Christopher Geake & Company Estate Agents

Privacy Policy

From 21st December 2001 the Australian Federal Governments new Privacy Rules will come into effect covering all personal information held by organisations. These laws regulate, among other matters, the way organisations collect, use, disclose keep secure and give people access to personal information. Protecting your privacy and your personal information is an important aspect of the way in which Christopher Geake & Company conducts its activities. Our privacy policy supports and endorses the Privacy Commissioners National Principles for the Fair Handling of Personal Information. Christopher Geake & Company will only collect personal information from you with your prior knowledge and consent. Christopher Geake & Company will only use personal information provided by you for the purposes for which it was collected and will not disclose your personal information to a third party without your consent. Christopher Geake & Company ensures that your personal information will not be disclosed to other organisations or authorities except if required by Law. Christopher Geake & Company have implemented technology and security policies, rules and measures to protect the personal information that we have under our control. Christopher Geake & Company will remove personal information from our records where it is no longer required unless such information is required for archiving purposes.

WHAT SORT OF PERSONAL INFORMATION IS GENERALLY HELD/COLLECTED

The personal information we collect generally includes:
- Your name, address, date of birth, contact details and other personal details; basic financial information. We
generally do not seek to collect sensitive information. We would only do so with your consent, or if required by
law or if necessary in connection with any claim.

PURPOSES FOR COLLECTING THE INFORMATION

We collect personal information for the following purposes:
- Real estate and tax law requires some of this information to be collected. If the information is not provided, we
may not be able to act on your behalf effectively or at all;
- Personal information collected from you during open for inspections may also be used to contact you with
respect to this property and others which we believe may interest you and in providing the information you agree
to this use unless you advise us differently;
- To act as your agent and to perform our obligations under our agreement with you;
- To process your application for tenancy;
- To approve transactions you wish to make;
- To confirm details to utility companies, banks, etc contacting us on your behalf;
- To pay/release your details to rental bond authorities;
- To refer to Tribunals, Courts or Statutory Authorities; and
- To provide tradesman for purpose of contacting you to arrange repairs or maintenance.

PURPOSES FOR HOLDING THE INFORMATION GENERALLY

We generally hold personal information for the following purposes:
- For promotion and marketing to you our services and in providing the information you agree to this unless you
advise us differently.
- To complete any necessary documentation to VCAT, Tribunals, Courts or statutory authorities;
- To provide to Debt Collection Companies, should the need arise during or after your tenancy; and
- To allow tradesman to contact you for the purpose of undertaking repairs.

HOW PERSONAL INFORMATION IS COLLECTED

We obtain most of your information from you directly, such as:
- Personal information collected from you during open for inspections for security purposes. We may also use that
information to contact you with respect to this property and others, which we believe may interest you, and in
providing the information you agree to this use unless you advise us differently;
- Completion of an application form at the commencement of your tenancy, completion of maintenance request
forms;
- Completion of applications to Tribunals, Courts or Statutory Authorities;
- Completion of application or maintenance request forms; and
- Contacting relatives or previously provided referees in the event that we cannot contact you.
- Sometimes we may ask you to collect particular personal information about you. Unless we have already done
so, when or before we collect that information, we will take reasonable steps to inform you of:
- The purposes for which the information is collected;
- Where applicable, any law requiring the information to be collected; and
- The main consequences if all or part of the information is not provided.

Other ways we generally collect information include - NTD (National Tenancy Database)

HOW PERSONAL INFORMATION IS GENERALLY HELD

We hold personal information in a combination of computer storage facilities and paper-based files and other records. These facilities and records are located on site at our office and off site at secured premises.

HOW PERSONAL INFORMATION IS GENERALLY USED AND DISCLOSED

Sometimes we will ask you to consent to a disclosure or use of your personal information for a particular purpose. We may do so in writing or over the phone. Other times, your consent will be taken to be given, where you indicate to us that you wish to obtain information about any of the services that we provide. We also may disclose or use your personal information without your consent in the following circumstances:
- To tradesman to undertake repairs or maintenance;
- To prospective tenants to contact you for an inspection (telephone numbers and names only);
- To necessary Tribunals, RTBA, statutory bodies for the purpose for fulfilling our legal requirements under the
RTA 1997;
- To lawyers or conveyancing companies to create documentation, leases or contracts; and
- To debt collection agents for debts incurred.

DISCLOSING YOUR INFORMATION TO OTHERS

We do not disclose your personal information to others except in the following cases:
- To our related companies;
- To prospective purchasers to negotiate the sale of your property;
- To organisations which provide services to us;
- With your consent or where it is necessary to provide you with services;
- Where required by Law; and
- To organisations which have requested us to provide services to you or who cooperate with us in offering
products or services.

CHRISTOPHER GEAKE & COMPANY - PRIVACY ACT DISCLAIMER

If you do not provide the Personal Information we request, or do not consent to its use and disclosure as described above, this will affect our ability to carry out our professional responsibilities and preclude us providing you with Agency Services or a Tenancy Agreement. Any unsuccessful Tenancy Applications will be destroyed at the expiration of 90 days from the date of the application.

If you would like to contact us or access this information (which you can correct if it is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date) you can do so by contacting us at:

Privacy Officer
Christopher Geake & Company Pty Ltd
Level 6
445 Toorak Road
TOORAK VIC 3142

Telephone: 03 9827 3000
Facsimile: 03 9826 8626
Email: admin@christophergeake.com.au

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