Privacy/data Protection

[Shazza36]

My dad recently passed away and my mum is selling their house and moving closer to me, when the property appeared on the internet on (Zoopla) the last photo that they had displayed was my Dad's death certificate for all the world to see. We have had many apologies from mum's estate agent but that's it, not sure if there is anything else we can do or if we even want to but have they broken any laws? We've all been really upset by this, we're all still grieving and it really shocked us that this could happen.

[Peter Pedant]

I am really sorry to hear of your Dad's death
and even sorrier to hear of the careless and callous behaviour of people who Should Know Better.

This has caused you much more pain, and - as you well know, there is no calling knowledge/info back

From the law point of view - not much. You really have to show financial damage and you will see that really there isnt any. The value of the hosue hasnt changed and the chances of selling the house isnt different either.

No loss - no action in short.

I am sorry Shazz, the Law isnt much good for heart-break.

[aelmpvw]

sorry to hear that, it must have been very upsetting but how did they get a copy of the death certificate?

[Barmaid]

How awful for you. Unfortunately, a death certificate is a matter of public record.

The ONLY thing I can think of is that the copyright is owned by ONS (or the registrar of births marriages and deaths), but I doubt they would do anything.

[rockyracoon]

I'd be quite annoyed that they were taking a photo of a death cert anyway, what's that all about?

It's not a very good advert for future custom is it.

[woofgang]

That must have been an awful shock.....but how on earth did they get hold of the photo?

[aelmpvw]

now only how but why?

[Hopkirk]

As long as it has been taken off the internet now, probably best to accept their apologies and put it behind you.

[Twenty20]

A copy of the death certificate was shown on the house particulars?

I think you need to explain the circumstances because, at the moment, it just sounds really odd.

[factor-fiction]

I suspect that somehow the death cert got mixed up with the other papers- either by the estate agent or the mum, and without realising it was attached someone passed the bundle to an admin clerk and said "scan these please and put them on Zoopla".
It looks like a careless error rather than anything sinister

[Peter Pedant]

shaz you dont havae to explain if you dont want
we have given you the advice and it is unlikely to change

My own explanation is that a skool leaver did a batch of scanning and didnt mark one as 'DC'
perhaps the document was used to show youhad authority to sell the house. And then the skool leaver imported the batched scans to the web site and as they do ( or dont ) didnt check what the finished result was.

[Shazza36]

I had scanned and emailed the death cert to mum's estate agent as they needed proof that mum had the right to sell it as we haven't got round to changing the land registry yet. it was sent completely on its own and the estate agent said it was saved in the documents file of the property, but when Zoopla syphoned (agents word) the house details it pulled through with them. Estate Agent said they had saved it in the correct file and can't understand how it happened, I can't believe that Zoopla wouldn't even check what info they are displaying. They took it off within 30 mins but it had been on there for a few days, it is being investigated so hopefully it doesn't happen to anyone else as it was very upsetting, and thanks for everyone's sympathies its appreciated, I think now we've got over the shock we will just put it to bed and accept the apologies.

[Peter Pedant]

wise i think shaz