Guidance

Healthy Homes evaluation research: privacy notice

Updated 1 September 2025

Applies to England

The following is to explain your rights and give you the information you are entitled to under UK data protection legislation.

1. The identity and contact details of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and our Data Protection Officer   

MHCLG is the data controller. The Data Protection Officer can be contacted at dataprotection@communities.gov.uk 

This research is being carried out by Verian on behalf of MHCLG. Verian are our data processors for this research. 

2. What personal data we are collecting and why

Your personal data is being collected as part of an evaluation of the Healthy Homes scheme. The scheme aims to test ways in which to increase landlord compliance with addressing damp and mould in Private Rented Sector housing. 

The purpose of the Healthy Homes evaluation is to provide the government with evidence about how to:  

• improve the identification of damp and mould
• improve the quality of enforcement action taken by local authorities in relation to damp and mould
• understand the impact of damp and mould on health and employment related outcomes
• ultimately reduce the prevalence of damp and mould in the Private Rented Sector

Evidence from the evaluation will inform future government policy and help us understand how we can ensure healthy homes for those living in the Private Rented Sector.  

Personal data will be used to invite you to participate in the research. It will also be used to understand how different groups of people are affected by damp and mould issues in the Private Rented Sector, and whether they have been helped by the Healthy Homes scheme.  

The following personal data is being collected for the research:  

• contact details: name, email address, phone number, and postal address
• demographic (some of which is referred to as special category data, i.e. sensitive data): age, date of birth, gender, ethnicity, family circumstances & household makeup, benefit receipt, and health

We will also collect data relating to the property where you currently reside including EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) ratings and the presence of damp and mould hazards. 

For the current research, Verian, who is the data processor, processing data on our behalf, will store your personal data to allow us to measure changes over time. The data collected will be analysed and reported at the aggregate level and no individuals will be identified.   

3. Lawful basis for processing the data 

The data protection legislation sets out when we are lawfully allowed to process your data. The lawful basis that applies to this processing is Article 6(1)(e) of the UK GDPR – public task. 

For processing of special category data, we will rely on Article 9(g) of the UK GDPR - substantial public interest. The relevant substantial public interest condition in Schedule 1 of the DPIA 2018 is 6. Statutory and government purposes.  

4. With whom we will be sharing the data

Anonymised data gathered using the questionnaire will be shared with Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and used by MHCLG to answer additional/future policy related questions. The data will be shared at aggregate level and no individuals will be identified.  

In addition, where your permission is provided, we will use your name, date of birth and/or address details to link to datasets with DWP benefit data. This linkage will allow us to understand how housing conditions and employment of benefit receipt are interrelated. All linked data will be securely processed and once linked, will be anonymised for analysis and reporting.  

This linked data will be used for research purposes only and will not have any impact on your benefit entitlement now or in the future.   

At the end of the survey, the interviewer will ask you whether you would like to be contacted again for follow-up research by MHCLG or by another government department. If you agree to be contacted for this purpose, then you will be asked to provide your name and an email address. 

5. For how long we will keep the personal data, or criteria used to determine the retention period.

Verian (MHCLG’s data processor) will keep your personal data and store them securely until contract ends (anticipated to be May 2026). If their contract is extended the storage time will be extended in line with this. All de-identified data processed for this evaluation will be destroyed by the Verian within 12 months after the end of the contract. All personal data will be destroyed within 3 months after the end of the contract. 

If you agree to be recontacted by MHCLG or another government department, your personal data are retained by MHCLG for 5 years

6. Your rights, e.g. access, rectification, erasure

The data we are collecting is your personal data, and you have rights that affect what happens to it. You have the right to:  

• know that we are using your personal data 

• see what data we have about you 

• ask to have your data corrected, and to ask how we check the information we hold is accurate 

• complain to the ICO (see below) 

In some circumstances you may also have the right to withdraw your consent to us having or using your data, to have all data about you deleted, or to object to particularly types of use of your data. We will tell you when these rights apply. 

If you would like to exercise your rights, please get in touch with the MHCLG DPO (contact details at the start of this privacy notice) 

7. Sending data overseas

Your personal data will not be sent outside of the EU: it will be securely stored in the UK or EU by MHCLG and its processors. 

8. Automated decision making

We will not use your data for any automated decision making.

9. Storage, security and data management

Processes are in place to ensure the secure transfer, handling, storage, and destruction of the data. These are specified in MHCLG’s Data Processing Agreement with Verian. All Verian staff handling data will be DBS checked. MHCLG’s contract with Verian sets out requirements for cyber security processes. Verian have up to date cyber security clearance from MHCLG’s cyber security team. 

MHCLG will only use your data within the terms of data protection laws, will delete your data securely and only keep it for as long as necessary for our work as a public body. 

MHCLG will review dates for keeping personal details and data in the future. Where relevant, some data will be kept without personal details attached (e.g. survey results) for longer periods. 

10. Complaints and more information

When we ask you for information, we will keep to the law, including the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK General Data Protection Regulation. 

If you are unhappy with the way the Department has acted, you can make a complaint. 

If you want to make a Subject Access Request, another request in relation to your rights, or If you are not happy with how we are using your personal data, you should first contact dataprotection@communities.gov.uk. 

If you are still not happy, or for independent advice about data protection, privacy and data sharing, you can contact:

The Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545 745

https://ico.org.uk/