Rental Applications Australia ("RAA") and Applications Australia 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 website which is owned and operated by Rental Applications Australia. 

How is my personal information collected?

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

Cookies
This website uses cookies. Cookies are pieces of information that a website 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 to 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 RAA's site

• register for RAA's services

• subscribe to RAA's publications

• request information

• submit an enquiry

In all cases, your information will be held in the strictest confidence

How can I control my personal information?
Our commitment is to provide you with the opportunity to opt-out, check or correct any information you have submitted online to RAA or any of its affiliates or partners. Please refer to the appropriate page to request the changes. Where requested, RAA will remove any personal identifiable information from its current operational systems. To have any information removed from RAA databases please email the privacy officer at Rental Applications Australia.

How secure is my information?

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

Your personal information may be stored in hard copy documents or electronically. Rental Applications Australia is committed to keeping your personal information secure and safe. Some of the ways we do this are:

• Requiring employees to enter into confidentiality agreements

• Disposing of hard copy documents securely

• Using security measures for access to our computer systems and offices

We will review and update our security measures from time to time.

In addition, we will review the personal information and sensitive information held by us from time to time, ensuring that information which is no longer needed for a purpose for which it was initially collected is destroyed or de-identified.

How do we use your information?

The information we gather from your use of our website 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 RAA. Identifiable characteristics and the user's name remain anonymous.

We use information that you submit via an online form from our website in any one of the following ways:

• to register information at your request

• to respond to your submission or enquiry

We will only record your e-mail address if you send us a message. 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 RAA 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. 

Is my personal information shared with anybody outside of Rental Applications Australia? 

Rental Applications Australia 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. RAA assumes no responsibility for information and content of third party sites. 

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.

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, 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. For any additional assistance, please email the privacy officer at Rental Applications Australia.