Althaus and Department of Public Works and Housing

Althaus and Department of Public Works and Housing
(1997 S0078, 4 December 1998) 

The applicant sought access to documents relating to complaints about his behaviour (e.g. foul language, harassment, verbal abuse) towards other tenants of public housing.  A considerable amount of matter about the substance of the complaints had already been disclosed to the applicant. 

The Information Commissioner found that the matter remaining in issue concerned the personal affairs of persons other than the applicant, and that its disclosure would not, on balance, be in the public interest, meaning that it was exempt matter under s.44(1) of the FOI Act.