united-kingdom privacy
Does showing the county council my customer records break the Data Protection Act?
<p>I run a home boarding dog business. As part of their home check for licensing conditions the local council demanded to see my customer records. As these include names,addressees, telephone numbers and email details as well as details of their pet dog I refused saying this was against the Data Protection Act to do so without the customers' written permission. The council employee told me it was her right to see the records under the Animal Welfare Act.</p>

<p>Am I correct to refuse under the Data Protection Act?  I showed her the blank forms of the information the customer provides but not the actual completed forms, which she demanded to see.</p>

<p>Would someone be able to advise me of my and more importantly my customers' legal rights in this situation please?</p>

<p>If I have correctly untangled the law, <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/schedule/2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Schedule 2</a> of the Data Protection Act part 3 identifies as a condition where you are not prohibited from revealing personal data:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The processing is necessary for compliance with any legal obligation
to which the data controller is subject, other than an obligation
imposed by contract.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The Animal Welfare Act 25(1) says</p>
<blockquote>
<p>An inspector may require the holder of a licence to produce for
inspection any records which he is required to keep by a condition of
the licence</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I can't tell if you are required to keep customer names, but if you are, it looks like the pieces fit together and you would have to provide the records. Call a solicitor to be sure, though.</p>
