This page was last updated on 18 August 2025.
Our contact details
Name: Vicky May, Assistant Director
Address: Gravesham Borough Council, Civic Centre, Windmill Street, Gravesham
Phone Number: 01474 337000
E-mail: Vicky.may@gravesham.gov.uk
Date completed: May 2025
The type of personal information we collect
We may collect and process the following types of personal data from individuals who engage with our services:
- Personal Data: Name, address, date of birth, contact details (phone number, email), financial information including bank statements and Direct Debit details, National Insurance Number, Passport and/or Driving license details.
- Special Category Data: ethnicity, religion, details of your health and medical circumstances.
- Generic Data: Tenancy/Licence agreements, rental payments, housing needs assessments, and housing history.
- Financial Information: Income details, employment status, and benefits information (where necessary to assess eligibility).
How we get the personal information, how we use it and why we have it
Most of the personal information we process is provided to us directly by you for one of the following reasons:
- To join the council’s housing register
- To support with homelessness
- To undertake house repairs for tenants
- To process rent payment for tenants
We also receive personal information indirectly, from the following sources in the following scenarios:
- Referral received from other Local Authority or statutory body under the Homelessness Reduction Act.
- Police managing severe anti-social behaviour
- Health professionals supporting a rehousing request.
We use the information that you have given us for the following purposes:
- Statutory requirements e.g. reporting to Government.
- Service delivery.
- Service improvement and planning.
- Regulatory, licensing and enforcement functions
- Prevention and detection of crime
- Processing of rent payments
- Research inc. consultations.
- Equality Monitoring
We process personal data for the following purposes:
1. Housing Options:
- To assess and allocate housing based on need.
- To communicate decisions regarding housing applications and provide support.
- To comply with legal obligations relating to housing allocations and homelessness prevention.
- To enforce on poor property conditions
- To administer the Better Care Fund to assist households requiring adaptations
2. Asset and Repairs:
- To manage and maintain properties, ensuring they meet legal and safety standards.
- To arrange, schedule, and track repairs and improvements in your home.
- To communicate updates on repairs and maintenance works.
3. Neighbourhood Services:
- To manage and resolve complaints, including anti-social behaviour.
- To improve community safety and engagement.
- To monitor and improve neighbourhood conditions.
We use the information provided by you to perform statutory functions e.g. reporting to the Government, service delivery, improvement and planning. We also use the information for research including consultations and equality monitoring.
We may share this information with:
- Judicial Agencies e.g. Courts
- Police – prevention and detection of crime
- Health Agencies
- Education Providers
- Other Local Authorities
- Immigration Service
- Government Departments e.g. HMRC, DWP, MHCLG
- Safeguarding Boards
- Contractors providing housing services (e.g. plumbing, electricians, gas operatives etc.) and IT services.
- Elected Members & MPs (as your representative)
- Funding Bodies
- Cabinet Office (National Fraud Initiative Exercise)
- Service Providers: Contractors or agencies who deliver services such as repairs, maintenance, and assessments on our behalf.
- Housing Ombudsman Service
- Regulator of Social Housing
- Government Agencies: When required by law, such as in the case of safeguarding concerns or legal obligations.
- Partner Organisations: Including social services, housing associations, and support agencies to coordinate services for your housing and well-being.
- When necessary to comply with court orders or legal processes.
We do not sell or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes.
Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the lawful bases we rely on for processing this information are:
(a) Your consent
You are able to remove your consent at any time. You can do this by contacting
Homelessness/Housing Options
Housingneedsteam@gravesham.gov.uk
01474 337000
Tenancy Management
01474 33 70 00
tenancymanagement@gravesham.gov.uk
(b) We have a contractual obligation to our tenants
(c) We have a legal obligation
Legal obligation or public task under various UK laws including but not limited to:
- The Housing Acts 1985, 1988, 1996, 2002, 2004
- The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017
- The Landlord and Tenant Act 1987, as amended
- Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013
- The Localism Act 2011
- The Protection from Eviction Act 1977
- The Equality Act 2010
(d) We need it to perform a public task
How we store your personal information
Your information is securely stored in our internal database management system.
We keep your data for 7 years after your account has been closed on our system. If there is a balance outstanding or debt owed to the council, we shall retain your data until the debt has been fully recovered. whilst you are actively using services until you are a council tenant. There is a seven-year retention period and when debts are owed to the council data will remain until this is recovered.
Your data will be securely destroyed after the retention period has ended.