I don’t think I need to be concerned about GDPR

Ian, that is true, however even on land registry site you need to supply your own details to seek someone's details, there is a record who is seeking information, whereas a public register could be sought by anyone anonymously for unlawful purpose, there is no tracking or trail for anyone who had been seeking information, and on top of this land registry also charges a small search fee , which is same as when you want to search someone's credit reference check, there is a trail left of the information seeker. That way you would know if anyone was trying to obtain your personal data unlawfully for a wrong purpose, the whole issue is of personal data protection and we all need some protection ourselves as well especially if you are a small time sole trader or a lone one property landlord. Even Electoral register gives you an option if you want to opt out of public register.

Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 25/05/2018 - 09:31
Ian, you actually trust the government and its agencies not to destroy businesses after section 24 and SDLT surcharge?

In order to comply… amongst other relevant procedures, I sent out privacy notices to tenants yesterday as all landlords are required to do…. but I have not yet registered. Partly due to ICO website issues yesterday and also the fact I was told yesterday afternoon that the payment (registration) can be made within a couple of weeks, which may have been extended even longer. I’m pretty sure it temporarily said accepting payment anytime this year when I looked last night.

The privacy notices sent to tenants included plenty of personal data about myself, however I also am not keen at all on having personal info displayed in a list publically on the internet! The list is not currently showing on ICO website as it says “We are currently updating the public register. We will publish the register early next week.”

However I did have a quick look at it yesterday. That version is still cached on my pc as it was an Excel file which you HAD to download to have a look. Like all Excel files it is very easy to search the 530,208 records in the file in seconds. Grrr!

I have just been on the phone to ICO, and asked them a few questions such as I run a small manufacturing business making electronic gadgets, and I have just a few customers who email me with orders or enquiries and I reply them by emails, I do not store any of their emails on my computer as they are stored on my service providers servers, so i am not holding any personal information on anyone on my computers, my internet service provider holds all my email records. I have given my IP my consent to hold these for as long as they can going back to 2001, yes over 22,000 emails stored on their servers, I want this arrangement to continue.
So receiving and replying to emails is normal business activity and does not constitute personal data processing, companies are not persons, so i need not register as I do not store personal information of them on my computer, I can still attach pictures and download drawings etc as that is not personal information, for example a drawing pr a picture of a circuit board is not a personal information.

I also told them that I then book courier to deliver goods to my customers but have to provide them with my customers address to deliver to, thats is fine as this does not identify a person.

Then I asked that i rent a property to one or two tenants, and at the beginning of a tenancy I request my tenants to supply me a colour photo copy of their passport, or an ID card, a reference from their employer, or if they are self employed their last 3 months bank statements, and any account papers, or a letter from their accountant, I do not scan these and store on my computer, I simply file them in paper format. After the tenants leave, I will destroy these or return it to them for them to destroy so that they know they have been destroyed.
I was told that in a case where there is no personal electronic data exchanged, then it is OK not to register.
I then said i would not mind registering voluntarily but because they are going to publish my personal details on their public register, therefore I am not happy for them to do that as it would infringe my personal data, I stated that my fears are that anyone could target me as they would know where I lived, and I stated clearly that I am not a company but an individual who could be targeted by someone with unlawful agenda. i was told that I could perhaps give a POBox number or give a different address! I asked if I could use a different name like an alias, and I was told no I must only use my real name.
I also at the beginning of the call asked if I could record this call, I was asked what for, I said to protect myself in case I am given wrong information and I was found not to have complied with GDPR registration, I was asked in that case I can write them an email, but I said no I need to discuss this today as being the last date so i need to register today, I was told that today is the first day so I can register later, However, as the person I spoke to did not give me authorization to record my call so I did not press recording button. I also mentioned that we are all confused and having a debate on Property 118 website as this site caters for landlords.
Any way so as to protect myself, I told ICO that I was not happy about them revealing my personal data on a public register therefore I am reluctant to register, even if I wanted to register voluntarily, I said that it was not a matter for £35 reg fee, but my own data protection was main issue and concern to me. I was asked to put all this in writing and email my concern, this way i have made steps to get registered but because of their own lack of protection to my personal data, I declined to register, not at the expense of revealing my P D.
Finally the good news is if I am running a manufacturing business, or I could be A PLUMBER for that matter and a landlord, i need not register twice once for each category of business.

Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 25/05/2018 - 12:33
I've been trying to register for 2 months.
Had my credit card out.
Telephone support spread so thin it's easier getting through to the TSB.
Website inundated and unable to cope.
Therefore, despite effort that can't be proved, I am a common criminal at midnight tonight?

Hamish

Reply to the comment left by Hamish McBloggs at 25/05/2018 - 16:55
Join the club, web site not working, live chat suspended, telephone not answered (well done Mike for actually getting through, my battery expired before they answered). I suppose that having inflicted GDPR on the business community they did not anticipate that there would be more than a few registrations today.

Various here have mentioned they are both landlords and operate a company.

Of course you all will know that anyone with a registered company has all their details available to view, for free, including signatures, dobs, addresses. Depending on the nature/size of the company varying levels of financial detail.

The mildest concession was that the more recently registered companies had individuals' day of birth redacted. Originally, many years ago, CH incorrectly transcribed my dob which is the only way I avoided being taken to the cleaners by some identity fraudsters a couple years ago.

I struggle to reconcile GDPR with the instant availability of my address, other personal details and my companies' financials to anyone willing to cherry pick a potential victim for themselves from the comfort of an internet café in a country outside EU law. A kidnapper's charter.

I cannot ask CH to delete may data. I have to pay a fee to have information redacted and even then there are limits on what will be redacted. It's no good changing to a registered office or a PO box as there are historic documents available for scrutiny.

Generally despondent as it's Friday and no wine. Mrs McBloggs has announced the diet starts today. We'll see who cracks first.

Hamish

Reply to the comment left by Mark Shine at 25/05/2018 - 16:02
>>”I’m pretty sure it temporarily said accepting payment anytime this year when I looked last night.”

^^ I’d like to replace the “pretty sure” to “100% sure”. I saw this or words to that effect a few times when I was trying to register @ https://ico.org.uk/registration/new last night. However I did not take any screenshots and http://www.wayback.com is not helping me out here.

Am guessing some others here may have been trying to register last night too or at least looking on ICO website so if so please can anyone else confirm “this year” msg?

Reply to the comment left by Mark Shine at 25/05/2018 - 20:39
Mark I can confirm the this year message. I did take screenshots, it has taken me two days not to register. An absolute shambles, but let us not forget that they had only a quarter of a billion pounds in potential fees to organise the event.

Reply to the comment left by David Price at 25/05/2018 - 20:54
Many thanks David. I probably won’t need to but I may be asking you for a copy of that screenshot sometime not long before 31/12/18.