Privacy Notice - Focus Groups

We ask that you read this privacy notice carefully as it contains important information on who we are, how and why we collect, store, use or share personal information, your rights in relation to your personal information and how to contact us and the supervisory authority in the event that you have a complaint.

Who we are

Arc4 are a specialist housing research organisation. 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 (Z992934X).

How we get and use your information

You have been selected to be take part in the focus group. Contact lists can be provided by councils or are commercially available. 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 have a Legitimate Interest to indefinitely retain and process the survey information 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 mainly moved to online collection of data. We use data processors to mail letters inviting contacts to take part in surveys. We can also use email to invite contacts to take part in surveys

We use cloud providers for storing your information.

Arc4 retain the focus group results, (but not your name), indefinitely for statistical purposes. We also indefinitely retain audio recordings of focus groups so that these can be reviewed again in the future for planning or comparing to current research. In doing this arc4 will ensure that results of the research, or any resulting statistics are not made available in a form which identifies you (the data subject).

Transferring your personal information out of the UK

To deliver services to you, it may be necessary for us to share your personal information outside the UK, for example if we were to use a cloud service provider based outside the UK. These transfers are subject to special rules under UK data protection law. In such a situation, we will make sure that we have adequate safeguards and security measures in place as required by the GDPR.

Your Data Protection rights, including your right to complain

Right of access
Should you wish to make a subject access request please contact arc4 at businessteam@arc4.co.uk or call 0800 612 9133
Right to rectification
If you wish to correct any information, we hold about you please contact us using the above details. We will consider your request and give you our decision one month. Please remember the research captures your views and opinions at the time it was conducted.
Right to erasure, right to object or restrict processing
Where arc4 are processing under a Legitimate Interest for statistical purposes a legitimate interest assessment has been conducted to ensure your rights are not unduly outweighed.
Your name is not included in the information.
Our work requires us to maintain the integrity of datasets.
Right to complain
If you wish to complain about how we have processed your information please contact us using the above details. If you are still unhappy you can complain to the Information Commissioner

May 2022