If you refer to my previous posting: BThe HALIFAX - DPA Subject Access Rights B An UpdateB you will read that I served the legally required Subject Access Rights request letter on the Halifax. By return I received a BTick the BoxB form, which I believed was limiting my rights under the Data Protection Act. I have made a formal complaint to the Data Protection Commissioner to that effect. (I also believe that others also have made similar complaints).

In the small "Other" portion of the form where they had suggested Roll No. Etc. I had in fact detailed the request for ALL data in each data class held within each DPR entry for the Halifax. I had listed the Registration number for each entry but not any data class titles as I was aware of the Copyright notice on the DPR web site. I had also asked for source/disclosure info regarding each data class and for them to state if a data class was "empty" or not.

Well interestingly enough I am have now been made aware that the Halifax have attempted to defend their use of the form to a third party who in fact had not even questioned them on it.

HalifaxBs CEO recently informed me that I would receive the information I had requested under the Data Protection Act by Monday 13th November. Well today I received an explanation from the Halifax why in fact it had not arrived on time. The letter states; BI must apologise for the delay but as you may appreciate, it is proving to be a huge taskB.

This statement obviously raises questions. Why is my request proving to be a BhugeB task? Is this the case for an SAR request from all mortgage shortfall victims or is it in fact because I have actually committed them to supplying any and all data? If this is unique to my case, as their statement seems to imply, then surely that means they are not supplying the same amount of information to others who may not have not so explicitly stated the data to be supplied? These questions will definitely need to be answered!

I will keep this site updated on developments.

-- Tony Hayter (Tony@Hayter.com), November 14, 2000

Answers

This is a very astute point. When your package finally arrives, I would very much like to know what turns up in it. My own SAR package from Abbey was quite slim.

-- Eleanor Scott (eleanor.scott@btinternet.com), November 16, 2000.

Well, I have just filled in their form and not ticked any boxes - just wrote on it 'under the data protection act, i request all personal data that you hold regarding me. Thank you.'

Will let you know what happens.

Thanks for the advice.

-- (_Believer14@excite.co.uk), February 19, 2001.