Selling Your Home Discreetly: Concealing the Purchased Price - DEAN DUNHAM
In the digital age, maintaining control over personal data has become increasingly important. One such right is the right to be forgotten or right to erasure under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This article provides a step-by-step guide to help UK homeowners remove old property details and previous sale prices from online platforms and search engines.
Understanding the Right to Be Forgotten
While the terms right to be forgotten and right to erasure are often used interchangeably, they have distinct meanings. The right to be forgotten involves the obligation for organisations to inform third parties about the erasure of personal data that has been made public. This is outlined in Article 17 of the GDPR.
Steps to Exercise Your Right
1. Identify Relevant Platforms
The first step is to identify the platforms where your property details are listed. This could include property listing websites, search engines, and other online platforms.
2. Contact the Platforms
Once you've identified the relevant platforms, reach out to each one via their contact forms or customer service emails. Explain your request to erase your property details, including any previous sale prices. Remember to provide necessary proof of identity, such as a copy of your passport or driving license, to verify your request.
3. Submit a Formal Request
Craft a formal request stating your intention to exercise your right to erasure under the UK GDPR. Include your legal name, contact email address, specific details about the information you want removed, and proof of identity.
4. Follow Up
If you do not receive a response or the information is not removed, follow up with the platforms to ensure compliance.
5. Contact the ICO if Necessary
If platforms fail to comply, you can file a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), which is responsible for enforcing data protection laws in the UK.
6. Search Engine Removal
For search engines, submit a request using their specific tools for removal of outdated content. For example, Google provides a form for legal removal requests.
Considerations
It's important to be aware that not all information can be removed, especially if it is publicly available under certain legal or journalistic exemptions. Ensure your request is clear, specific, and compliant with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act.
Additional Notes
The Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018) in the UK supplements the GDPR and provides additional rights and obligations. It's crucial to understand both when making requests.
Third-party rights may influence the extent to which data can be erased, especially if others have a valid interest in the information.
When it comes to consumer rights, the Consumer Rights Act states that purchased goods must be fit for purpose, of satisfactory quality, and as described. If a laptop stops working due to an inherent problem, the consumer is entitled to a free remedy, typically a repair. When a consumer has the right to a free remedy under the Consumer Rights Act, the trader/retailer must effect the remedy for free and not charge any additional costs.
This article does not accept any legal responsibility for the answers given by Dean Dunham, a consumer rights expert who can be contacted via email for legal questions related to consumer rights. Previous columns by Dean Dunham can be read on the Daily Mail and This is Money websites.
- In the process of exercising the right to erase property details from online platforms, it's essential to craft a formal request that includes one's legal name, contact email address, specific details about the information to be removed, and proof of identity.
- Due diligence in understanding both the GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 in the UK is crucial when making requests to erase personal data, as third-party rights may influence the extent to which data can be removed.
