Data Protection Query

[susanxx]

I receive a small pension from a previous employer. Due to illness I didn't realise that I had not received 2 payments. It was a weekend and I looked at the online payroll site and discovered that my address was shown as one I had lived at over a decade ago and since I have had 2 more addresses and have paperwork to that affect. I called the company on Monday morning and spoke to someone who told me that she could amend the address. I was surprised at this as I thought a written signed letter was needed but I did not want it changed until a manager had seen it and given me an explanation. Eventually a manager phone me, promised an explanation by the end of the week but the reason my pension had been stopped was because my payslips had been returned 'unknown at this address' and this was sufficient for them to discontinue my pension. This happened 4 weeks ago, I have written a very detailed letter to the head of department with no response and am still awaiting an explanation. I am concerned about data protection and am a complete loss as to how my address can magically change in the way it has. Sorry for the length of this query, thanks.

[Maydup]

Oh dear it sounds like a software roll back to me. Something has gone wrong with their system and its put you back to a previous state on the records.

It happens and I would expect it has affected a fair number of people on their system. I wouldnt worry too much about data protection, your data has not been shared with anyone else or made public. But your correspondence was sent to a previous address, so demand that explanation you have requested and a full apology. Its a clerical/electronic error that is probably causing a few people to scratch their heads.

[Hopkirk]

I have just moved house and advised loads of different organisations of the change of address. Not one required a signed letter. That could be forged. They make different checks, including sending a letter to the old address to check I had initiated the change.

[fiction-factory]

I'm surprised they pay you by cheque rathe rthan bank transfer.
There are two issues here:
1)why your address reverted back. Probably a faulty payroll update process that looked back at the wrong record. I used to have a similar problem with an energy supplier that kept reverting back to an old bank account for DDs every now and again.
The Data protection issue of why they didn't ask for proof of your 'new ' address. But in your case I don't see an issue - they also knew your true address and they had presumably done some simple ID checks over the phone

[fiction-factory]

Okay, on rereading I can see that maybe the payments are made by bank transfer- so my surprise is that they still send monthly payslips for a small pension. Can you turn off that facility and just view them online? It will stop the problem happening again

[Peter Pedant]

what was the question - long post and couldnt work you what the query was

I dont even think it is worth complaining - I agree with Maydup - 'roll back' and they reloaded an old back up and hoped for the best

and yes I think they had cause to stop your pension
and no the new owners dont send on stuff and arent required to - but I always try to because I am a little saint ( I have experienced the trouble that NOT re-addressing a letter can cause

and yes I have always had to sign a change of address thingey with a signature - with a change of tenant - three ( out going in coming and moi)

oh and hahaha I must tell you - 1978 - first house I sent on all his letters - and he sent one back saying I was just about to be cut off for failing to pay utilities ( erm yes OK I was more careful after that) so I stopped sending them on and opened them instead - throwing the boring ones away

and he rang me up in a great lather a week or so later - and said a cheque sent to him had gone astray ! - nothing to do with me
it wasnt - as I er knew - the cheque sender had been lying to him !
how I lay in bed and laughed ....