Upkeep’s Privacy policy

  1. Introduction

Upkeep is committed to ensuring the secure and safe management of data held by Upkeep in relation to customers, staff and other individuals.  Upkeep’s staff members have a responsibility to ensure compliance with the terms of this policy, and to manage individuals’ data in accordance with the procedures outlined in this policy and documentation referred to herein.

Upkeep needs to gather and use certain information about individuals.  These can include customers (tenants, factored owners etc.), employees and other individuals that Upkeep has a relationship with.  Upkeep manages a significant amount of data, from a variety of sources.  This data contains Personal Data and Sensitive Personal Data (known as Special Categories of Personal Data under the GDPR).

This Policy sets out Upkeep’s duties in processing that data, and the purpose of this Policy is to set out the procedures for the management of such data.

  1. Legislation

It is a legal requirement that Upkeep process data correctly; Upkeep must collect, handle and store personal information in accordance with the relevant legislation.

The relevant legislation in relation to the processing of data is:

  • the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (“the GDPR”);
  • the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 (as may be amended by the proposed Regulation on Privacy and Electronic Communications); and
  • any legislation that, in respect of the United Kingdom, replaces, or enacts into United Kingdom domestic law, the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the proposed Regulation on Privacy and Electronic Communications or any other law relating to data protection, the processing of personal data and privacy as a consequence of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union

 

  1. Data

3.1       Upkeep holds a variety of Data relating to individuals, including customers and employees (also referred to as data subjects) which is known as Personal Data.  The Personal Data held and processed by Upkeep is detailed within the Fair Processing Notice at Appendix 2 hereto and the Data Protection Addendum of the Terms of and Conditions of Employment which has been provided to all employees.

3.1.1   “Personal Data” is that from which a living individual can be identified either by that data alone, or in conjunction with other data held by Upkeep.

3.1.2   Upkeep also holds Personal data that is sensitive in nature (i.e. relates to or reveals a data subject’s racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, political opinions, relates to health or sexual orientation).  This is “Special Category Personal Data” or “Sensitive Personal Data”.

  1. Processing of Personal Data
  • Upkeep is permitted to process Personal Data on behalf of data subjects provided it is doing so on one of the following grounds:
  • Processing with the consent of the data subject (see clause 4.4 hereof);
  • Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract between Upkeep and the data subject or for entering into a contract with the data subject;
  • Processing is necessary for Upkeep’s compliance with a legal obligation;
  • Processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or another person;
  • Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of Upkeep’s official authority; or
  • Processing is necessary for the purposes of legitimate interests.

4.2       Fair Processing Notice

4.2.1   Upkeep has produced a Fair Processing Notice (FPN) which it is required to provide to all customers whose Personal data is held by Upkeep.  That FPN must be provided to the customer from the outset of processing their Personal Data and they should be advised of the terms of the FPN when it is provided to them.

4.2.2   The Fair Processing Notice at Appendix 2 sets out the Personal Data processed by Upkeep and the basis for that Processing.  This document is provided to all of Upkeep’s customers at the outset of processing their data

4.3       Employees

4.3.1   Employee Personal data and, where applicable, Special Category Personal Data or Sensitive Personal Data, is held and processed by Upkeep.  Details of the data held and processing of that data is contained within the Employee Fair Processing Notice which is provided to Employees at the same time as their Contract of Employment.

4.3.2   A copy of any employee’s Personal Data held by Upkeep is available upon written request by that employee from Upkeep’s HR Manager.

4.4       Consent

Consent as a ground of processing will require to be used from time to time by Upkeep when processing Personal Data.  It should be used by Upkeep where no other alternative ground for processing is available.  In the event that Upkeep requires to obtain consent to process a data subject’s Personal Data, it shall obtain that consent in writing.  The consent provided by the data subject must be freely given and the data subject will be required to sign a relevant consent form if willing to consent.  Any consent to be obtained by Upkeep must be for a specific and defined purpose (i.e. general consent cannot be sought).

