Who we are and what we do?

Regulatory Services’ Private Sector Housing and Selective Licensing Teams administer the licensing of properties and enforces legislation in relation to the conditions of homes in the borough. We carry out proactive work as well as responding to complaints from tenants or neighbours. We also support landlords where we can to ensure that all privately rented properties in Southend-on-Sea are safe for their occupants.

The Private Sector Housing and Selective Licensing Teams processes two types of property licences:

  • Houses in multiple occupation (“HMO”) mandatory licences; and
  • Selective licences

This notice explains why we ask for your personal information in relation to these licenses, how that information will be used and how you can access your records. Guidance on the licensing process itself can be found on our PUT IN LINK .

If you have questions regarding these licensing schemes or our privacy practices, you can contact us in writing or by e-mail at the address below:

Private Sector Housing and Selective Licensing Team

Southend on Sea Borough Council

Civic Centre

Victoria Avenue

Southend-on-Sea

Essex SS2 6AN

propertylicensing@southend.gov.uk


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Information we hold about you 

In order to administer the licensing scheme we will collect the following information from you:

  • Your name and contact details
  • Property address
  • Information to support your claim, such as tenancy agreements, fire safety records, gas and electrical safety certificates, and insurance documents
  • Evidence from on-site inspections, including photographs, and detailed notes of what was observed, witness statements, fire precautions, disrepair, number and names of people living there
  • We may look up other information the council or other statutory agencies already hold about you
  • Ownership and charge details from the land registry.

We will only ask for personal information that is appropriate to enable us to deliver our services.

Licensing fees for all forms of property licenses processed by the Council will be payable by credit or debit card through our third-party payment processor, Stripe Inc. (“Stripe”).

All payment card information will be collected and processed by Stripe, independent of the Council, to a PCI-DSS Level 1 standard. 

 


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Why we need your information and how we use it? 

We need the information from you so that we can determine your licence application and to administer the licensing schemes.

We collect information from you directly and from other sources to process your HMO licence application. This includes information from other council departments and statutory services such as the fire brigade, police, community safety and neighbours, national rogue landlord register, Greater London Authority (“GLA”) rogue landlords register, landlord accreditation schemes, credit referencing agencies, freeholders, leaseholders, mortgage companies and other interested parties.

Stripe, our third-party payment processor, will use the information you provide to them to securely process your payment card details on our behalf. Stripe will also act as a data controller in relation to your data to (1) monitor, prevent and detect fraudulent payment transactions; (2) comply with legal or regulatory obligations applicable to the processing and retention of payment data to which Stripe is subject, including applicable anti-money laundering screening and compliance with know-your-customer obligations; and (3) improve Stripe’s products and services.

We may contact you from time to time if we feel there are developments in the law you need to be aware of, if we have information that may benefit you or if we would like consult with you about a new policy or procedure. We will also contact you before the licence renewal date to ensure your property remains licensed.

 


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The Lawful basis for the processing 

The legal basis we rely on to process your personal data is article 6(1)(e) of the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”). The processing is necessary for compliance with a public task

We will not be able to assess and process your licence application without the personal data you provide us with.

 

Who your information will be shared with (if applicable)

The information regarding your licence application will be held on a public register as prescribed by the Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Other Houses (Miscellaneous Provisions) (England) Regulations 2006.

We may also be obligated to share your personal details with other organisations, partner agencies and external regulatory partners for purposes of law enforcement and fraud and for the prevention or detection of crime, the capture or prosecution of offenders; and the assessment or collection of tax or duty.

 

How long we will keep your information

We will retain all records relating to your licence application for the duration of the licence plus 6 years.

Our Data Protection Officer

We have a Data Protection Officer who can be contacted at dataprotection@southend.gov.uk

Protecting your information / Choices and Rights

For the Council’s overarching Corporate Privacy Notice please see https://www.southend.gov.uk/privacynotice

Complaints and contact details

These are included in the relevant section of the Corporate Privacy Notice https://www.southend.gov.uk/privacynotice

Information Commissioner’s Office

If we’re unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you can make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) www.ico.org.uk or email casework@ico.org.uk

Alternatively you can write or telephone:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire SK9 5AF

Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 if you prefer to use a national rate number.