SAR support for motor dealerships

A subject access request (or SAR) is when anyone you hold information (data) about requests to see a copy of that information. The request could come from past or present customers, employees (both past and present), or even suppliers. Everyone has a legal right to see the data a company or organisation holds about them. For a business, SARs cannot be ignored. Once a request has been received, you are legally obliged to supply the requested information within one calendar months. In the case of complex requests – such as those involving large amounts of data – this deadline could be extended by a further two months. Regardless of whether it’s a simple or complex request, failure to comply with the statutory timeframe can see your dealership being censured or even fined by the Information Commissioner’s Office.

For some businesses, receiving subject access requests is a common occurrence. Car dealerships are unlikely to be inundated with requests, which can be a blessing and a curse. One the one hand, it’s one thing you don’t have to worry about. You can focus on selling and customer service and generally making your business successful. On the other hand, when a subject access request lands is not the time to be learning how to do it. Even if your named data protection officer has been trained in handling SARs, the training environment very rarely matches the real world. There is no specific wording that people have to use to request access to the data that you hold on them, nor any specific process that they must follow. Requests could be sent your general enquiry email, submitted through a contact form on your website, or even via social media. When you do receive a request, it is reasonable (and permitted) for you to request clarification if you are unsure about which data is being requested. But what if the reply is no clearer than the original request? What if someone requests access to any CCTV footage you have of them? Or what if the request comes via a third party on the requester’s behalf? This is where Data Access Office’s SAR support for motor dealerships comes to your assistance.

We can handle subject access requests on your behalf. Our end-to-end management is carried out by qualified data protection officers (DPOs) who are experts in the relevant regulations covering SARs. We’ll ensure that anyone making a request is legally entitled to a copy of the data that they wish you to provide, especially where the request is made by a third party on the requester’s behalf. We’ll look at the scope of the request to see which data needs to be redacted, and in cases requesting access to CCTV footage we’ll make sure you wouldn’t be compromising the privacy of other people by sharing the footage. We manage the collation of all necessary information by a dedicated secure online portal, handle all ongoing correspondence, and deliver the completed report either to yourself or directly to the party making the request.

Subject access requests needn’t be a burden to your dealership. At Data Access Office we can manage subject access requests on an ad hoc basis or via our subscription service. To find out more, call us today on 0161 524 7310 or click here to contact us.