County Durham Housing Corporation Refers itself to the ICO after Data Breach....

Believe Housing in Seaham County Durham

The County Durham based Private Landlord is set to face investigation by the Information Commissioner, after a Data Protection Request gave out the wrong persons personal information...

19th August 2025

A County Durham Housing Provider may be set to face regulatory intervention over a significant Data Breach which revealed the wrong persons personal information following Data Protection Request made by a member of the public.

Believe Housing Ltd has reportedly referred itself to the Information Commissioner's Office following the data breach which inadvertently disclosed one of their current tenant's personal information. The incident occurred during the fulfilment of a data protection request to a member of the public, who alleges they were targeted in a prolonged campaign of harassment by a now former employee of the organisation.

The unnamed individual submitted the request to Believe Housing amid claims of systematic interference with their request to join the housing register by a housing official they claim "had a prolific history of dishonesty".

According to reports, the complainant asserts the ex-employee accessed Believe Housings systems over a three-year period to deliberately intercept and reject their Housing Applications. This alleged misconduct by the now sacked housing official reportedly stemmed from personal grievances, turning what should have been routine applications into a frustrating ordeal.

When Believe Housing responded to the data protection request—intended to shed light on these accusations—the recipient discovered sensitive details regarding an unrelated tenant living in Seaham County Durham sharing the exact same name as the person who made the Data Protection Request.

The exposed information included the tenant's full name, telephone number, and even their national insurance details. The complainant argues this blunder not only violates data protection laws but bolsters their case against Believe Housing, suggesting a pattern of persistent mismanagement in handling personal data that may explain the repeated denials of their housing application.

"The incident reinforces my efforts to show that Believe Housing has been repeatedly mismanaging personal information," the member of the public stated, highlighting how the breach has amplified concerns over the organisation's data security practices.

The ICO, the UK's independent authority on data protection, has yet to issue a statement on the matter. Believe Housing, has acknowledged the issue in an email to the complainant, stating:

"We shall respond more formally when the Information Commissioner's Office provides us an update."

Believe Housing Ltd, operates under the guise of being a not-for-profit housing association managing properties across County Durham and the surrounding areas however in 2023, the business was the subject of a severe maladministration order by the Housing Ombudsman Service, resulting in the resignation of its then CEO Bill Fullen..

The self-referral to the ICO demonstrates an effort to comply with reporting obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which mandates notifying the regulator of breaches within 72 hours if they pose a risk to individuals' rights and freedoms, where Mismanagement of public data by organisations can lead to severe consequences, including identity theft, harassment, or eroded public trust. As the ICO now reportedly investigates the incident, affected parties and the public will be watching closely for outcomes which could include hefty fines having to be paid by the housing corporation, or mandatory audits.

For now, the complainant continues to seek clarity on the ill treatment they received from the firms now former 'rogue' employee, whilst the exposed tenant faces potential risks from the apparent 'unintended' disclosure.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.