Unhappy with the response?

 

You may disagree with how an authority handled your request.

This may be for a number of different reasons - for example:

• It has not provided some, or all, of the information you asked for
• It has refused to provide it because it is "exempt" from disclosure
• It failed to respond within 20 working days, or at all
• It hasn't offered you advice about, or help making, your request
• It is asking you to pay a fee that you feel is unreasonable
• It does not hold some, or all, of the information requested and you disagree
• It believes your request is vexatious or repeated, or costs too much to answer.

If you're unhappy with the result of a request, you can challenge it.

• The first step is to ask for a review from the authority.
• If you have already done this, you can appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner.
• If you are then unhappy with the Commissioner's decision after your appeal, you have a right of appeal to the Court of Session (but only on a point of law). See Unhappy with the Commissioner's decision?

The FOI Act has been temporarily amended in response to the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic. Visit our Covid-19 Information Hub to find out more.