I need to get records from the council to see who has accessed my account, will a SAR be sufficient ?

Quick run down...

My Ex works there.

I was out of work for a period and signed on at local job centre so i did not have to pay council tax whilst out of work.

The job centre wanted my end of year accounts (Im self-employed).

The job centre and council share the information im led to believe.

The next thing I know is a text message from my ex arrives saying how much i earn and that if i dont pay up she will get the CSA involved..

2 weeks later CSA letter drops through the letterbox !

I have had a mutual agreement for payments with my ex and have always paid up but with this years accounts it means i pay £2 a month more...

Im not moaning and my son stays here 3 nights a week so im not a "run away Dad" !

As far as im concerned she has used my private data for her own means and that's not really on is it, working for the government and all that ?

How would I word a SAR for this matter or if anyone knows of another way to do this I would be grateful..

Thanks

Eggy12

Hi,

My knowledge of Local Authorities (made serious complaint in past) is that there is a "access data trail" of who ever has accessed your records. I would personally make a formal complaint with the council concerned and state that your ex is to be barred all access to your records..... and you want a copy of said access data trail of who has accessed your information.

Hi

I would be making sure that the DWP did share the information with the council and explore other ways your ex could have got the info.

If it turns out that she has accessed your data through work and used it for her own ends, that is a sackable offense.

Thanks for the swift responses

2ltr16valve.. That sounds like the route i need to travel up thanks for that i will investigate it now

Yes Silver im sure they do as i was told in the job centre that for claims for jobseekers allowance and council tax benefit the information is available to council so i need not get in touch with them to tell them im out of work ! I can see no other way she new what i earned and its just to coincidental that 2 weeks after i send the jobcenter my details she finds out how much i earn.. !!!

When i question this to her via text she says that she has barred herself from my information but if i want to make a complaint then send it to a certain person whom is leader of complaints in her department.. YES she works in the complaints depo also so im guessing some other person could have told her so thats why i need to know who accessed my details on what day so to tally up with text she sent me, if that makes sense

Thnks again

Eggy

Ok im going to do a letter and include the data trail

This is what my council say about the matter regards data protection.. not even going to look at there form for doing it

http://www.kettering.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?categoryID=200031&documentID=280

Eggy

Ok this is from a letter from my local council rejecting my claim for council tax benefit because works and pensions averaged out my yearly earnings and said i was still getting paid for some reason or another...

"I have based your Council Tax Benefit claim on a weekly earnings figure used by the department for works and pensions of £*** per week. I have not taken into account any tax or national insurance contributions"

This goes to show Council have access to what i have earned albeit not net but with the earnings mentioned its not hard to get a figure from it for gross earnings.. My gross was 18745, in the text message my ex said she "guesses about18000".. Like i say its to coincidently.. She found that information out and has used it for her own means.

NOW this is what ive come up with so far

Data Protection Act 1998

Council Tax Ref. ********

Subject access request

Dear Sir/Madam

Please supply me with all data that you hold on me. This includes in particular, but is not limited to, the following:-

1.Screen shots and all records of who has accessed my account in the last 6 months also known as a "access data trail" and for what reason my account was accessed including time, date and name of the person accessing my account.

2. Where there has been any event in my account history over this period which has required manual intervention by any person, I require disclosure of any indication or notes which have either caused or resulted in that manual intervention.

I enclose the statutory maximum fee of £10. You have 40 days in which to comply.

If there is specific information which you require in order to satisfy yourself as to my identity, please let me know by return. However, please note that the above address is the one which you normally use to communicate my private business to me and which you have hitherto found to be acceptable.

Yours faithfully,

Eggy12

1.Screen shots and all records of who has accessed my account in the last 6 months also known as a "access data trail" and for what reason my account was accessed including time, date and name of the person accessing my account or information from other parties within this time frame.

Be careful on the exact phrase mate, as they may well call it something else.

Either way, any time your records are accessed there is a footprint left of who ever accessed it, when and where(usually).

cool thanks 2litre, at least if they try to read this differently then i can put them right later.. Thanks for the help i will update this as and when.

Best regards

Eggy12 (1.2litresingleinjectioncombovan)

Quick update.. Letters arrived today 1 from CSA saying my ex has told them to cease action against me and another from council saying information requested is now ready for me to collect from there offices !! Strange or coincidence ! Guess my ex may have had a sniff at what i was asking for ! Anyway im going to collect tomorrow Will let you know what i get !!

Regards

Eggy12

information collected, All id's scribbled out on screen shots with a letter saying they cannot say who the id's are as that is also personal information yet all they will tell me is two ppl who i contacted over the phone.. Damb that sucks !!

Next actions is to SAR work and pensions asking for records of all contact via email/ telephone and what ever from them and the council... surely there is a way i can get said information with out all this hassle

Eggy12

I would say contact the information commisioners office mate, if the council want to hide the identity of a person in such a way... maybe the ico can do an audit of your file to see if there are any "strange" footsteps left.

Will look into it 2lt.. Thanks for your input

Regards

Eggy 12

Having worked for an LA - I would persue this in a different manner. I would issue a formal complaint, enclose the info with id's scribbled out and state the exact position. i.e. you suspect your ex has accessed your records without authority. Tell the LA that you are aware that this is a breach of DP act and that you are informing her employer of a potential misuse of information/abuse of trust by an employee. They should then sit up and take notice. Say that you are not being vindictive and you do not want disclosure of the id of whoever accessed your records BUT you want a 100% assurance from the LA that they have investigated the matter and will prevent any further breach. Also tell them that you want her barred from accessing your data in future by locking your file. i.e. a manager has to authorise access

You could also ask for a Councillor to oversee the investigation and provide you with assurance that she was not involved i.e. they have seen the id's