Because of the nature of the products and services provided, government laws and regulations plus banking regulations, we do ask for a range of personal information. The type of personal information we may collect can include (but is not limited to) name, address, date of birth, contact details, income, assets and liabilities, account balances, tax and financial statements and employment details.

We obtain most of the information directly from our customers through application or other forms, and from maintaining records of information provided. We may also obtain information from other sources if required and we will seek your consent to collect it.

We may ask for other information voluntarily from time to time to enable us to improve our service or consider the wider needs of our customers or potential customers. If you choose not to provide the information we need to fulfil your request for a specific product or service, we may not be able to provide you with the requested product or service.

We collect personal information when we provide our services to you. Generally we will tell you why we are collecting information when we collect it and how we plan to use it or these things will be obvious when we collect the information.

Use of Information

We use your information to provide our services to you, to fulfil administrative functions associated with providing a mortgage facility either directly or through a third party, ongoing financial/mortgage planning advice or customer service.

We may share your information with other companies that are related to or have relationships with REHL, within and outside of Australia for the primary purpose of supplying the service requested.

We or they may also use your personally identifiable information to assist us in improving our products and services and any of us might be in touch to let you know about goods, services, or promotions which may interest you or be of benefit to you e.g.; advising you of improved banking products or services. When we collect your information, we will give you the ability to indicate that you do not want us to use your personal information for disclosed secondary purposes.

At any time, you may notify us of your preference on this issue by contacting our administration officer as set out at the end of this document. Please allow a reasonable time for your preference to be implemented.

Privacy on the Internet

REHL owns and operates the internet site: www.rehl.com.au and www.realestatehomeloans.com.au and our policy is to respect the confidentiality of information and the privacy of individuals applies to information gained from the internet also applies.

Cookies

If gaining information through REHL’s site, you may receive Cookies, which is data that a Web site transfers to an individual’s hard drive for record-keeping purposes. Cookies can facilitate a user’s ongoing access to and use of a site. They allow us to track usage patterns and to compile data that can help us improve our content. If you do not want information collected through the use of Cookies, there is a simple procedure in most browsers that allows you to deny or accept the Cookie feature. But you should note that Cookies may be necessary to provide you with features such as merchandise transactions or registered services.

Online Links to Third Party and Co-Branded Sites on the Internet

REHL may establish relationships with business partners that allow visitors to our Internet sites to link directly to sites operated by these partners, however, these sites may not be operated or maintained by or on our behalf. These sites may collect personal information from you that may be shared with us. This Privacy Statement will apply to any personal information we obtain in this manner. REHL is not responsible for the content or practices of Web sites operated by third parties that are linked to our sites. These links are meant for the user’s convenience only. Links to third party sites do not constitute sponsorship, endorsement or approval by REHL of the content, policies or practices of those third party sites. Once you have left our site via such a link, you should check the applicable privacy policy of the third party site.

What else you should know about 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.

You as an individual are responsible for the security of and access to your own computer. Whenever you voluntarily disclose personal information over the Internet that this information can be collected and used by others. In short, if you post personal information in publicly accessible online forums, you may receive unsolicited messages from other parties in return. Ultimately, you are solely responsible for maintaining the secrecy of your username and passwords and any account information.

Please be careful and responsible whenever you are using the Internet.

When we will contact you

We may contact you at the email, by phone or other address, which you provide to us in order to:

• Provide you with information which may be of interest about updates, new REHL products and other matters which may interest you
• Provide you with information that you requested or deemed important to you for a current application
• To send you an REHL news letter

We will not send you ‘spam’ (advertising information) without first asking you whether you wish to have promotional information sent to you. If you are receiving communications from REHL and do not wish to receive this information any longer, you may remove your name from our list either by contacting us or by calling REHL on the customer enquiry number 1800 00 44 12

How do we store personal information?

Safeguarding the privacy of your information is important to us, whether you interact with us personally, by phone, mail, over the Internet or other electronic medium. We hold personal information in a combination of secure computer storage facilities and paper-based files and other records, and take steps to protect the personal information we hold from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Your personal information will also be kept at a secure location by your REHL consultant after your loan has settled for the purposes only of assisting in future dealings. If you do not wish your information to be kept, please advise your consultant directly or call 1800 00 44 12 and your file will be securely disposed of within a reasonable time after we receive a request to have your information destroyed.

Accessing personal information held

Under the Commonwealth Privacy Act, you have the right to obtain a copy of any personal information that REHL holds about you and to advise REHL of any perceived inaccuracy. The Act does set out some exceptions to this. If at any time you want to know what information we hold about you, you are welcome to request your personal information by calling the customer enquiry number 1800 00 44 12 or emailing us or consult your consultant directly.

We will acknowledge your request within 14 days and respond promptly to it. We may charge a fee to cover the cost of verifying the application and locating, retrieving, reviewing and copying any material requested. If the information sought is extensive, we will advise the likely cost in advance and can help to refine your request if required.

Future changes

REHL’s commitment to be a quality leading provider of financial services means that our business will continue to evolve as we introduce new services and features REHL’s Privacy Policy Statement will be reviewed from time to time to take account of new laws and technology, changes to our operations and practices and to make sure it remains appropriate to the changing environment. The most current REHL Privacy Policy Statement will govern any information we hold.