Freedom of Information and The Rent Service
The Freedom of Information Act (FOI) became law in 2000. It is intended to promote This is how the Act affects The Rent Service:The Act applies to individual requests for information that is not available under the publication scheme. TRS has procedures in place for making decisions on these requests. Some types of information are always exempt from disclosure. Other types of exempt information can be disclosed if we consider the public interest in disclosing it outweighs the public interest in not releasing it. The Act covers all recorded information held by TRS, current, stored and archived. It also requires us to make arrangements to respond effectively, and in compliance with the law, to requests for access to information from anyone, anywhere in the world. Access to information covered by the Act became a legal right from 1st January 2005. |  |
Publication Scheme
A scheme is a means by which a significant amount of information is made available without the need for a specific request. Schemes provide an opportunity for organisations to publish more information proactively and to develop a greater culture of openness.
As an Agency of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the Rent Service is covered by DWP's publications scheme under which information about how it operates is automatically made available.
However, for best practice reasons The Rent Service has its own scheme as well.
This includes:
- The type and class of information we publish and the date the current version was first made available
- Where and how it is available
- The cost of each publication
Further details about Freedom of Information are available on the Department of Constitutional Affairs' web site at DCA Freedom of Information guidance .Further details of DWP's publication scheme under the Act are available on the department's website at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/pub_scheme/index.asp .
How to obtain information
You can make a request for information by writing to your local TRS office. The address details are listed on this website.
TRS may refuse to deal with any requests that either take a substantial amount of time to compile or any request that aims to subject The Rent Service to inconvenience, harassment or expense.
If The Rent Service refuses to provide you with information under the Act, you have a right to ask us to carry out an internal review of our decision. If, after this review, you are still not satisfied that we have dealt properly with your request, you have a right to complain to the Information Commissioner. You can view more details about the work of the Commissioner and the Act on his website at http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
For queries about The Rent Service's policy on Access to Information, please contact:
The Legal Unit,
The Rent Service,
5 Welbeck Street ,
LONDON ,
W1G 9YQ .
020 7023 6153
or e-mail us at legal@therentservice.gov.uk .