4.5       Processing of Special Category Personal Data or Sensitive Personal Data

In the event that Upkeep processes Special Category Personal Data or Sensitive Personal Data, Upkeep must do so in accordance with one of the following grounds of processing:

  • The data subject has given explicit consent to the processing of this data for a specified purpose;
  • Processing is necessary for carrying out obligations or exercising rights related to employment or social security;
  • Processing is necessary to protect the vital interest of the data subject or, if the data subject is incapable of giving consent, the vital interests of another person;
  • Processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims, or whenever court are acting in their judicial capacity; and
  • Processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest.
  1. Data Sharing

  • Upkeep shares its data with various third parties for numerous reasons in order that its day to day activities are carried out in accordance with Upkeep’s relevant policies and procedures. In order that Upkeep can monitor compliance by these third parties with Data Protection laws, Upkeep will require the third party organisations to enter in to an Agreement with Upkeep governing the processing of data, security measures to be implemented and responsibility for breaches.
  • Data Sharing

5.2.1     Personal data is from time to time shared amongst Upkeep and third parties who require to process personal data that Upkeep process as well.  Both Upkeep and the third party will be processing that data in their individual capacities as data controllers.

5.2.2     Where Upkeep shares in the processing of personal data with a third party organisation (e.g. for processing of the employees’ pension), it shall require the third party organisation to enter in to a Data Sharing Agreement with Upkeep in accordance with the terms of the model Data Sharing Agreement set out in Appendix 3 to this Policy.

  • Data Processors

A data processor is a third party entity that processes personal data on behalf of Upkeep, and are frequently engaged if certain of Upkeep’s work is outsourced (e.g. payroll, maintenance and repair works).

  • A data processor must comply with Data Protection laws. Upkeep’s data processors must ensure they have appropriate technical security measures in place, maintain records of processing activities and notify Upkeep if a data breach is suffered.
  • If a data processor wishes to sub-contact their processing, prior written consent of Upkeep must be obtained. Upon a sub-contracting of processing, the data processor will be liable in full for the data protection breaches of their sub-contractors.
  • Where Upkeep contracts with a third party to process personal data held by Upkeep, it shall require the third party to enter in to a Data Protection Addendum with Upkeep in accordance with the terms of the model Data Protection Addendum set out in Appendix 4 to this Policy.

 

  1. Data Storage and Security

All Personal Data held by Upkeep must be stored securely, whether electronically or in paper format.

6.1       Paper Storage

If Personal Data is stored on paper it should be kept in a secure place where unauthorised personnel cannot access it.  Employees should make sure that no Personal Data is left where unauthorised personnel can access it.  When the Personal Data is no longer required it must be disposed of by the employee so as to ensure its destruction.  If the Personal Data requires to be retained on a physical file then the employee should ensure that it is affixed to the file which is then stored in accordance with Upkeep’s storage provisions.

6.2       Electronic Storage

Personal Data stored electronically must also be protected from unauthorised use and access.  Personal data should be encrypted when being sent internally or externally to Upkeep’s data processors or those with whom Upkeep has entered in to a Data Sharing Agreement.  If Personal data is stored on removable media (CD, DVD, USB memory stick) then data should be encrypted and the removable media if taken off site should be kept secure at all times when not being used.  Personal Data should not be saved directly to mobile devices and should be stored on designated drivers and servers.

 

  1. Breaches

7.1       A data breach can occur at any point when handling Personal Data and Upkeep has reporting duties in the event of a data breach or potential breach occurring.  Breaches which pose a risk to the rights and freedoms of the data subjects who are subject of the breach require to be reported externally in accordance with Clause 7.3 hereof.

7.2       Internal Reporting

Upkeep takes the security of data very seriously and in the unlikely event of a breach will take the following steps:

  • As soon as the breach or potential breach has occurred, and in any event no later than six (6) hours after it has occurred, the DPO must be notified in writing of (i) the breach; (ii) how it occurred; and (iii) what the likely impact of that breach is on any data subject(s);
  • Upkeep must seek to contain the breach by whatever means available;
  • The DPO must consider whether the breach is one which requires to be reported to the ICO and data subjects affected and do so in accordance with this clause 7;
  • Notify third parties in accordance with the terms of any applicable Data Sharing Agreements

7.3       Reporting to the ICO

The DPO will require to report any breaches which pose a risk to the rights and freedoms of the data subjects who are subject of the breach to the Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”) within 72 hours of the breach occurring.  The DPO must also consider whether it is appropriate to notify those data subjects affected by the breach.

  1. Data Protection Officer (“DPO”)

8.1.      A Data Protection Officer is an individual who has an over-arching responsibility and oversight over compliance by Upkeep with Data Protection laws.  Upkeep has elected to appoint a Data Protection Officer whose details are noted on Upkeep’s website and contained within the Fair Processing Notice at Appendix 3 hereto.

