I have recently written to the Information Commissioner regarding the Lender’s view of non provision of MIG policies. Their reply was as follows:

As you may be aware, the Data Protection Act 1998 only applies in terms of personal data, which is defined as follows:

“Personal data means data, which relate to a living individual who can be identified – a) From those data, or b) From those data and other information which is in the possession of, or is likely to come into the possession of, the data controller.

And includes any expression of opinion about the individual and any indication of the intentions of the data controller or any other person in respect of the individual”.

In our experience, information about a Mortgage Indemnity Guarantee is not held as personal data and as such falls outside the scope of the Act. This means that we cannot compel Abbey National to provide you with the information you require.

Is there any hope?

-- Bev (bev100@genie.co.uk), February 04, 2002

Answers

See my earlier postings about MIG and the DPA. I'm waiting for the IC to review my case on the grounds that the definition of 'personal data' in the DPA clearly does include MIG data, and that the lenders do have a vested interest in denying access (20k's worth of vested interest in my case!).

Watch this space...

-- Melody (mbc109@york.ac.uk), February 04, 2002.