Refusal Explained
Where the organisation refuses a request in whole or in part, the response states the reasons.
Intent
A refusal without reasons cannot be challenged, because the person has nothing to challenge. The reasons are what make the refusal reviewable.
How to test it
An assessor scores the criterion against a single response:
- Score 2
- The response states the reasons for refusing the request, in whole or in part.
- Score 1
- The response cites a legal provision or a policy without saying how it applies here.
- Score 0
- The response refuses the request and gives no reasons.
- Not applicable
- The organisation did not refuse the request in whole or in part.
The law it reflects
This criterion reflects Article 12(4) of the UK GDPR. That mapping is a guide, not a legal test: conformance is judged against the criterion, not the article.
See H1 in context in the full standard.