Details of Owners of neighbouring flats

[tanya]

I am trying to contact the owner of the flat above mine. I am an owner occupier, but the flat above me is let.

I have had issues with noise and water from that flat.

The management company have forwarded a letter onto the owner of the flat, but neither they nor I have had any response (almost a month later) and the management company say they can't give me the details of the owners because they are bound by the data protection act.

After having a look at the Land Registry website, I have noticed that names of owners of properties anywhere in the country are available at a nominal cost of £3. If this information is in the public domain, then why are my management company bound by the data protection act?

Surely I have a right to know who owns the properties neighbouring mine and should be able to get hold of them if necessary?

Surely I shouldn't have to pay £3 to the land registry when my management company have the details? In any event, I don't know how much information I would get from the land registry and the chances of the contact phone numbers being up there are slim to none.

Can anybody give some insight?

[bowenwould]

I am Chairman of a Management Company and we have also been told in the past that owners' details come under the data protection act. However, you are quite right that with the Land Registry selling these at a nominal fee, they have effectively come into the public domain. Suggest you make that point to the Managing Agent concerned and send a copy to the Chairman of your Management Company and see what happens. They would, however, still be entitled to withhold any data which are not in the public domain. As far as I know, all we hold for our owners are a mailing address plus e-mail if they have volunteered one. Please post developments to this site so we all know the outcome.

[tanya]

Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to get the information yet, but I still plan to do this. the person I was trying to get hold of contacted me.

[Marion de Souza]

Hi Tanya
I am Marion the Director/Chairwoman of Holmbury Grove.
Your Manageing Agent should have a contact address plus phone number to get in touch with the Landlord of the property.
I would contact your Manageing Agent to send a letter to the Landlord explaining what is happening to your flat.
It would the Landlord who would deal with repairs to his flat.
Hope this helps

Marion

[kissett]

When you give information that can be seen by third parties then you have to give explicit or implied consent for it to be viewed in such a way surely, normally its a tick in a box on any form etc you sign. The managing agent does not have consent usually and the correct procedure is to contact the Agents who should then contact the owner or letting agents on your behalf. They can also request permission from the owner to forward their details on to you. Interestingly it is the person who gives information to a third party without consent that has breached the terms of the Act, and not the company or organisation itself.

[tanya]

Yes, the management companies do correspond with landlords of neighbouring properties on your behalf and the management company of the block of flats that I live in has always been very helpful.

The people who I feel sorry for are those who have problems with their neighbours, but no management company to turn to for help on getting details of landlords.