How we use your personal information for Non Domestic Rates (NDR) purposes
The Council provides services for local communities and the people who live in them. Undertaking this work means that we must collect and use information about the people we provide services to and keep a record of those services. Because we collect and use personal information about individuals we must make sure that they know what we intend to do with their information and who it may be shared with.
We have summarised in this privacy notice some of the key ways in which we use your personal information for NDR purposes. This information should be read in conjunction with the Council’s corporate privacy notice
1. Who we are, what we do.
As the Billing Authority for Non Domestic Rates (NDR), we hold certain information about you, which we use to administer and collect NDR. This includes the need to process your information to contact you, to calculate your liability, to collect payments and recover any overdue NDR from you. Further information about how we use your personal data is provided below.
2. What and whose personal information we hold?
We hold information about past and present ratepayers deemed liable to pay NDR in the County Borough.
The types of information we hold and process will typically include:
- Contact details, including name, address, telephone numbers and email address.
- Financial details such as bank account number if you pay NDR by Direct Debit.
- In some circumstances information about your business or organisation which has been provided to the Council to support an application for assistance or relief from rates
3. Where does the service get my information from?
The personal information we collect about you can come from a variety of different sources as listed below:
- Information provided directly by you for example on an application form or through correspondence with us
- Information provided by other government agencies such as the Valuation Office Agency (VOA).
- Trusted third sector agencies and organisations such as Citizens Advice if they are acting on your behalf).
- Information generated by us during our dealings with you.
- Information from stakeholders such as rating agents
- Information from other Council Services – such as Public Health & Protection, Planning and Highways to ensure new developments are reported to the Valuation Office and entered into the local rating list
- Information provided by members of the public e.g. complaint or concern
4. What we will do with your personal information?
We will use this personal information to administer and collect NDR. This may include any of the following:
- Send you NDR demand notices
- Send you payment reminders
- Process any discounts or relief that you may apply for or be entitled to
- Process your payments e.g. direct debit, credit/debit card, cash payment
- Recover any monies owed in line with our legal powers for example take you to court, refer the debt to the bailiffs for collection
- Deal with complaints or concerns.
- Identify and detect fraud.
5. What is the legal basis for the use of this information?
Data Protection law says that we are allowed to use and share personal information only where we have a proper and lawful reason for doing so.
Our lawful basis for processing this information for the above purposes is
To undertake our official statutory duties and to satisfy our legal obligations under the following legislation:
6. Does the service share my personal information with any other organisation?
From time to time, we will share your personal information with advisers and service providers so that they can help us carry out our duties, rights and discretions in relation to NDR. These may include:
Internal Council Services such as:
Government agencies and organisations such as:
- The Welsh Government
- Her Majesties Court Services – to recover unpaid NDR
- The Valuation Office Agency – to maintain the property valuation list
- The Cabinet Office – for the purposes of the National Fraud Initiative.
Payment processing providers:
- Banking Automated Clearing Service (BACS) – to administer direct debit instructions and payments
Trusted third party suppliers and organisations who provide services on our behalf:
- Tracing bureau – (currently Experian) to recover unpaid NDR.
- Enforcement Agents – (currently Andrew James Enforcement Ltd, Swift Credit Services Ltd) to enforce court orders in relation to unpaid NDR.
- Solicitors – (currently Greenalgh Kerr Ltd) to provide legal expertise in bankruptcy proceedings in order to recover unpaid NDR
- Printing companies – (currently MPS Ltd) to print, pack and post NDR documents.
- Software provider – (currently Capita Software Services Ltd) to maintain our NDR systems.
7. How long will my information be kept?
We will keep your personal information for 6 years from the date the account is paid in full for administration purposes and to deal with any questions or complaints that we may receive about this, unless the law requires us to keep it for a longer period.
8. Your information, your rights
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) gives you important rights, including the right to access the personal information the services hold about you.
View further details on your information rights and how to exercise them
9. Contact us
If you have any concerns or would like to know more about how the service using your personal information please contact us in one of the following ways:
By email : revenues@rctcbc.gov.uk
By telephone : 01443 425002
In writing : Financial Services Division, Ty Bronwydd, Porth, CF39 9DL