This page sets forth the Privacy Policy and Disclaimer for our website.
Disclaimer
All information contained within this website is gathered from sources we believe to be reliable. We cannot however guarantee its accuracy and interested parties should make and rely on their own enquiries.
Introduction & Purpose of This Policy
Professionals Hills North West (‘the Agency’) provides real estate services including residential sales & property management.
We are bound by the Privacy Act and the Australian Privacy Principles (APP) which regulate the collection, use and disclosure of personal information. This Privacy Policy explains;
- The scope of our Privacy Policy;
- Why We collect personal information;
- What personal information We collect;
- How We collect and use Your personal information;
- How We disclose Your personal information;
- Your right to access Your personal information;
- Your right to correct Your personal information;
- How We protect the integrity of Your personal information;
- Your right to make a privacy complaint; and
- How You can contact Us regarding privacy concerns
We reserve the right to review and if necessary, change this Privacy Policy. We will post changes to this Privacy Policy on our website. This Privacy Policy is on our website.
Scope
This Privacy Policy governs all personal information collected by and provided to Us and must be adhered to by all persons who access, use, process, control or otherwise deal with personal information on our behalf. This Policy applies to independent contractors and job applicants, as well as individuals who provide Us with personal information.
Interpretation
Personal pronouns: except where the context otherwise provides or requires:
The terms You or Your refers to any person who provides Us with personal information in any form or by any means.
The terms We, Us or Our refers to Professionals Hills North West; and
What is Personal Information?
Personal information is any information that can be used to identify You. This includes any information or an opinion about You (including information or an opinion forming part of a database), whether true or not, and no matter how the information or opinions are recorded. The information may be collected from You directly or provided to Us by another party.
Why Do We Collect Personal Information?
We collect personal information from You for the following purposes:
- To allow Us to lawfully carry out our real estate functions and activities;
- Meet our legal and regulatory obligations, including anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) requirements
- Detect and prevent fraud, and keep our systems secure
- To enable Us to deliver the products and services that You requested;
- To provide You with further information about the products and services You requested;
- To personalise and customise Your experiences with Us;
- To help Us review, manage and enhance our services;
- To communicate more effectively with You;
- For administration purposes, including charging, billing and collecting debts;
- To promote and market our products and services which We consider may be of interest to You;
- When considering making offers to job applicants and prospective employees or for employment purposes; and
- To receive services from You or the organisation which employs You.
We may also collect, hold, use and/or disclose personal information if You consent or if required or authorised under law.
What Personal Information do we Collect?
We collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for one or more of Our functions or activities.
The type of information that We collect and hold may depend on Your relationship with Us. For example:
Candidate: if You are a candidate seeking employment with Us, We may collect and hold information including Your name, address, email address, contact telephone number, gender, age, date & place of birth, government issued identification details, such as driver licence, passport, Medicare card or other ID documents, employment history, references, resume, medical history, emergency contact, taxation details, qualifications, and bank/payment details.
Customer: if You are a customer of the Agency, the Agency may collect and hold information including Your name, address, email address, contact telephone number, gender, age, date & place of birth, government issued identification details, such as driver licence, passport, Medicare card or other ID documents, Biometric information, such as a facial image or short video used to verify your identity, details of any children, and details of any pets.
Supplier: if You are a supplier of the Agency, the Agency may collect and hold information including Your name, address, email address, contact telephone number, business records, billing and bank account information, qualifications, insurances, information about goods and services supplied by You.
Sensitive information: We will only collect sensitive information where You consent to the collection of the information and the information is reasonably necessary for one or more of the Agency’s functions or activities. Sensitive information includes, but is not limited to, information or an opinion about racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, philosophical beliefs, membership of a trade union, sexual preferences, criminal record, health information or genetic information.
We only collect personal information that is reasonably necessary to carry out our business activities. If You feel that the personal information that We are requesting at any point is not information that You wish to provide, please feel free to raise this with Us.
Employee Records
This Policy does not apply to the collection, holding, use or disclosure of personal information that is an employee record.
An employee record is a record of personal information relating to the employment of an Employee. Examples of personal information relating to the employment of the Employee include, but are not limited to, health information and information about the engagement, training, disciplining, resignation, termination, and terms and conditions of employment of the Employee.
