Brisbane Real Estate Pty Ltd ("BRE") complies with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) ("Privacy Act") as amended by the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 (Cth)("Amendment Act") and has adopted a set of privacy principles in its policy which is consistent with the National Privacy Principles as amended in September 2001 ("NPPs").

This privacy statement applies to this web site which is owned and operated by Brisbane Real Estate.

How is my personal information collected?

The purpose of personal information that we collect from you will depend on how you interact with BRE's web site. This section will explain in the broad sense, just how personal information may be collected via our web sites, and how this information contributes to the development of BRE's web site.

Cookies

This web site uses cookies. Cookies are pieces of information that a web site can transfer to an individual's computer hard drive for tracking (site usage) user navigation and customising site information to further improve and enhance the user experience.

Most Internet browsers are preset to accept cookies. However, if you are concerned about the use of cookies you do have the option to opt out and refuse the transfer of cookies to your computer's hard drive. If you prefer not to receive cookies, you can adjust your Internet browser to refuse cookies or to warn you when cookies are being used. Please contact the company which produces your browser if you need help.

On-Line Forms

When submitting information on some of our sites for the purposes of an enquiry, we will collect details such as your name, e-mail address and some details of your personal interests and needs. Some of this information is essential for us to be able identify accurately who is using the service so that we may be able to respond to your requests and as such is indicated by mandatory fields. Mandatory Information Requirements are clearly identified and are denoted by an asterix (*). You will also be prompted when submitting a form if mandatory data has not been completed.

Other types of information, such as your age and gender, are collected to help us profile who is using the services and what their interests are. Information of this type is optional: you only need to fill it in if you wish to do so.

Generally, you may be asked to provide personally identifiable information when you:
• send us your comments or suggestions
• create a link to BRE's site
• register for BRE's services
• subscribe to BRE's publications
• request sales and advertising information
• submit an enquiry
In all cases, your information will be held in the strictest confidence

How can I control my personal information?

Users are not required to register on BRE's web site in order to use it.

Our commitment is to provide you with the opportunity to opt out, check or correct any information you have submitted on-line to BRE or any of its affiliates or partners. Please refer to the appropriate page to request the changes. Where requested, BRE will remove any personal identifiable information from its current operational systems.

How secure is my information?

Any personal information that is submitted to our web site is held with the strictest confidence. This information is securely stored and access is restricted to authorised BRE personnel only, ensuring that your personal information is protected and safeguarded.

How do we use your information?

The information we gather from your use of our web site enables us to provide better services which are tailored to your needs. For example recording usage patterns help us identify the areas of our site that are popular and those that are not. The data which is gathered is aggregated for analysis by BRE. Identifiable characteristics and the user's name remain anonymous.

We use information that you submit via an on-line form from our web site in any one of the following ways:
• to make changes to your profile at your request
• to register information at your request
• to respond to your submission or enquiry
We will only record your e-mail address if you request information in this form. It will only be used for the purpose for which you have provided it, as outlined above. Your personal identifiable information will not be used for any other purpose, and we will not disclose it to anyone else without your consent.

Your personal information is not shared with any other third parties unless explicitly and expressly communicated when you submit the information. The information is contained and access is restricted to BRE authorised personnel only. However, where it is necessary for law enforcement purposes or where we believe there is a threat to a person's safety or health, we may need to disclose your personal information to third parties as required by law.

Open Houses

We collect personal information at our Open Houses for several reasons.
Security. As added security for our Vendors, we require a name and contact details for people who inspect our properties. We reserve the right to ask for verification of identity (eg, a Driver's Licence).
Feedback. We will generally contact people who visit one of our Open Houses and ask their opinion of the home. This helps us to provide a better service, and market our properties more effectively.
Marketing. We may contact potential purchasers with respect to the property they viewed, or other properties that we believe may be of interest to them. We may contact potential sellers with information about our company and the services we offer. This may be done by telephone, e-mail, text messaging, or through the post.

General

We will usually request personal information from clients or potential clients. This information will be used in different ways, depending on the purpose for which it is collected.
Almost all of the services provided by BRE require some personal information. This information will be used accordingly, for example, researching a property or obtaining a title search.
We may use the information for direct marketing purposes and to seek potential clients through promotional activities. This may be in the form of letters, brochures, or services such as VendorPlus? and BuyerPlus?. In providing your information you agree to this use, and you may ask to be removed at any time.
Rentals
BRE’s rental department requires additional personal information, and uses it for several additional reasons. All of these are related to fulfilling their legal and professional obligations.

How is it stored, and who can access it?

Personal Information collected is stored in two ways: the hard copy paper on which the information was recorded, and in a computerised database. This allows BRE to more efficiently work with clients and potential clients.

At present, each employee has their own computer database, which can only be accessed by them or someone, such as a Systems Administrator, who has access to their computer. We are always working to maximise the security for this and all information.

Rentals

Personal Information collected as part of the Rental process, in relation to either owners or tenants/prospective tenants, is stored on both the hard copy paper on which the information was recorded and in a computerised database. Access to this database is restricted to members of the Property Management Department.
Who do you give my information to?
Generally, BRE will not share your personal information with any third parties or other organisations.
However, it is usually necessary to share some information with our support organisations in order to provide a service, particularly in marketing a property or providing property management services. Failure to provide us with the required personal information may result in us being unable to provide a service to you.
Such organisations may include accountants and auditors, banks, Body Corporates, government agencies, insurers, the media and advertisers, mortgage providers, other real estate agents, pest and building inspectors, potential purchasers, property owners, the REIQ, service providers and tradespeople, solicitors, and tenancy databases.
Personal information is only provided to those organisations when it is necessary to enable us to provide our services or to comply with our legal obligations.

We will not give, sell or rent your email address or personal information to any other party. Personal information will not be given out to any other organisation for their marketing purposes.

Is my personal information shared with anybody outside of BRE?

BRE acknowledges that you will click through to third party sites from our site, and thus recommends that you refer to the privacy statements of the sites you visit. BRE assumes no responsibility for information and content of third party sites.

What else should I know about privacy?

Here are some more pointers to assist you in further protecting your privacy on the Internet.

Remember to close your browser when you have finished your user session. This is to ensure that others cannot access your personal information and correspondence if you share a computer with someone else or are using a computer in a public place like a library or Internet café.

Please be aware that whenever you voluntarily disclose personal information over the Internet, for example, in discussion forums, via e-mail or in chat sites, that this information can be collected and used by others. In short, if you post personal information in publicly accessible on-line forums, you may receive unsolicited messages from other parties in return.

Your rights

In accordance with the Privacy Act (1988) and Amendments, you have the right to request a copy of all information we have about you. You can also request information on what companies your information has been provided to, and for what purpose that was done. Please note that requests for your personal information can only be made by you.

We seek to ensure all information we have is accurate and up to date. If you discover that any information we have about you is incorrect, please ask us to amend the information accordingly.

If you are receiving information from us and you wish to discontinue that service, please advise us. Where possible, we will also delete some or all of your information at your request.

How often should I check this privacy statement?

We may make changes to this statement from time to time, so you may like to check it each time you visit the site.