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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Surprised this isn't a breach of GDPR

27 replies

WhereILiveIsWhereIStay · 03/07/2020 13:09

My landlord is selling the flat where I live and it's on the market via an estate agent. It hasn't sold to date.

I received a letter today to my address and to 'the person moving' from a removals company including their brochure.

This is upsetting as I don't even know that I am moving yet! But also the address has obviously been passed on by the estate agent or something. Or it's a very weird coinicidence.

I've emailed the company to ask where they got the address and did a 'live chat' with the IOC who said this is unlikely to be a breach of GDPR as it was not addressed to my name and the address alone is not personal data that identifies a living person.

I queried that as i've lived here for ages and i'm linked to this address in a hundred ways and they said it's not a breach as my name hasn't been passed on?

OP posts:

UserFriendly14 · 03/07/2020 13:13

Sounds like an unfortunate coincidence. Are you sure it was sent directly to you and not just as general, everyone in the street got one, mailing?

thescarftwins · 03/07/2020 13:14

I got a valuation for my house and received these in the post. Don't think it will be personal, but agree it's a pain

AskingforaBaskin · 03/07/2020 13:15

Was the property listens on right move, the estate agents window, any other form?

MinesAPintOfTea · 03/07/2020 13:15

Is it advertised for sale on (say) Rightmove? If so then the estate agent may not have done anything personal (especially if they are sending unnamed letters)

CeeceeBloomingdale · 03/07/2020 13:15

Sometimes people send these letters after driving around and seeing for sale signs. I wouldn't take it personally.

LemonBreeland · 03/07/2020 13:17

The company could have just got the information by looking on Rightmove or the Estate Agent website.

EmmaC78 · 03/07/2020 13:17

Yes as others have said, they normally check rightmove and send letters to addresses based on that. I doubt the estate agent passed the details on.

HilaryBriss · 03/07/2020 13:17

The address may not have been passed on by anyone. If the house is on the market it will be easy enough to find and removal firms could well trawl Rightmove etc to look for potential business.

BlueLadybird · 03/07/2020 13:17

I would imagine the removal company are using Right Move, agent info or just driving round looking for for sale boards.

Having something posted to your house doesn’t breach data protection I’m afraid.

Rockhopper81 · 03/07/2020 13:18

We put our house on the market and suddenly received several brochures and letters about removal services - they look for properties that are for sale and target those addresses.

It feels like a personal thing, but it's really not - it's why they're not addressed to anybody. They're just speculatively mailing information.

KrisAkabusi · 03/07/2020 13:18

It's just advertising. The romovals company don't have your name because they didn't get any info from the estate agent. They've just looked at websites to see what houses are for sale and done a mailshot.

lanthanum · 03/07/2020 13:19

For houses, it would be easy enough for a removal company to identify those on sale (using rightmove/google streetview) and send letters on spec. Not so easy for flats, but if it's a small block maybe it's still worth them sending one to every flat in the block.

ZoZoBo · 03/07/2020 13:20

Yes as others said it’s unlikely to be a breach as it’s addressed generally - they don’t your name in all likelihood and have obtained the information form a publicly available source.

Original poster

WhereILiveIsWhereIStay · 03/07/2020 13:21

Ah, okay, that makes sense then.

OP posts:

bestbrowsintown · 03/07/2020 13:21

It doesn't sound like a breach at all. The fact that the house is for sale is publicly available information.

MeepleMe · 03/07/2020 13:22

We got lots of similar leaflets when house went on the market. Didn't occur to me it was anything other than companies seeing the property on Rightmove or similar. I thought it was pretty sensible to be honest, good way to pick up potential customers. In fact we used one of the removal firms!

jackdaw141 · 03/07/2020 13:24

Even if it had your name on and was forwarded by the agent it might not be a breach of GDPR. You may have expressly consented (ie 'opted in') to be contacted by the agent and select 'business partners'. You might want to check your TOBs and their GDPR policy issued together at the time you became a customer.

notheragain4 · 03/07/2020 13:24

An address in isolation isn't personal data. Direct marketing to home addresses is less regulated than online, that's why we get "to the occupier" junk mail in the post from legitimate companies, it's within the rules of GDPR and PECR, you don't have to have an active opt in like you do online.

I'm sorry you have to move it must be a distressing time.

Fatted · 03/07/2020 13:24

It's not a breach of GDPR because they have not passed on any information that is personal or sensitive to you. An address on its own is not sensitive sensitive information. It is also not the removal company that have committed any breach if it was, it's the company who pass it on.

TW2013 · 03/07/2020 13:27

We had loads of junk mail when we were moving from anyone who you can think of linked with the moving market. Even other estate agents writing to say 'your house has been on the market for 45 days, did you know that on average our properties sell within 44 days, call us now for a free valuation.' I doubt that they have passed your details on. Just position your recycling box under the letter box and grit your teeth I am afraid.

Comefromaway · 03/07/2020 13:27

My house is currently for sale. I’ve had a plethora of unaddressed post from companies offering cash to buy the hoyes to rival estate agents to removal companies.

Original poster

WhereILiveIsWhereIStay · 03/07/2020 13:27

Yep, thanks. I over-reacted a bit as was slightly freaked out by it.

I understand how it happened now.

OP posts:

Haffdonga · 03/07/2020 13:30

It is upsetting to learn your home is being sold from under you. I remember when we rented coming home one day to find a for sale sign outside our house - it was the first we knew and a horrible shock.

But it's not a data breach because it doesn't link you to the address (your name, phone number, inside leg measurement or anything else). Brace yourself for loads more bumph advertising removals, surveyors and interior decorators and let the whole GDPR idea go. That's a battle not worth getting upset about.

SonEtLumiere · 03/07/2020 13:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

holidaytimes · 03/07/2020 13:42

@UserFriendly14

Sounds like an unfortunate coincidence. Are you sure it was sent directly to you and not just as general, everyone in the street got one, mailing?

It isn't a coincidence, there's a lot that goes into targeting customers. For print marketing you are able to purchase mailing lists that don't contain personal details and can be very niche e.g on the move, -3 months pre move, +3 months post move. It's a good way of reaching for businesses to target a customer and often used by furniture companies, white goods retailers and in the OP's case removal companies.

As you've been advised, it isn't a breach of GDPR. If you don't want to receive marketing at your new address then sign up for the mailing preference service.

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