FIND OUT WHAT THEY HAVE ON YOU

YOU have the right to know the information any UK company or organisation holds about you.

To find out, send them what is called a ‘subject access request’.

This can be particularly useful if you are making a complaint about a firm or you believe you have been treated unfairly and want to gather evidence.

You can make the request verbally, but it’s better to follow up with a letter or email to ensure that you have a paper trail.

It’s best to ask the company to tell you which member of staff is responsible for dealing with

such requests in order to make sure it’s picked up straight away.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which regulates how firms use our data, says the company must respond within a month even if that is to say it needs extra time to fulfil your request. In this case, it could take an extra two months.

The watchdog says there should be no charge for the information unless what you’ve requested is ‘manifestly unfounded or excessive’. If so, the firm may ask for a reasonable fee to cover administrative costs.