Hi, Daughter has been flat hunting in Glasgow, found one her and her BF like, had to go through the be put on the list of potential tenants, go through the credit referencing agency to get that bit sorted out, then nothing for a few days. She gets a call from Virgin Media, asking if she'd like to go through the options for their fibre broadband for the flat.
now, I've not rented for well over a decade, and even then it was private landlord, all inclusive and very little faff.
We're assuming that her details have been passed as they've got the flat, but they've still not heard anything from the agent.
However, it looks like the credit referencing company works with 'utility partners' including virgin media for broadband.
Other than what it says on the tin, the credit ref co is separate from the letting agent isn't it?
are utility partners common? I think it's arranged to make it easy for renters to set up utilities so they're ready when they more in, at the same time protects landlords from residual debt from ex tenants? but I'm kinda making that up.
anyone shed some light?
ta
I’m a landlord of one property. The contract details that all utilities are the tenants responsibility so therefore I have to leave all choices of provider up to the tenants. This also means I am not responsible for their debts. In the last decade I have never once spoken to the broadband / phone line supplier.
I am not sure why an agent / credit scorer etc would be passing tenants details other than for a kickback tbh.
nor me, hence the question. from what I gather, the agent passes details on to credit referencing agency, who also acts as a broker for partnered utility suppliers, presumably they get a cut for referral, but it may be that they act as credit checkers for the utilities too.
I don't think my daughter and her BF will be tied to them, I think they can still say no, we'll sort ourselves out, but it seemed a little odd. They should have got in touch with the letting agent by now to figure it all out!
I am not sure why an agent / credit scorer etc would be passing tenants details other than for a kickback tbh.
That,
And I would want to know where on the agreement they have signed is the GDPR permissions to share contact information with other organisations.
I suspect the credit ref agency sold your daughters details to virgin media who tried to jump in and get the business to supply broadband.
She hasn't even secured the flat yet! A call to the agent would confirm this, they aren't going to be doing anything until the contract is signed.
When you ring a supplier and tell them you are moving, they ask you for the new occupiers details. How would the current tenant know your daughters details?!
Any chance she gave them permission to do this when supplying reference info? Small print and a checkbox somewhere?
Could it be a flat? And the block/stair have a suppl?
Any chance she gave them permission to do this when supplying reference info? Small print and a checkbox somewhere?
I assume it must be - there can't be many people handling credit reference type info who are oblivious to the GDPR implications of just selling your data. BUT if she doesn't know that she "ticked that box" its not explicit consent. I'd struggle to accept that this was justified on any of the other lawful basis. Ironically, if they did it very explicitly they could probably make the new tenant believe they were genuinely adding value. "Would you like XYZ Credit to help you transfer broadband, electricity and gas supplies from the existing tenant?".
Any chance she gave them permission to do this when supplying reference info? Small print and a checkbox somewhere?
most likely.
I've not got the details with me, but the credit referencing agency has part of their website with a 'working with our partners..' and then virgin media under the broadband section, and a separate 'utilities' dropdown. Never seen that before.
How would the current tenant know your daughters details?!
the flat is vacant. so it'll have been from the credit agency.
Found out who the company is. Ittria, lots of not great stuff on them. :-/