How do we Collect and Hold Personal Information?
We must collect personal information only by lawful and fair means. We will collect personal information directly from You if it is reasonable or practicable to do so.
We may collect personal information in a number of ways, including without limitation:
- through application forms;
- by email or other written mechanisms;
- over a telephone call;
- in person;
- through transactions;
- business cards;
- contracts;
- through our website;
- through surveillance cameras;
- by technology that is used to support communications between Us; and
- from third parties, including through publicly available information sources (which may include telephone directories, the internet and social media sites).
When We collect personal information about You through publicly available information sources, such information will be managed in accordance with the APPs.
Unsolicited personal information is personal information that We receive which We did not solicit. Unless We determine that We could have collected the personal information in line with the APPs or the information is contained within a Commonwealth record, We must destroy the information to ensure it is de-identified.
Identity verification & Government Data Matching (DVS)
To verify your identity, we may use electronic identity verification services, including the Australian Government’s Document Verification Service (DVS).
Where you have consented, your name, date of birth and identity document details will be securely sent to the relevant Commonwealth or State authority that issued your document. This may include passport offices, driver licence authorities, the Department of Home Affairs, Births Deaths and Marriages, or other authorised record holders.
These authorities check whether the details you have provided match the records they hold.
We do not receive a copy of your government records. The authority returns a match result only, confirming whether your details match (yes or no).
This process may be carried out through accredited identity verification providers, including Lab Group (Lab Group Services Pty Ltd, ABN 61 168 489 414) and its sub-providers.
More information about the DVS is available at idmatch.gov.au.
Biometric Information
As part of identity verification, we may collect biometric information, such as a facial image or a short video of you holding your ID.
Biometric information may be used to:
- Confirm that you are a real person and physically present
- Match your image to the photograph on your identification document
- Reduce the risk of fraud and identity theft
Biometric information is treated as sensitive information under the Privacy Act. We only use it for identity verification and related compliance purposes, and only with your consent.
Consent to Collection and Identity Verification
By providing your personal information and completing the identity verification process, you consent to:
- The collection, use and disclosure of your personal information for identity verification, AML/CTF and related compliance purposes
- The collection and use of biometric information, such as a facial image or video, for identity verification
- Your information being checked against records held by Commonwealth and State authorities through the DVS
- Your information being shared with our authorised identity verification providers, including Lab Group
Your consent is voluntary. You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us using the details in the Privacy Officer Contact Details section. If you do not consent, or do not provide the information we need, we may not be able to verify your identity electronically. In that case, we may need to verify your identity in another way, or we may not be able to provide our services to you.
How do we use your Personal Information?
We will only use and disclose Your personal information for purposes which are related to those identified under this Policy or if we get Your consent to do so and it is in accordance with this Privacy Policy and the Privacy Act.
We will not use Your personal information for any purpose for which You would not reasonably expect Us to use it for. Additionally, We will not disclose Your sensitive information without Your consent, unless there is a need to disclose such information in accordance with the Privacy Act or to comply with any other regulatory requirement.
Is Personal Information Used for Direct Marketing?
We may use or disclose personal information (other than sensitive information) about You for the purpose of direct marketing (for example, advising You of new goods and/or services being offered by Us).
We may use or disclose sensitive information about You for the purpose of direct marketing if You have consented to the use or disclosure of the information for that purpose.
You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe link in our messages, or by contacting us using the details in the Privacy Officer Contact Details section.
What happens if you do not provide your Personal Information?
You are not obliged to give Us Your personal information. If You would like to access any of our services on an anonymous basis or using a pseudonym, We will take reasonable steps to comply with Your request. However, We will require You to identify yourself if:
- We are required by law to deal with individuals who have identified themselves; or
- It is impracticable for Us to deal with You if You do not identify Yourself or elect to use a pseudonym. This might include ensuring the safety of others for whom We have responsibility.
Please be aware that Your request to be anonymous or to use a pseudonym may affect our ability to provide You with the requested services. For example, Your ability to bid for a property at auction.
When do we disclose your Personal Information?
