What services are being provided?
The Housing Supply Team works to increase and manage the supply of affordable and temporary housing, support strategic housing planning and collaborate with partners to meet local housing needs through:
- private landlord scheme and engagement (building relationships, negotiating lease terms, promoting council schemes)
- property identification for purchase (for example, assessing market options, targeting high-need areas, evaluating suitability)
- renovation oversight (for example, managing contractors, ensuring timely completion, monitoring quality)
What personal information do we need from you?
The personal information we may need from you consists of:
- identity information (name, contact details, etc.)
- property information (address, proof of ownership, mortgage details, lease details, safety certificates, compliance documents, property type, available facilities, adaptations, other property features, etc.)
- financial details (bank details, rent payment information, tax status, etc.)
- legal and compliance information (Agreements, licensing, insurance, health and safety compliance, etc.)
- communication records (emails, letters, call logs, inspection notes, etc.)
- access information (key safe details, intercom details, access arrangements for inspections or repairs, etc.)
Information we may receive
To help us provide services appropriate to your needs, we may receive personal information about you from others, such as:
- letting agents
- legal representatives
- public registers
- government bodies
- landlords
- property owners
- housing providers
Examples are provided below:
- letting agents: A letting agent may share the contact details and ownership status of a landlord who is interested in leasing their property to the council
- legal representatives: A solicitor acting on behalf of a property owner may provide documentation confirming ownership or legal authority to lease the property
- public registers: We may consult the Land Registry to verify the legal owner of a property before entering into a lease agreement
- government bodies: HMRC or another government agency may confirm a property owner’s eligibility for certain leasing schemes or tax-related matters
- landlords: A landlord may refer another property owner to the scheme and provide basic contact details to initiate discussions
- property owners: Owners may directly contact us to express interest in leasing their property, providing personal and property-related information
- housing providers: A housing association or registered provider may share details of a property owner who is exiting a scheme and seeking to lease to the council instead, etc
Who might use your personal information?
The following organisations or departments may use the information you provide:
- Housing Supply Team
- Temporary Accommodation Team
- Legal Team
- Assets Team
Examples are provided below:
- Housing Supply Team: To assess the suitability of properties for PSL scheme, verify ownership, licensing, and compliance with housing standards, etc
- Housing Management Team: To manage placements, ensure landlords are responsive and compliant, liaise with landlords on repairs, tenancy breaches, or decants, etc
- Legal Team: To confirm legal ownership and tenancy agreements, ensure landlords are properly served , etc
- Assets Team: To coordinate repairs, compliance checks, and property standards, ensure contractors and landlords meet safety and maintenance obligations, etc
What might your information be used for?
Your information will be used for:
- property assessment: To evaluate your property’s suitability for leasing, including inspections and compliance checks
- lease management: To prepare, manage, and maintain lease agreements between you and the council
- payment processing: To arrange rent payments and manage financial transactions securely
- legal and regulatory compliance: To meet housing standards, health and safety laws, and other legal obligations
- communication: To contact you about inspections, repairs, renewals, or other scheme-related matters
- contractor coordination: To arrange access for maintenance or safety checks through approved contractors
- service monitoring and improvement: To review scheme performance, ensure quality, and improve service delivery (using anonymised data where possible)
What is the lawful basis for us to use your information?
Our lawful or legal basis for using you information is:
- contractual necessity: We need to process your data to enter into or manage a lease agreement with you
- legal obligations: We are required to process certain data to comply with housing, tax, and safety laws
- public task: We process data to carry out our official duties as a local authority, including managing housing supply
- consent: In limited cases, we may ask for your consent to use your data for a specific purpose, for example, to keep your information and property details. You can withdraw this at any time
With which other organisations may we share your information?
In some cases we may have to share your personal information with other agencies such as government departments/ agencies, external service providers as determined and contracted with us. For instance, if access is needed to a privately leased property and access details is with the landlord. We usually would seek the landlord’s consent to share their details with the contractor.
How long will we keep your information?
We only keep your personal information for as long as necessary to manage the Residential Property Direct Leasing Scheme, meet our legal obligations, or resolve any disputes. The length of time we keep your data depends on the type of information and our legal or operational requirements.
| Category | Retention period |
|---|---|
| Landlord and Property Provider Record | 6 years after the lease or contract ends |
| Financial and Payment Records | 6 years from the date of the last transaction |
| Property Compliance and Safety Records | 6 years after the end of the lease or inspection |
| General Correspondence | 2 years from the date of last contact |
| Contractor Access and Inspection Logs | 2 years after the last entry or inspection |
We follow Dorset Council’s official records retention schedule, which complies with the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and public sector recordkeeping standards. When the retention period ends, your data is securely deleted or anonymised.
Our use of your data will be subject to your legal rights as described on the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) website.
Find out more about Privacy Law, our obligations and your Rights.
If you have concerns over the way we are asking for or using your personal data, please raise the matter with our Data Protection Officer.
If you still have concerns following our response you have the right to raise the matter with the Information Commissioner's Office.