and individuals for failing to notify it.
Mick Gorrill, head of enforcement at the ICO, said: "We want to work with the industry to ensure all property agents meet the legal requirement to notify us that they are processing personal information.
"A targeted approach working with stakeholders and membership bodies has proved highly successful in other sectors. We will be writing to organisations providing them with advice and encouragement to notify.
"However, if that encouragement is ignored, we will take action against those who flout the law. The message is very clear - notify with the ICO or face regulatory action."
The group said it had seen a 15% increasing in notifications during 2009/2010, with a surge in the number of private doctors and solicitors contacting it following a targeted campaign.
But during the same period it prosecuted seven organisations and individuals for failing to notify it.
© 2012 Press Association