Homebuilding Privacy Policy

Home Building Australia Pty Ltd(Homebuilding) owns and operates the homebuilding.com.au website and is committed to protecting the privacy of users of the website in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

This privacy policy explains when and how Homebuilding collects, uses, discloses and protects personal information from members and businesses using Homebuilding.com.au

1. What is Personal Information?

Personal information means information that identifies or could identify an individual. It may include an individual’s name, signature, address, phone number or date of birth. Personal Information may also include other types of information linked to and individuals, such as credit information, photographs, internet protocol (IP) addresses, and information about the use of websites and on-line services.

2. Why do we collect Personal Information?

Homebuilding only collects personal information that we need to provide our website services or is reasonably necessary for our dealings with the relevant individual in the course of business.

3. What Personal Information do we collect?

We may collect personal information from registered members and businesses that use our Homebuilding.com.au website (Service), including information that you transmit to or through the Service.

  • a. Account information

    If you register as a member or a business with our Service, we may collect personal information that you provide during that process. This personal information, which we will collect through our on-line membership form would include; your name, phone number, home address, IP address and information about the sort of services you may be interested in obtaining from our registered businesses.

  • b. Public information – members

    Registered members may post reviews, ratings or comments (Member Postings) on registered businesses that have provided them with services. We collect Member Postings which may include personal information.

  • c. Public information – businesses

    Some of the personal information we collect from registered businesses is intended to be published on the Service and viewed by the public (Business Listing Information). This information would include; the name of your business, ABN/ACN, the category(ies) of homebuilding services you offer, the subscription level you are seeking, information about those services (depending on the subscription level) and public contact details and website address.

  • d. Service information – businesses

    We may also collect information from registered businesses related to payments for the use of the Service. This information may include credit information, bank account details, credit card information and other information related your subscription to the Service.

  • e. User activity

    We may store personal information related to your use of the Service, such as your search activity, the pages you view, the date and time of your visit. We may also collect personal information that your computer or mobile device provides us in connection with your use of the Service, such as your browser type, IP address and location information.

  • f. Cookies

    We and third parties from whom we obtain specialist services, may use cookies and other similar technologies in connection with the use of the Service. Cookies may transmit personal information about your use of the Service.

4. How do we use personal information?

We only use and share personal information for the purpose for which we have collected it, or as required by law.

We use personal information to enable us to provide our services to you, including fulfilling your requests, improving the Service’s quality, engaging in research and analysis relating to the Service, personalise your experience, track usage of the Service and provide feedback to third party businesses that are listed on the Service.

We may also use personal information to assess your eligibility to be provided with credit, display advertising relevant to you, market the Service, provide user support and communications, back up and protect our systems, and comply with legal obligations.

5. When will we disclose personal information?

Personal information included in Business Listing Information or Member Postings will be made public through the Service.

Personal information from registered members may be provided to registered businesses for the purpose of connecting members to relevant businesses.

In order to provide our services, we may acquire specialist services from others and may disclose personal information to them for the purpose of obtaining those services.

With your consent we may provide credit information to a Credit Reporting Body in connection with an application for credit.

We use a third-party cloud storage provider to store and archive information including your personal information.

We will only disclose personal information in accordance with this policy and will not sell personal information under any circumstances.

A Credit Reporting Body is a business or undertaking that involves collecting, holding, using or disclosing personal information about individuals for the purpose of, or for purposes including the purpose of, providing an entity with information about the credit worthiness of an individual.

6. How do we protect your personal information?

It is important to us that your personal information is kept secure. We take reasonable steps to make sure your information is protected from misuse, loss, interference or unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

When we no longer need your information for the purpose for which we have collected it, or to meet our legal obligations for record keeping, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify it.

We train our staff about the requirements of the Privacy Act and compliance with this Policy.

7. How can you access and control your personal Information?

You may access, update and correct your own personal information through the Service. You may also opt-out of receiving communications from us such as e-newsletters.

  • a. How to access, update or correct

    If your personal information changes, or you believe that your personal information is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date, irrelevant or misleading, you can access, update or correct it on-line, or by contacting us.

    Members may update personal information provided as part of member registration by clicking on ‘My Profile’, selecting ‘Edit Profile’ and changing the relevant information.

    Businesses may update personal information provided as part of business registration by clicking on ‘My Account’, selecting ‘Edit Business Listing Information’ and changing the relevant information.

    We will respond to any other requests to access, update or correct personal information, including credit information by email.

    If we do not agree with any corrections you supply, we will give you a written notice to that effect.

    In some circumstances we may need to retain previous personal information.

  • b. How to opt out

    If you do not want to receive communications from us, you can do so by clicking on ‘My Settings’ under ‘My Profile’ (members) or ‘My Account’ (businesses) on the Service and clicking on the ‘Opt Out’ setting.

8.How can you make a complaint?

If you believe that we have mishandled your personal information you may lodge a complaint with us. The complaint, addressed to [name and email], must be in writing.

From receipt of your written complaint, we have 30 days to respond.

If we are unable to resolve your complaint, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner. You can lodge a written complaint with the Information Commissioner by:

9. Policy Changes

From time to time, Homebuilding may review and update this privacy policy. Revised versions will be updated to the Homebuilding.com.au website.

10. Further Privacy Information

For more information about information privacy, visit the privacy section of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner website at https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/