Privacy Notice - Focus Groups
Please read this privacy notice carefully as it contains important information about who we are, how and why we collect, store, use and share your personal information, your rights in relation to your personal information, and how to contact us and the supervisory authority if you have a complaint.
Who We Are
arc⁴ Limited is a specialist housing research organisation, registered in England (Company No. 06205180). Our registered address is 41 Clarendon Road, Sale, Cheshire, M33 2DY.
We conduct stakeholder research:
- To deepen our understanding of housing issues and themes relevant to the council areas.
- To understand housing market interactions with neighbouring local authorities.
- To understand the needs of specific groups within the population.
We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO Registration No. Z992934X).
If you have any questions about this notice or how we handle your personal information, please contact our Business Team:
Email: businessteam@arc4.co.uk | Telephone: 0800 612 9133
How We Get and Use Your Information
You have been selected to take part in a focus group. Contact lists can be provided by councils or obtained from commercially available sources. When we contact you, we include a reference number. Your name and email address will not be included in the results.
arc⁴ will only share the anonymous results of the focus group with relevant Data Controllers (such as a council or housing association).
The Data Controllers rely on the lawful basis of Public Task carried out in the Public Interest for the above processing.
arc⁴ has a Legitimate Interest to retain and process the focus group information indefinitely for statistical and future research purposes.
Types of Personal Information We Collect
- Your name
- Contact details
- Information about your opinions and experience of housing demand and needs
- Audio recordings of your views containing the above information
Sharing Your Information and How Long We Retain It
arc⁴ contacts people in various ways, although we have primarily moved to online data collection. We use data processors to mail letters inviting contacts to take part in focus groups, and we may also use email for invitations.
We use secure, UK-based cloud providers for storing your information. All personal data collected as part of this research is retained within the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area (EEA). We do not transfer your personal data outside the UK/EEA.
arc⁴ retains the focus group results (but not your name) indefinitely for statistical purposes. We also retain audio recordings of focus groups indefinitely so that they can be reviewed in the future for planning purposes or to compare with current research. In doing so, arc⁴ will ensure that the results of the research, or any resulting statistics, are not made available in a form that identifies you as an individual.
Where Your Data Is Stored
All personal data collected through this research is stored and processed within the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area (EEA). arc⁴ does not transfer your personal information to countries outside the UK/EEA, and we will not do so without first ensuring that appropriate safeguards are in place as required by UK data protection law.
Your Data Protection Rights
Right of Access
You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. To make a subject access request, please contact us at businessteam@arc4.co.uk or call 0800 612 9133.
Right to Rectification
If you believe any information we hold about you is inaccurate, please contact us using the details above. We will consider your request and respond within one month. Please bear in mind that the research captures your views and opinions at the time it was conducted.
Right to Erasure, Right to Object or Restrict Processing
Where arc⁴ processes data under a Legitimate Interest for statistical purposes, a legitimate interest assessment has been carried out to ensure your rights are not unduly outweighed.
Please note that your name is not included in the information we retain. Our work also requires us to maintain the integrity of datasets, which may limit the extent to which erasure is possible.
Right to Complain
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal information, please contact us using the details above. If you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):
Website: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/data-protection-complaints
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
arc⁴ Limited | 41 Clarendon Road, Sale, Cheshire, M33 2DY | Reg No. 06205180 England
ICO Registration No. Z992934X | businessteam@arc4.co.uk | 0800 612 9133
Updated: May 2026