JMBenson Real Estate respects your right to privacy. Our principal activities are residential property sales, commercial property sales, residential rental management and commercial rental management.

The Privacy Statement sets out how we collect and manage personal information, and the steps we take to protect it.

How and why we collect information

In the course of providing our services, we collect personal information in a variety of ways. For example, we collect information when you:

• Become a client of debtor of JMBenson Real Estate
• Enter into a rental agreement or lease
• Make an enquiry about our services
• Asked to be placed on one of our mailing lists
• Apply for a job with us, or
• Visit our website

Information provided by you

You provide most of the personal information directly to us and for a specific purpose.

For example, when you are a prospective purchaser or vendor of real estate or request to be placed on a mailing list, we collect your contact details so that we can provide you with the information or advice you need.

When you apply for a job with us, we collect information about your qualifications and we may ask you to undertake certain tests as port of our recruitment process. Similarly, if you enter into a rental agreement, we may collect personal, employment and financial information from you.

Information provided by third parties

Our staff may pass on your contact details so that we can send you product or property information or ask you if you wish to be placed on one of our mailing lists. Likewise, for marketing purposes, we may access various databases in the public domain and obtain referrals from our existing clients.

If you apply to enter into a rental agreement or lease, you may be the subject of a credit check conducted by an authorised credit agency.

Sensitive information

In our day to day business we use personal information collected from you only for the purpose of that inquiry or as otherwise allowed under the privacy act. 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 or proceeding.

How we use the information we collect

We use personal information primarily for the purpose for which it was collected. Because most of our information is collected from you directly, you will normally be aware of the purpose of the collection.

Use of the information for a secondary purpose

We may sometimes use the personal information we collect for a secondary purpose, that is, for use in a way different from the original reason for collection. We will only do this in the following circumstances:

• Where you have consented
• Where the secondary purpose is directly related to the primary purpose, and you would reasonably expect us to use or disclose the information in such a way, or
• Where we are permitted or required by law, or it is in the interests of public safety to do so

For example, if you are a prospective tenant from whom we collect financial information and contact details, we may use this information to conduct a credit check.

We may also use your contact details to send you bulletins and information about similar services that we provide. You are always provided with the opportunity to notify us that you do not wish to receive this material.

Disclosure of the information we collect

We will not disclose information we collect about you to any third parties without your prior consent. Similarly, we will not sell any information we collect about you.

Depending on the reason for which personal information was provided, some information collected may be used to achieve purposes allowed under the Privacy Act.

How we protect our information collection

We will take all reasonable steps to protect the security of all personal information we collect. This involves protecting it from misuse and loss, as well as from modification and disclosure.

The electronic databases that hold information as well as our internal systems are designed to restrict access to only those people who require specific information.

In addition, your personal information is only kept while it is required for the purpose for which it was collected or for a permitted secondary purpose.

Your ability to access and correct information

We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information which we collect, use or disclose, is accurate, complete and up-to-date.

If you wish to access the information we hold about, you are welcome to contact us and we will respond to your request within 45 days. A handling fee may be payable so that we can obtain the information you require.

Correcting information

You can also request that information about you be corrected or deleted. This is part of our commitment to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the information we hold is accurate, complete and up-to-date.

Right to refuse access or correction

We reserve our right to refuse your request for access or correction if, for example, we consider your request to be frivolous or vexatious, or if we are legally entitled to do so.

If we refuse your request, we will give you our reasons. If we refuse your request to correct information we hold about you, we will give you the opportunity to post a statement of your claim where we hold your personal information.

Updating our privacy statement

As JMBenson Real Estate grows and changes, we may revise our privacy statement. We will keep you updated on these changes by posting new versions of our policy on our website.

By providing your personal information to us or by using our website, you are indicating your acceptance of our current policy.

Contacting us

If you have any questions about our privacy statement, please contact the privacy officer at michael@jmbenson.com.au or by mail to:

The Privacy Office
JMBenson Real Estate
11 Coleman Parade
Glen Waverley Vic. 3150