Councils paid for private info

People who built a new house can expect to receive 20 to 30 letters from suppliers or tradesmen. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

Homeowners are being targeted by advertisers using private information from building consent applications to solicit sales.

The details are released by local councils, who are legally required to make the data public.

But the practice is under fire, with complaints being investigated by the Ombudsman and Privacy Commissioner.

Auckland homeowner Steven McAneney complained to Auckland City Council after getting junk mail when his leaky home was repaired last year.

"I went through all the stress and hassle of getting the plans drawn up and getting consents and giving the council a lot of money, and then you get all this junk mail rolling through into your letterbox," he said.

"I'm all for a free market and people trying to make money, but not at the expense of others."

He traced the mail back to Whats On Report, a company that compiles and sells consent lists based on information from every council in the country.

McAneney said he didn't know his consent details would be made public, or how to request it be kept confidential.

North Shore building consultant Peter Bailey, who submits about 100 building consent applications a year, said he's often targeted by advertisers.

"I got one the other day addressed specifically to us, relating to a particular address. I only got the consent last week, so it's been handed on pretty quickly."

North Shore City Council building consents manager Kelvin Goode said six subscribers paid $95 for a monthly list of all consents, including the holder's name and address, type of project and dollar value.

He said only details of banks and prisons could be kept private.

But other councils said applicants could opt to keep their details private.

Auckland City Council said it was seeking advice from the Ombudsman after McAneney's complaint.

In the meantime, consent lists were being supplied to existing customers but would not be provided to new subscribers.

Whats On Report managing director Tony Graham said his company accessed consent lists from all councils, primarily to compile reports on construction activity and trends.

Lists were also sold to clients who could use the details for marketing.

Graham said phone numbers and email addresses of private homeowners were not passed on, and he was working with the New Zealand Marketing Association to ensure people on its "do not mail" list were excluded.

People who built a new house could expect to receive 20 to 30 letters from suppliers or tradesmen, he said.

"Small businesses in local areas would do the same thing - buy the local list from the council and go through and decide what to follow up."

Graham said the data was key to understanding construction trends and was used throughout the industry.

The company received about two complaints a year from people who wanted their details taken off the list for privacy reasons.

McAneney's complaint is being considered by the Ombudsman's office and the Privacy Commissioner.

Councils are obligated under the Building Act and Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act to keep building consent information and make it publicly available.

A Department of Building and Housing spokesman said information can be kept confidential if it relates to building security.

How to keep your information private

* Ask your council keep details relating to the security of the building confidential

* Add your address to the New Zealand Marketing Association's Do Not Mail list, at www.marketing.org.nz

* If you're unhappy about how details have been handled, you can complain to your council or contact the Ombudsman, at www.ombudsmen.parliament.nz


heather.mccracken@hos.co.nz