Supported living privacy notice

mhs homes ltd (Z629086) and Heart of Medway Housing Association (ZA079387) are registered with the ICO with our registered office at Leviathan Way, Chatham ME4 4LL.  We are committed to protecting your privacy and keeping your personal data confidential in line with UK data protection laws. 

As data controllers, we are responsible for collecting, storing, using, sharing, and deleting your data when no longer needed. This privacy notice explains how we handle your information and your rights.

What Information Do We Collect? 

We collect various types of information, including: 

  • Personal details – Name, address, date of birth, tenancy reference, National Insurance number, photographs. 
  • Contact information – Home address, email, phone numbers, next of kin details. 
  • Financial details – Payments via direct debit, benefit support information. 
  • Audio & video recordings – CCTV footage, recorded calls, noise monitoring equipment. 
  • Property-related data – Smart home monitoring (boiler usage, humidity, condensation, hot water usage). 
  • Website cookies – Information collected through our website. (See our cookies page for more details.) 

How Do We Collect Your Information? 

We collect your information in various ways, including: 

  • Information you provide when applying for a property. 
  • Additional details shared when we support you with benefits, health, or well-being. 

Why Do We Use and Share Your Personal Data? 

As part of our supported living campaign, we use your data to: 

  • Confirm eligibility for supported living. 
  • Investigate tenancy agreement breaches. 
  • Fulfil our commitments to keeping your home safe. 
  • Protect you and your household. 
  • Monitor your needs and provide additional support. 
  • Prevent fraud and resolve disputes. 

We only use your data when: 

  • Required by law. 
  • Necessary for our legitimate business interests in a fair and balanced way. 
  • Needed to fulfil a contract with you, such as event registration. 
  • Determined to be in the public interest. 
  • You have given us explicit consent. 

Special Category & Criminal Offence Data

For supported living, we may collect extra information to ensure your safety, such as: 

  • Medical conditions, medications, allergies, mobility issues, or additional needs. 
  • Ethnicity (optional and only collected when essential, with extra protection). 
  • Criminal convictions or offences (only when necessary, with strict security measures). 

We process special category data only when: 

  • You have given explicit written consent. 
  • Required by law, such as for law enforcement. 
  • There is a substantial public interest under the Data Protection Act 2018. 

Why Do We Use and Share Your Personal Data? 

We use your personal data to: 

  • Confirm eligibility for supported living. 
  • Investigate tenancy breaches. 
  • Keep your home safe. 
  • Protect you and your household. 
  • Monitor your needs and provide additional support. 
  • Prevent fraud and resolve disputes. 

Who Do We Share Your Information With? 

We only share data when legally required, including with: 

  • Contractors working on our behalf. 
  • Kindi who provides out-of-hours support. 
  • Medway Council. 
  • Other housing providers (if you need to move). 
  • Medway adult social care agencies and your GP. 
  • Benefits and law enforcement agencies. 
  • Your next of kin (with consent or power of attorney). 

For more details, see our full privacy notice. 

Withdrawing Consent 

If we process your data based on consent, you can withdraw it anytime by contacting us. 

How We Store Your Data 

For sheltered living, we store information electronically in secure systems (Dynamics and One), accessible only to authorised staff. 

International Safeguards

We do not transfer your data outside the UK or EEA unless appropriate safeguards are in place. Our suppliers must seek permission before transferring data, and we take action if they fail to comply. 

How Long Do We Keep Your Data? 

Retention periods vary based on legal and practical requirements. Details can be found in our Records Management Policy and Data Retention Schedule, available upon request from our Data Protection Officer (DPO). 

Your Rights as a Data Subject

You have the following rights regarding your personal data: 

  • Access – Request copies of the data we hold about you (Data Subject Access Request). 
  • Correction – Ask us to fix any errors in your data. 
  • Erasure – Request deletion of your data if we have no lawful reason to keep it (Right to be Forgotten). 
  • Restriction – Ask us to stop using your data in certain circumstances without deleting it. 
  • Objection – Object to how we use your data. 
  • Data Portability – Receive your data in a format that can be transferred to another party if processed electronically based on consent or contract. 
  • Automated Decision-Making – We do not currently use fully automated decision-making systems, so this does not apply. 

To exercise these rights, contact us by email, letter, or verbally. 

For more details, contact our Data Protection Officer (DPO): 

Address: Data Protection Officer, mhs homes, Broadside, Leviathan Way, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4LL 

Phone: 01634 565333 

Email: data.protection@mhs.org.uk 

More information: ICO website 

It is important to remember we also have a more detailed privacy notice which provided more details, this can be found by clicking here. Alternatively, a physical copy of both privacy notices is available on request.

Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your data, please contact our DPO. You also have the right to file a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) via their website.