Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy contains important information about your personal information.

1. About this policy;
2. Collection;
3. Use and disclosure;
4. Access and correction;
5. Opting out of product promotions;
6. Storage and security of your personal information;
7. Homesafe Solution's website and the use of cookies;
8. Changes to this policy;
9. Privacy concerns or complaints;
10. Contacting us;
11. Further information about privacy

About this policy

This Privacy Policy sets out how Homesafe Solutions safeguards your privacy. In this policy, references to Homesafe Solutions or “we” are references to Homesafe Solutions Pty Ltd, a company equally owned by Athy Pty Ltd and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited.

We are committed to ensuring your privacy is protected and understand your concerns regarding the confidentiality and security of personal information you provide to us.

Most organisations in Australia must comply with the 10 National Privacy Principles. We are bound by and comply with these principles.

This policy has been developed to follow a ‘layered’ policy format which means that it offers layers of detail. You can therefore read as much or as little as you like and can find what you need quicker.

If all you want is a snapshot of how we handle your personal information, you can look at the Condensed Privacy Policy which sets out in summary how we collect, use and disclose your personal information, and how you can contact us if you want to access or correct your personal information.

If you would like a more comprehensive explanation of how we handle your personal information, then this document will provide you with that detail.

Collection

We usually collect personal information directly from you. Sometimes we collect or confirm this information from a third party such as the Titles Office to facilitate the processing of your Homesafe Contract. Generally we will have sought your consent to do this.

We collect personal information that includes details such as your:

• Name;
  
• address;
  
• date of birth;
  
• contact details (such as phone and fax numbers, e-mail addresses); and
  
• financial information about you such as information about your use of financial products and services which you acquire from or through us.

In some cases, we may need to collect sensitive information (such as health related information) about you. In these circumstances we will ask for your consent to collect that information if the National Privacy Principles require that we do so.

Use and disclosure

We use your personal information in order to:

• provide you with the Homesafe Contract; and
  
• assist you with your queries or concerns; and
  
• perform our regular and necessary business functions (such as internal audit investigations, performance reporting, research, product development and planning.)

To do this, we may disclose your personal information to:

• Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited;
  
• Advisers acting for you such as financial consultants, valuers and lawyers; and
  
• organisations that carry out functions on our behalf. This may include for example:
  
  1. mailing houses;
     
  2. cheque and electronic transaction processors; and
     
  3. information technology service providers.

Confidentiality agreements with these entities ensure this information is only used to carry out functions on our behalf.

Your personal information may also be shared within the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Group and its joint venture partners, and shared within Homesafe Solutions and with its shareholders, so that you can be told about other financial products and services offered or distributed by them or us. You can opt out of receiving this information (see below – ‘opting out of product promotions’).

We do not sell your personal information to other outside companies.

Access and correction

In most cases you will be able to gain access to personal information about you held by Homesafe Solutions.

We will also take reasonable steps to amend or correct your personal information to keep it accurate and up-to-date. Our Homesafe Administrator will co-ordinate requests relating to access and correction of your personal information (see ‘Contacting us’ below).

Opting out of product promotions

You can opt out of receiving marketing material from us about new products at any time.

If you do opt out, we will continue to provide information in relation to your existing Homesafe Contract only.

Storage and security of your personal information

Homesafe Solutions will take reasonable steps to keep the personal information that we hold about you secure to ensure that it is protected from loss, unauthorised access, use, modification or disclosure.

Your personal information is stored within secure systems that are protected in controlled facilities. Our employees and authorised agents are obliged to respect the confidentiality of any personal information held by Homesafe Solutions.

Homesafe Solution's website and the use of cookies

The Homesafe Solutions website is protected by 128-bit encryption technology.

We do not collect personal information about you if you only browse our website. We do however use Cookies. Cookies can make using our website easier by storing information about your preferences and enabling you to take full advantage of our services. Cookies are very small text files that a website can transfer to your computer's hard drive for record keeping.

Most Internet web browsers are pre-set to accept cookies to enable full use of websites that employ them. However, if you do not wish to receive any cookies you may configure your browser to reject them or warn you when cookies are being used. In some instances, this may mean that you will not be able to use some or all of the services provided on our website. However you may still be able to access information only pages.

Changes to this Policy

From time to time, it may be necessary for us to review our Privacy Policy. We reserve the right to amend our Privacy Policy at any time and to notify you by posting an updated version on our website (www.homesafesolutions.com.au).

Privacy concerns or complaints

If you have concerns or wish to make a complaint regarding the treatment of your personal information by Homesafe Solutions please contact our Homesafe Administrator for assistance (see below – ‘Contacting us’).

Contacting us

If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy, or about the way we manage your personal information you can:

• write to us at:

  Homesafe Solutions
  Level 4
  437 St Kilda Rd
  Melbourne Vic 3004
  

• telephone the Homesafe Administrator on (03) 8807 1677
• • e-mail us at administrator@homesafesolutions.com.au

Further information about privacy

You can find more information about privacy (including information about specific issues, answers to frequently asked questions and links to the 10 National Privacy Principles) on the Office of the Privacy Commissioner’s website at www.privacy.gov.au