You acknowledge and agree that We may disclose Your personal information for any of the purposes for which it is was collected, as indicated under this Policy, or where it is under a legal duty to do so.
Disclosure will usually be internally and to related entities or to third parties such as contracted service suppliers.
- Before We disclose personal information about You to a third party, We will take steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to ensure that the third party does not breach the APPs in relation to the information.
We may disclose your personal information to:
- Identity verification providers, including Lab Group and its authorised sub-providers
- Commonwealth and State authorities and official record holders, through the DVS
- Our employees and authorised representatives, on a need-to-know basis
- Our professional advisers, such as lawyers, accountants and auditors
- Our tradespeople such as electricians, plumbers and handymen
- Trusted technology and service providers that help us operate our business
- Regulators, law enforcement or other third parties where required or authorised by law
We do not sell your personal information.
Do We Send Information Overseas?
We are likely to disclose personal information to overseas recipients. Before We disclose personal information about You to an overseas recipient, we will take steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to ensure that the overseas recipient does not breach the APPs in relation to the information. The countries in which overseas recipients are likely to be located include: USA, Europe, Philippines & Japan.
Access to your Personal Information
If We hold personal information about You, You may request access to that information by putting the request in writing and sending it to the Privacy Officer. We will respond to any request within a reasonable period.
You will not be charged for making a request to access Your personal information but You may be charged for the reasonable time and expense incurred in compiling information in response to Your request.
There are certain circumstances in which We may refuse to grant You access to the personal information. In such situations We will give you written notice that sets out:
the mechanisms available to You to make a complaint.
the reasons for the refusal; and
Correction of your Personal Information
If We hold personal information that is inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading, We must take steps as are reasonable to correct the information.
If We hold personal information and You make a request in writing addressed to the Privacy Officer to correct the information, We must take steps as are reasonable to correct the information and We will respond to any request within a reasonable period.
There are certain circumstances in which We may refuse to correct the personal information. In such situations We will give you written notice that sets out:
- the reasons for the refusal; and
- the mechanisms available to You to make a complaint.
If We correct personal information that We have previously supplied to a third party and You request us to notify the third party of the correction, We will take such steps as are reasonable to give that notification unless impracticable or unlawful to do so.
Integrity and Security of your Personal Information
We will take such steps (if any) as are reasonable in the circumstances to ensure that the personal information that We:
- collect is accurate, up-to-date and complete; and
- use or disclose is, having regard to the purpose of the use or disclosure, accurate, up-to-date and complete.
Information which We collect will be stored in paper-based files or other electronic record keeping methods in secure databases (including trusted third party storage providers based in Australia and overseas). Personal information may be collected in paper-based documents and converted to electronic form for use or storage (with the original paper-based documents either archived or securely destroyed). We will take steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to protect the personal information from misuse, interference, loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
The Agency maintains physical security over paper and electronic data stores, such as through locks and security systems at Our premises. We also maintain computer and network security, such as firewalls and other security systems such as user identifiers and passwords to control access to the computer systems.
If We hold personal information and no longer need the information for any purpose for which the information may be used or disclosed, the information is not contained in any Commonwealth record and We are not required by law to retain the information, We will take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to destroy the information or to ensure it is de-identified.
Complaints
You have a right to complain about our handling of Your personal information if You believe we have breached the APPs.
If You wish to make such a complaint to Us, You should first contact the Privacy Officer in writing. Your complaint will be dealt with in accordance with our Grievances, Misconduct and Performance Policy and We will provide a response within a reasonable period.
If You are not satisfied with our response to Your complaint, You may refer Your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (‘OAIC’). The OAIC can be contacted by telephone on 1300 363 992 or by using the contact details on the OAIC website at oaic.gov.au.
Updates to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or in the law.
The latest version will always be available on our website. Where changes are significant, we will let you know.
Privacy Officer Contact Details:
If you have any questions about this Policy, or want to exercise any of your privacy rights, please contact us via the details on our Contact Page or through the details below:
- Business name: Professionals Hills North West
- Privacy contact: Bruce Ignatiou
- Email: bruce@professionalshillsnw.com.au
- Phone: 0410 469 921
- Address: 102/320 Annangrove Road, Rouse Hill NSW 2155