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  4. Data protection
  5. Privacy notice

Payment system unavailable on Wednesday 13 August, 9.30am to 3.30pm

You will not be able to make any payments online or by phone on Wednesday 13 August, 9.30am to 3.30pm, while we carry out some important work on our payment system.

This means you won't be able to pay for things like parking permits, parking tickets (PCNs), council tax and rent through our website, automated payment line (020 7527 8000) or customer services number (020 7527 2000).

We are very sorry if this affects you. If you must make a payment, please try to do it on another day if you can or after 3.30pm on Wednesday 13 August.

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Housing repairs AI Agent privacy notice

This privacy notice relates to Islington Council’s use of ‘Matti’ our purpose-built Artificial Intelligence (AI) agent that Islington residents may interact with via WhatsApp chat messages and explains how we collect, use, and share personal data to provide you with the best service possible.

‘Matti’ is an AI agent designed to support our residents raise housing repairs for council owned properties within Islington. It integrates with the popular messaging platform WhatsApp to enable our residents to chat in real time with the Agent and to book repairs without the need to phone or email the council’s housing repairs team.

What information we collect, hold and use

Islington council is the Controller for the data collected and processed for repairs requests. We collect and process the following types of personal data:

  • Personal Information: Mobile phone number.
  • Other Information: Information about the repair you need, including descriptions and any photos you provide.

Please note that the council does not store residents’ conversations with ‘Matti,’ instead these remain within the residents’ WhatsApp chat history until they choose to delete them.

Why we collect and use this information.

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

  • To process and manage your repair requests.
  • To communicate with you about your repair status
  • To improve our services and 'Matti's' performance.

    Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018, the lawful bases we rely on for processing this information are:

  • Article 6 (1) (c) of the UK GDPR: Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation.
  • Article 6 (1) (e) of the UK GDPR: Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest.

    We do not expect to process special category data via this channel, however where the repair request involves health related information, for example adaptations for a disability, the council relies on the following lawful bases for processing special category data:

  • Article 9 (2) (g) of the UK GDPR: Processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest.
  • Article 9 (2) (h) of the UK GDPR: Processing is necessary for the provision of health or social care.
  • AI and Decision-Making

‘Matti’ the AI agent does not make any automated decisions about our residents, rather its purpose is to assist residents with booking housing repairs. A human officer will always be involved in the process to review the housing repair request and any information about the repair which the resident has provided.

Who we share this information with

We may share your personal data with:

  • Local authority staff
  • Contractors who the council may use to carry out repairs work.
  • Third-party service providers who provide systems used by the Housing Repairs Team
  • Other organisations as required by law.

Storing personal data

The council does not store residents' chat interactions with ‘Matti;’ however, we do hold a record of the repairs booking details and a summary of the call information against the repair job. For details on how long the council retains repairs information, please see our corporate privacy notice.

Your rights and requesting access to your personal data.

Under data protection legislation, our residents have the right to request access to information about them that we hold. To make a request for your personal information contact FOIA@islington.gov.uk.

You also have the right to:

  • object to processing of personal data that is likely to cause, or is causing, damage or distress.
  • prevent processing for the purpose of direct marketing.
  • object to decisions being taken by automated means.
  • in certain circumstances, have inaccurate personal data rectified, blocked, erased, or destroyed; and
  • a right to seek redress, either through the Information Commissioners Officer (ICO), or through the courts

Further information can be found on our corporate privacy notice.

For more information on how WhatsApp handles your data, please refer to their privacy notice.

If you are dissatisfied with the processing of your information, please raise your concern with the council’s data protection officer in the first instance. You also have a right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office

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Data protection: We will handle your personal information in line with the Data Protection Act 1998 and in accordance with the council’s Fair Processing Notice.