Information act leaves us exposed: industry must make the case for maintaining confidentiality.

From October , has just come to my attention:

Property Week, Vol. 69, Issue. 44, p 67 29 October, 2004 (subscription required)


"THE PROPERTY INDUSTRY CAN NO LONGER KEEP ITS secrets. Over the last year, it has had to accept that the lease and mortgage documents its sends to the Land Registry are open for everyone to look at. Now it must contend with the Freedom of Information Act that comes into force on I January 2005....The challenges presented by the act can be overcome if the property industry starts talking to public authority partners now. Arguing that information should not be disclosed will be much easier if there are clear provisions in an agreement. We need to understand what freedom of information will mean for us and start negotiating"