Make a complaint about how an organisation has used your personal information
Complain to the organisation
Before bringing your complaint to us, we recommend giving the organisation a chance to put things right. Many data protection concerns can be resolved quickly and easily by doing this.
To help you do this, we’ve provided a simple template below that you can use. We suggest sending your complaint as soon as possible to give the organisation the opportunity to respond.
If you’re unable to contact the organisation or do not wish to do so for example, if they haven’t responded to previous attempts or you feel it would not be safe or appropriate to do so you can still raise your concern with us here.
[Your full address]
[Phone number]
[The date]
[Name and address of the organisation]
[Reference number (if provided within the initial response)]
Dear [Sir or Madam / name of the person you have been in contact with]
Information rights concern
[Your full name and address and any other details such as account number to help identify you]
I am concerned that you have not handled personal information properly.
[Give details of your concern, explaining clearly and simply what has happened and, where appropriate, the effect it has had on you.]
I understand that before reporting my concern to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) I should give you the chance to deal with it.
If, when I receive your response, I would still like to report my concern to the ICO, I will give them a copy of it to consider.
You can find guidance on your obligations under information rights legislation on the ICO’s website (www.ico.org.uk) as well as information on their regulatory powers and the action they can take.
Please send a full response within one calendar month. If you cannot respond within that timescale, please tell me when you will be able to respond.
If there is anything you would like to discuss, please contact me on the following number [telephone number].
Yours faithfully
[Signature]