Data SAR

What is a Data Subject Access Request?

A Data Subject Access Request or DSAR, is your legal right to obtain the personal information held about you by an organisation.

Do I have to pay to make a Data Subject Access Request?

You will not have to pay a fee to access your personal data (or to exercise any of your other rights).

How do I make a Data Subject Access Request?

Complete the attached form called ‘Subject Access Request Form’. Please pay attention to the information that you must provide in order to make the request valid.

How often can I make a Data Subject Access Request?

You may make a new data subject access request no sooner than 3 months after submitting a previously valid request.

I think I may have been the victim of fraud, will making a Data Subject Access Request help?

Synectics Solutions is a fraud prevention agency and requesting information which they hold about you could help you to identify if there is a problem in this area. As fraud is illegal, you may wish to contact the police for assistance. If you want to know what other fraud information is held against your name, you should write to the organisation that processed your application or insurance claim to enquire which fraud prevention databases they consulted.

What happens when I make a Data Subject Access Request?

When your application is received, it will be checked to ensure that all requested documentation has been provided.

Where the request is not valid, this will be returned to you along with a reason for not accepting the request.

Synectics Solutions have up to one month to respond with a copy of any information held. Where no information is held, you will receive a letter to confirm this.

Synectics Solutions shall send your data using Recorded delivery in the Royal Mail, or via email, where requested.

After the response has been made by Synectics Solutions, your completed Data Subject Access Request shall be retained for 12 months from the date of the final correspondence before it is destroyed, unless there has been an issue; in which case, we may keep it for up to two years.

Where can I find out more information about Data Subject Access Requests?

You can find further information on the Information Commissioners Website at: https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/personal-information/ 

People often make a Data Subject Access Request when they have been refused a service or application for a financial or insurance product. The following information may help you understand the role of Fraud Prevention Agencies and Credit Reference Agencies in that process.

Is Synectics Solutions a Credit Reference Agency or Fraud Prevention Agency?

Synectics Solutions is a fraud prevention agency, providing fraud prevention services to financial services organisations and others. Synectics Solutions does not provide credit history information. Making a data subject access request to Synectics Solutions will not provide you with a copy of your credit file.

What is the difference between a Credit Referencing Agency and a Fraud Prevention Agency?

A credit referencing agency holds, processes and makes available to financial and insurance organisations, certain public information (electoral roll, county court judgements) and payment history data – this is often referred to as either your credit history, credit file, or credit report. A company is allowed to make an automated decision on your application using this information.

Fraud prevention agencies hold databases of information used in the prevention of fraud, money laundering and to verify your identity.

How can I get hold of the information seen by a bank or insurer when I make an application?

This information is not available to Synectics Solutions: we do not make decisions regarding financial products or services or have access to this information. To obtain further details, you will need to contact the company that has made the decision.

Can you explain to me, or simply tell me, the reasons why an organisation has said no to me?

This information is not held in the fraud prevention database operated by Synectics Solutions, hence we are unable to provide it to you; only the organisation that declined your application can explain their reason.

My existing bank/building society has written to me and is going to close my bank account, can you tell me why?

Some banks and building societies will periodically check/review your status to ensure you still meet their criteria, and where you fail to meet their criteria they may decide to close your account.

The checking process is similar to that for opening a new account, and the lender may make an enquiry with a credit reference agency. As you already have an account with the bank/building society, the review may also include additional information they have collected such as how you have used your account. Synectics Solutions have no access to this information.

The review may include the bank/building society making an enquiry with a fraud prevention agency such as Cifas and/or Synectics Solutions. Synectics Solutions can provide you with a copy of the information which is held on the database we operate through the data subject access request process. By making a data subject access request, you may identify information which your bank or building society may have used to arrive at their decision and you should discuss this with them. Other areas of this pack may help you to understand how that information can be used.

Synectics Solutions cannot provide advice on individual circumstances.

A financial service provider has refused me a product on the grounds of a poor credit history/rating – what can I do?

All lenders have different policies and criteria based upon the risks they are willing to take when providing you with their services, and use information from your credit file to make this decision. Being accepted by one company is no guarantee of being accepted by another.

To see the information which they are using to make their decision, you can obtain a statutory credit report from the credit referencing agencies; Synectics Solutions do not hold this information and are unable to provide it.

Who are the fraud prevention agencies?

There are a number of other fraud prevention agencies in the UK; some are listed below:

NHunter
PO Box 4744,
Stone,
Staffordshire,
ST15 9FE
www.nhunter.co.uk 

Experian Ltd
Consumer Help Service,
PO Box 9000,
Nottingham,
NG80 7WP
Tel: 0844 481 8000
www.experian.co.uk 

CIFAS
The Compliance Officer
CIFAS
6th Floor, Lynton House
7-12 Tavistock Square,
London
WC1H 9LT
www.cifas.org.uk