8.2       The DPO will be responsible for:

8.2.1   monitoring Upkeep’s compliance with Data Protection laws and this Policy;

8.2.2   co-operating with and serving as Upkeep’s contact for discussions with the ICO

8.2.3   reporting breaches or suspected breaches to the ICO and data subjects in accordance with Part 7 hereof.

  1. Data Subject Rights

9.1       Certain rights are provided to data subjects under the GDPR.  Data Subjects are entitled to view the personal data held about them by Upkeep, whether in written or electronic form.

9.2       Data subjects have a right to request a restriction of processing their data, a right to be forgotten and a right to object to Upkeep’s processing of their data.  These rights are notified to Upkeep’s tenants and other customers in Upkeep’s Fair Processing Notice.

9.3       Subject Access Requests

Data Subjects are permitted to view their data held by Upkeep upon making a request to do so (a Subject Access Request).  Upon receipt of a request by a data subject, Upkeep must respond to the Subject Access Request within one month of the date of receipt of the request. Upkeep:

9.3.1   must provide the data subject with an electronic or hard copy of the personal data requested, unless any exemption to the provision of that data applies in law.

9.3.2   where the personal data comprises data relating to other data subjects, must take reasonable steps to obtain consent from those data subjects to the disclosure of that personal data to the data subject who has made the Subject Access Request, or

9.3.3   where Upkeep does not hold the personal data sought by the data subject, must confirm that it does not hold any personal data sought to the data subject as soon as practicably possible, and in any event, not later than one month from the date on which the request was made.

9.4       The Right to be Forgotten

9.4.1   A data subject can exercise their right to be forgotten by submitting a request in writing to Upkeep seeking that Upkeep erase the data subject’s Personal Data in its entirety.

9.4.2   Each request received by Upkeep will require to be considered on its own merits and legal advice will require to be obtained in relation to such requests from time to time.  The DPO will have responsibility for accepting or refusing the data subject’s request in accordance with clause 9.4 and will respond in writing to the request.

9.5       The Right to Restrict or Object to Processing

9.5.1   A data subject may request that Upkeep restrict its processing of the data subject’s Personal Data, or object to the processing of that data.

9.5.1.1 In the event that any direct marketing is undertaken from time to time by Upkeep, a data subject has an absolute right to object to processing of this nature by Upkeep, and if Upkeep receives a written request to cease processing for this purpose, then it must do so immediately.

9.5.2   Each request received by Upkeep will require to be considered on its own merits and legal advice will require to be obtained in relation to such requests from time to time.  The DPO will have responsibility for accepting or refusing the data subject’s request in accordance with clause 9.5 and will respond in writing to the request.

  1. Privacy Impact Assessments (“PIAs”)

  • These are a means of assisting Upkeep in identifying and reducing the risks that our operations have on personal privacy of data subjects.
  • Upkeep shall:
  • Carry out a PIA before undertaking a project or processing activity which poses a “high risk” to an individual’s privacy. High risk can include, but is not limited to, activities using information relating to health or race, or the implementation of a new IT system for storing and accessing Personal Data; and
  • In carrying out a PIA, include a description of the processing activity, its purpose, an assessment of the need for the processing, a summary of the risks identified and the measures that it will take to reduce those risks, and details of any security measures that require to be taken to protect the personal data

10.3     Upkeep will require to consult the ICO in the event that a PIA identifies a high level of risk which cannot be reduced.  The Data Protection Officer (“DPO”) will be responsible for such reporting, and where a high level of risk is identified by those carrying out the PIA they require to notify the DPO within five (5) working days.

 

  1. Archiving, Retention and Destruction of Data

Upkeep cannot store and retain Personal Data indefinitely.  It must ensure that Personal data is only retained for the period necessary.  Upkeep shall ensure that all Personal data is archived and destroyed in accordance with the periods specified within the table at Appendix 5 hereto.

  1. Policy Review/Access

Upkeep’s Privacy Policy will be reviewed and amended as necessary due to changes in legislation or Regulation or every three years.

Access to the policy will be made available via Upkeep’s website or a hard copy will be provided on request from Upkeep’s office.

If you have any questions about Upkeep’s privacy policy, please contact Upkeep directly.