Data Protection & Freedom of Information Office

Business As Usual (BAU) requests

Straightforward requests for recorded information, regardless of reference to FOI legislation, can often be responded to without involving the DP&FOI Office.  This is called a Business As Usual (BAU) request.

BAU requests:

• Can be made in any format (verbally or written)
• Ask for routine or easily accessible information
• Are usually answered as part of a team’s day-to-day business
• Should be responded to within 20 working days from receipt of the request

The above also applies to requests for personal data from individuals in certain limited circumstances, such as:

• Requests for interview feedback
• Requests for exam feedback from current students
• Reference requests (staff and students)
• Requests for copies of disability or counselling records from current students

Requests that fall outside of this definition, or where there is any doubt whether a request can be handled as BAU, should be referred to the DP&FOI Office.