Business Rates privacy notice
Who are we and what do we do
Business rates is part of Gateshead Council. We are based at the Civic Centre, Gateshead. We provide services for the billing, collection, and recovery of Business rates.
This privacy notice provides specific information about how we process your personal data. It is an addition to the information contained in our Corporate privacy notice.
What type of information is collected about you
- name or company name
- address and, if a company, registered office address
- telephone number
- email address
- details about your business and the property to establish the correct charge
- information to support the award of relevant discounts, exemptions and reliefs
- bank details for direct debit payments
- contact details of third parties authorised to deal with your account(s), for example, a rating agent
How we collect information about you
We collect your information from you or third parties in the following ways:
- by checking the register of electors
- direct from you during telephone conversations
- from online forms
- from written correspondence with you or others, including landlords, letting agents and rating agents
- through requests we make for information from other local authorities and public bodies
Why we need your information
We collect your personal information for the following purposes:
- assessing your entitlement to support or financial assistance other than business rates reliefs, discounts, and exemptions
- charging accurate business rates
- collecting business rates for any property you are liable for
- monitoring our performance
- notifying you of changes to our services
- responding to complaints
- responding to requests for advice and guidance
- seeking your views or comments on the services we provide
The lawful basis for processing your personal data is:
- legal obligation to which the data controller is subject
- legitimate interests in improving service performance
- task in the public interest
The legislation the service is obliged to comply with includes:
- the Local Government Finance Act 1988 & 1992
- the Non-Domestic Rating (Collection and Enforcement) (Local Lists) Regulations 1989
- the General Data Protection Regulation/Data Protection Act 2018
Who your information can be shared with
Our Corporate privacy notice explains information sharing the Council carries out. This sharing fulfils statutory obligations, legal requirements and service delivery. Business rates can share your information with:
- your Councillor or MP (for example, if you have made a complaint to them about the council)
- Adare SEC for printing and mailing services
In administering your business rates account in accordance with The Local Government Finance Act 1988 we may share your information with the following organisations:
- Government agencies such as HMRC
- Government agencies and specifically with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities (DLUHC) in relation to help delivering business grants energy support to businesses and residents when they are introduced by Government
- HM Courts and Tribunals Service
- rating agents and rates forecasting agents contracted to the Council
- the Valuation Office Agency
- the Valuation Tribunal Service
We share information with these departments to prevent fraud and also to ensure we are billing the correct liable parties.
We share information with:
- the Department for Works and Pensions in the course of assisting them with any relevant investigations
- the Valuation Office Agency to ensure we bring properties into the ratings list and bill the liable party for business rates
- HM Courts and Tribunals Service with regard to business rate cases where recovery action is proceeding
- HMRC in the course of assisting with any relevant investigations and providing any statutory returns.
We are required by law to protect the public funds we administer. We may share information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds in order to prevent and detect fraud.
We will not sell or rent your information to third parties. We will not share your information with third parties for marketing purposes. Our lawful basis for this sharing is task in the public interest and your consent is not required.
If we wish to share your information with other council services or third parties for purposes outside of those listed above, we will ask your permission.
How long we will keep your information
We keep your information for as long as we need to provide services to you. We may also need to keep your information in accordance with legal or other obligations. Where we have no need to keep your data it will be securely destroyed. We keep a Record of Processing Activity (a requirement under the GDPR). This sets out the specific retention periods applicable in different circumstances. For more information please contact: businessrates@gateshead.gov.uk.
Where your information is held
We hold personal information in secure electronic systems on Gateshead council servers.
How you can update your information
Our delivery of efficient services depends on the accuracy of your information.
Please inform us of any changes to the following:
email address
personal circumstances
postal address
any of the other information we hold
Please contact: businessrates@gateshead.gov.uk.
Your information rights
Please see the relevant section of our Corporate privacy notice.
Marketing and e-newsletters
Please see our email marketing privacy notice.
Business intelligence, profiling and automated-decision making
Please see the relevant section of our Corporate privacy notice.
Protecting your information
Please see the relevant section of our Corporate privacy notice.
Data Protection Officer
Data Protection Officer
Civic Centre
Regent Street
Gateshead
NE8 1HH
0191 433 3000
Information Commissioner's Office
The Information Commissioner is the UK's independent body for upholding information rights. Visit their website to find out more about your rights under Data Protection law, and what to expect from us.
For privacy practices or data protection rights concerns, contact the Information Commissioner's Office:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
0303 123 1113 or 01625 545 745