Credit Check Investigation

Dear T Gregory

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request received on the
25/09/2020.

Reference 4954 has been applied to your request which will be looked into
and we will aim to provide a response within 20 working days.

Braintree District Council is making decisions each day to balance the
needs to maintain essential services and support those in most need,
whilst following public health guidance to protect the public and staff
against infection from coronavirus.

Due to the unprecedented circumstances we are facing during the
Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it may not be possible for us to meet our
usual standard of response to Freedom of Information Requests or within
the timescales stipulated. The Council will respond to your request as
soon as we are able.

Thank you for your understanding and patience during this difficult and
unprecedented period.

Should you have any queries in the meantime, please contact the Freedom of
Information Team at [1][Braintree District Council request email]

Kind Regards

Lucy Day

Performance & Improvement Apprentice

Braintree District Council | Causeway House, Bocking End, Braintree, CM7
9HB

 01376 552525| [2]www.braintree.gov.uk

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Braintree District Council request email]
2. http://www.braintree.gov.uk/

Dear T Gregory 

I am writing regarding your Freedom of Information request received by the
department on the 25 September 2020

The Freedom of Information Act enables access to information held by the
Council, subject to the exemptions contained within the Act. The Act does
not require the Council to create information to respond to a request if
the requested information is not held, nor to give an opinion or comment.

Please find our response to your Freedom of Information request below: 

1. Do you have an contract in place to purchase credit checks, or a
purchase history from any of the following credit reference agencies? –
Yes, equifax, also available from NAFN

(Call Credit/TransUnion, Equifax, Experian or Other(Please specify))

If so, can you please provide the following information.

2. Date that your agreement expires – Feb 2021

3. Quantity of Credit Checks Purchased - Allowance is up to 5000 advanced
searches and 1000 full investigation per 12 months

4. Cost of Credit checks (Ideally cost per credit check) - Equifax £3980
pa, NAFN £0.70 for Exempted Search inc full credit details

5. What activities/services use these credit checks - Fraud, benefits,
Street Scene

6. Can you please outline how the results from these credit checks are
generally stored by the council. For example are they in PDF format, or
does your supplier have a software platform that you log into? - Received
as jsf (stored on drive or application until disposal)

7. Finally, can you please inform me if you use credit checks to verify
Single Person Discount claims for Council Tax? If so, is this done
internally by the council, or do you outsource this work to a third party?
- Credit checks for SPD are carried out where appropriate internally by
the Council 

If you disagree with the Council’s decision in respect of your freedom of
information request or are otherwise unhappy with how the Council has
dealt with your request in the first instance you may approach Emma Wisbey
Governance and Member Manager in writing at the following address:
Braintree District Council, Causeway House, Bocking End, Braintree, Essex,
CM7 9HB.

Should you remain dissatisfied with the outcome you have a right of appeal
under S50 of the Freedom of Information Act to appeal against the decision
by contacting the Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow SK9 5AF, [1][email address]

Kind regards

Lucy Day

Performance & Improvement Apprentice

Braintree District Council | Causeway House, Bocking End, Braintree, CM7
9HB

 01376 552525| [2]www.braintree.gov.uk

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.braintree.gov.uk/