28 July 2022
Your request
Please could you refer me to a copy of the letter sent to all residents stating that their privacy was going to be compromised on the week 25th - 1st July, with the times of when a drone would be flying close to their living rooms and bedroom windows?
Could you tell me who authorised this to happen?
Could you tell me which funds paid for this to take place?
I understand that some houses were door knocked. Please could you confirm whether all affected door s were knocked and when this happened?
Our response
On the 21 June 2022, HFL distributed the Central Hill Newsletter by hand to all properties on the Central Hill Estate. This newsletter informed residents that drone surveys would be used to capture condition surveys of the building roofs. Please see the attached copy of the Newsletter.
HFL has confirmed that the drone only captures downward facing video of the building roofs and captures no video or images of home interiors. This was conveyed to residents in the newsletter dated 1 July 2022 (see Central Hill resident update – 1 July 2022 (homesforlambeth.co.uk). Furthermore, HFL has also confirmed that the drone surveyor stored all information in line with the government’s Data Protection guidelines. These can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/data-protection.
As set out in the letter, HFL funded and commissioned Avison Young to carry out the drone surveys. HFL recognised that it would be quicker and a safer method to capture the condition data rather than the alternative of surveyor’s inspecting the roofs using ladders or scaffolding.
In addition, the contractor undertook a door knocking exercise prior to the roof being surveyed. They gave information about the survey and a letter with information was put through letterboxes in instances where occupants were not at home.