Not upheld: data subject access request (DSAR) handling and disclosure of lending decision records complaint against Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC trading as Novuna Personal Finance

Decision detail

Summary

Mr C complained that Novuna failed to properly respond to his data subject access request and raised concerns about the accuracy and completeness of records used in a lending decision. The ombudsman determined that while it had remit to consider the DSAR handling complaint, Novuna was entitled to withhold commercially sensitive information relating to its internal lending policies and risk assessment criteria. The ombudsman found Novuna's response to the DSAR was reasonable and did not uphold the complaint, declining to direct any further action.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman determined that while firms must provide personal information in response to a DSAR, they are entitled to withhold information that is commercially sensitive. The information Mr C requested related to Novuna's underwriting and lending policies, which are commercially sensitive and not required to be shared. Therefore, Novuna acted reasonably in withholding this information.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website