PART 2Rogue landlords and property agents in England

CHAPTER 3Database of rogue landlords and property agents

Access to information in the database

I139Use of information in database

1

The Secretary of State may use information in the database for statistical or research purposes.

2

The Secretary of State may disclose information in the database to any person if the information is disclosed in an anonymised form.

3

Information is disclosed in an anonymised form if no individual or other person to whom the information relates can be identified from the information.

4

A local housing authority in England may only use information obtained from the database—

a

for purposes connected with its functions under the Housing Act 2004,

b

for the purposes of a criminal investigation or proceedings relating to a banning order offence,

c

for the purposes of an investigation or proceedings relating to a contravention of the law relating to housing or landlord and tenant,

d

for the purposes of promoting compliance with the law relating to housing or landlord and tenant by any person in the database, or

e

for statistical or research purposes.

5

For the purposes of paragraph 17 of Schedule 23 to the Finance Act 2011 (which relates to HMRC data-gathering powers), the database is to be treated as being maintained by the Secretary of State.