Landlord -documents

[tali1]

A friend of mine was living with a relative -but has been told to leave and has got eviction notice from relative who is a tenant landlord.
However , disregarding issue of eviction, my friend has been told by council to produce documents of birth certificate/benefits/passport/utility bills not of just herself but also tenant landlord -i don't understand why they expect confidential private information to be be forcibaly issued via a 3rd party?
Why haven't council written to lanlord requesting documents ensuring data protection?
Although i guess council will say they are speeding up the process for landlord for rehousing an evicted tenant -it still leaves a grey area?
What does data protection act say about this?

[bushbaby_de]

I don't really understand the question. Why is the Council involved in this 'eviction'? BTW If your friend was living with a resident landlord they don't actually need to get evicted anyway as they were only occupying on license.

What do the Council want the paperwork for? If its for rehousing, are you sure the letter doesn't ask for papers for everyone in your friends household and they have misinterpreted this as the physical household rather than the household for whom your friend is seeking housing?

[themas]

If your friend is seeking re-housing by the Council then they will want some evidence of identity. this should take account of her circumstances - e.g. they cannot reasonably expect to get a utility bill if your friend was not on the account for the utilities.

So far as I can see her landlord has nothing to do with her application for re-housing & there is no reason at all by the Council should want to see his/her documents.

[tali1]

Council def do want to see landlord's documents 100% -afaik it might be because eviction is due to overcrowding -so i assume they need proof of the overcrowding - as in proof of other occupants - but again this brings up issue of data protection and 3rd parties

[themas]

If the Council want the landlord's documents then they should ask the landlord for them - not try to make the tenant (your friend) responsible for getting them.

Whatever action the Council want to take in respect of overcrowding is nothing to do with your friend's application for re-housing - they are totally separate matters.


I suggest your friend finds out who the Councillor is for her ward and asks him/her for help; otherwise make a formal complaint to the Council.

Anyway, getting the landlord's documents is not going to give them any information about the overcrowding.

[tali1]

I have actually heard about council requesting landlord documents before (again no written request just 3rd party) -i'm just puzzled as to how they can do this
Landlord documents will include all his dependants living there - so therefore will give info on overcrowding