Who We Are
‘We’, ‘us’ and ‘our’ refer to Habitat Finance & Insurance Pty Ltd ABN 54 107 730 807, Australian Credit Licence 385447 and our related businesses.
Our Commitment to Protect Your Privacy
We understand the importance of protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we manage the personal information we hold about you, in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
We are committed to handling your personal information in a transparent and secure manner, and we only collect, use and disclose your personal information as permitted by law.
What Is Personal Information?
Personal information refers to information or an opinion about an identified individual or an individual who is reasonably identifiable. This may include your name, date of birth, contact details, occupation, and financial information.
If you apply for finance, we may also collect information such as the ages and number of your dependants, your cohabitants, time at your current address, employment details, proof of earnings, and expenses.
We may also collect credit-related information, including your repayment history, defaults, and any finance arrangements you have with other providers. This credit information is used to assess your eligibility for finance and may be exchanged with credit reporting bodies.
Why We Collect Your Personal Information
We collect personal information for the purposes of:
– Assessing your application for finance;
– Submitting and managing your finance application;
– Managing our business relationship with you;
– Complying with legal and regulatory obligations;
– Offering you products or services that may be of interest (direct marketing, with your consent).
We may disclose your personal information to:
– Lenders, mortgage intermediaries, valuers, insurers, and surveyors;
– Credit reporting bodies and debt collectors;
– Legal and financial advisors;
– IT service providers and cloud storage providers;
– Associated businesses for marketing (with your consent);
– Any other organisation you have consented to;
– Government or regulatory authorities where required by law.
How We Collect Your Personal Information
We collect your personal information directly from you where possible. We may also collect information from third parties, such as:
– Credit reporting bodies;
– Accountants, brokers, or legal representatives;
– Referees and employers.
Disclosure to Overseas Recipients
We use third-party service providers, including cloud storage providers, that may be located outside Australia. These providers may be located in countries such as the United States or Singapore.
We take reasonable steps to ensure that overseas recipients do not breach the APPs or are subject to equivalent data protection laws. More information can be obtained by contacting us.
Direct Marketing
With your consent, we may use your personal information to offer you finance options or services. You can opt out of receiving such communications at any time by emailing us at admin@habitatfinance.com or using the unsubscribe function in our emails. We will not charge you for processing your request.
Access and Correction of Your Information
You may request access to your personal or credit information at any time. We will respond to your request within 30 days and may charge a reasonable fee for access.
You may also request correction of any inaccurate or outdated information. If we refuse to correct your information, we will explain our reasons.
Using Government Identifiers
We do not use government identifiers (e.g., Tax File Numbers) to identify you, except where required by law.
Anonymity
Where lawful and practicable, you may deal with us anonymously or by pseudonym, such as when making general enquiries.
Sensitive Information
We only collect sensitive information (e.g., racial origin, political opinions, health data) with your consent and where necessary for our services.
Security of Your Information
We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Information may be stored in both electronic and paper formats.
Complaints
If you have a complaint regarding the handling of your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer at rory@habitatfinance.com. We will acknowledge your complaint within 7 days and aim to resolve it within 30 days.
If you are dissatisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) via www.oaic.gov.au or call 1300 363 992.
Further Information
For more information about our privacy practices, contact us at info@habitatfinance.com
Policy Updates
We review and update this Privacy Policy regularly to reflect legal, technological, and operational changes. The current version is effective from 27 May 2025.
You may request a copy of this policy in an alternative format.