Dear Ms Davis

RE: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST: REFERENCE 810002788

Thank you for your request for information received on 9 July 2010 in which you asked for the following information:

The records held by our Council Tax department record the person who is liable to pay Council Tax.  However, this is not necessarily the owner of the property.  

The Information Commissioner's Office has determined that information about properties owned by private individuals (rather than limited companies) is personal information about those individuals. They would not expect the information that they have provided to Haringey Council in order to pay their Council Tax to be made public. To do this would be a breach of the requirement to process personal information fairly, lawfully and for legitimate purposes (first and second principle of the Data Protection Act).  

In order to lawfully disclose the information we hold about the people liable for Council Tax, we would have to identify those which are owned by private individuals and remove the relevant addresses from any information provided. Because we do not actually know who the owner of a property is, we are not able to this.

We are therefore unable to provide the information requested because it is likely that this would involve disclosure of personal data contrary to the first and second principle of the Data Protection Act. This information is therefore exempt from the Freedom of Information Act, section 40(2).

This letter is a refusal notice as required by the Freedom of Information Act.

If you have any further queries, or are unhappy with how we have dealt with your request and wish to make a complaint or request an Internal Review, please contact the Feedback and Information Team as below.

Feedback and Information Team

River Park House

225 High Road

N22 8HQ

Telephone: 020 8489 2550

Fax: 020 8489 3992

Email: [email address]

You may also complain to the Information Commissioner's office, who may be able to help you.  However they would normally expect the local authority to have undertaken a complaint investigation or Internal Review of the request before they will accept the referral.  You can contact the Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner

Wycliffe House

Water lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Telephone help line: 0845 6306060 or 01625 545745

Fax: 01625 545510

Website: www.ico.gov.uk

Yours sincerely

Mrs M A Broadbridge

For Head of Benefits and Local Taxation