A second estate agency within a matter of days has been fined by the courts for failing to declare that it handles personal data.
The Information Commissioner’s Office brought a case against Welsh firm Newbank Estate and Letting Agents.
The firm, with two offices in Blaenau Gwent, was ordered to pay a £100 fine, £250 towards prosecution costs and a £15 victims’ surcharge by Cwmbran magistrates.
Anne Jones, assistant ICO commissioner for Wales, said that the second fine should serve as a clear warning to all businesses that they must comply with all necessary laws if they handle personal data.
“The fact that this is the second prosecution against an estate agent that the ICO has brought to court this month proves that the industry still needs to take its legal responsibilities more seriously,” she said.
“We are currently writing to all estate and lettings agents in the UK to remind them to check their requirements under the Data Protection Act.
“The message behind the latest prosecution is clear: ignore our warning and you too could end up in court.”
The first agent to be fined under the ICO’s crackdown was Merseyside firm PDQ Property Sales on March 11, which received a fine of £250 and was ordered to pay £265 in court costs, as well as a £15 victims’ surcharge.
All businesses that handle personal data – and effectively, that is every business that keeps records – must by law register with the ICO. It announced a targeted crackdown on agents last year, because compliance was so low.
Comments
The only William Hicks I know went bust a few years ago...........
James the spellin ws a joke!! Nebber mind.
Twiddling thumbs again today.
No spring bounce eh.
Boo Hoo.
Oh well, time to stop been stupid
and mark down before you go out of businesss, or an EA
who markets at realistic prices and GETS SALES takes your
business away.
Richard
Don't you think you should have made sure you spelt your own name correctly too - sorry but quite ironic
ps the first guy/gal is an idiot and is probably behind bars themselves
Surprised first post managed to add up 10 + 4, but then again there are calculators, but it would appear mummy has not managed to get him (or her) to spell his name.
Anna Key: If people are, as you suggest, jealous of ME then all I can say is they set their sights VERY LOW indeed... ;0)
Rachel S: Please, let us recognise that everyone is entitled to an opinion. The fact that some try to suck mince through a straw should be no reflection on their opinions... ;0)
"Most if not all estate agents are criminals so it shouldn't come as a shock to anyone. "
Defamation anyone? I bet he didn't leave an email address either!
Should posts such as this be allowed?
Interesting. We have just received a request for disclosure under this act by someone who has never been a customer ..... but he is a journalist. I wonder........
Poor PeeBee, what did you do to deserve that?
And why are people so jealous of you?
Anon: What do you do as profession?
WOW! Try to insult EVERY Estate Agent in the land AND me in one post, eh?
Hard cheese. No-one else noticed, and I don't give a shizzle!
Back to insult school for you, I'm afraid.
Never mind - at least you still have the knowledge that of all those little sperms, YOU were the smartest and fastest.
Wonders never cease...
Most if not all estate agents are criminals so it shouldn't come as a shock to anyone.
Que Pee-brain !