Your Guide to Data Protection

Saffron Building Society takes the privacy and security of its members' data seriously. We have published this data protection guide to ensure that our members and prospective members are fully informed about the effect of the new legislation on the relationship between us.

This guide sets out the ways in which we handle information about you and your rights in respect of that information.

What information do we hold and how do we obtain it ?

Generally, we receive information about you from one or more of the following sources:
directly from you, usually when you open an account with us (e.g. name, address, date of birth, telephone number, occupation, bank account details)
from third parties such as credit reference agencies (e.g. your credit rating)
from your legal and/or financial representatives

For what purposes do we use your information?

We use your information for a number of purposes which are outlined below. More detailed information is included within individual account declarations.

Provision of services:
to administer and maintain your record(s) (e.g. investment, mortgage and insurance),
to ensure that the service we offer you continues to be the most appropriate service for your needs,
to respond to any query that you may raise with us about your account,
to update our systems for enhanced service provision to you.
Other purposes:
disclose information to third party agencies for credit checking purposes (such information may be shared with other organisations for the same purpose) and also to carry out our own automated credit risk checks,
disclose information about you to collection agencies and legal representatives, for the purpose of collecting your debts to the Society.
disclose information about you to other lenders for the purposes of fraud prevention and detection
to keep you informed (by post, telephone or e-mail) about other products and services offered by the Saffron Building Society (you will be given the opportunity to tell us if you do not wish to receive this information when filling out the account application form),
use information about you for the purposes of research and statistical analysis,
disclose information to other companies within the Saffron Building Society group, where appropriate,
record or monitor telephone conversations between us for both internal training and/or to ensure accurate operation of your account(s),
use information about your account with us for our internal customer service monitoring, disclose information about you to regulatory authorities in response to formal requests,
disclose information about you in response to legislative/court orders.

Caring for your data

We undertake that we will have in place a level of security appropriate to the nature of the data and the harm that might result from a breach of security.

We further undertake that we will:
not hold information about you which is excessive in relation to the purpose or purposes for which they are processed,
keep any information about you accurate and where necessary up-to-date. To help us to do this, please keep us informed if any of your details change,
not keep data processed for any purpose or purposes longer than is necessary. We may retain records of your account for a time after discontinuing our service to you to enable us to resolve any subsequent queries and comply with legislative requirements,
process your information in accordance with your rights under the Data Protection Act.

Your rights

You have certain rights under the Data Protection Act in relation to the information that we hold about you. These rights are set out below:
access to personal data (subject access). You may make a request for the details of the information that we hold about you, and the purposes for which it is held, by writing to the Data Protection Officer at Saffron Building Society (address at the end of the leaflet). We will provide the information, in a permanent form, as at the time of the request, subject to any routine processing continuing between that time and the time of response. Provision of such information will be subject to a charge (as permitted by the Act) currently £10 (cheque made payable to Saffron Building Society). Your request will be met within 40 days of receiving the request, or, if later, on receipt of the fee and any supplementary information needed, to establish your relationship with the Society or verify your identity.
you are entitled, by notice in writing to require us to cease (or not to begin) processing personal data on the grounds that it is causing or is likely to cause substantial damage or distress to you or to another and that damage or distress is, or would be unwarranted. This does not apply where you have consented to the processing, the processing is necessary for entering into, or for the performance of, a contract, the processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation, or the processing is necessary to protect your vital interests.
you are entitled, by giving notice in writing, to require us to stop using information about you for the purposes of direct marketing. Direct marketing means the communication (by whatever means) of any advertising or marketing material which is directed to you.
you are entitled, by giving notice in writing, to require us to ensure that no decision taken by or on behalf of us, and which significantly affects you, is based solely on the automated processing of your information, for the purpose of evaluating such matters as, for example, your creditworthiness, reliability or conduct.

Saffron Building Society

The Society has a direct interest in its subsidiary undertakings, namely Saffron IFA Ltd and Crocus Home Loans Limited.

In addition to the above, the Society has interests in bodies and a number of dormant subsidiary undertakings.

Contact details

Data Protection Officer
Sue Housden
Saffron Building Society
Saffron House
1a Market Street
Saffron Walden
Essex  
CB10 1HX

The Information Commissioner

If you wish to know more about your rights in respect of protection of personal data, you should write to the:

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

Telephone (01625) 545700 (switchboard)
E-Mail : data@dataprotection.gov.uk

Homepage: www.dataprotection.gov.uk The Register: www.dpr.gov.uk
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