This following document sets forth the Privacy Policy for the Bowman's Real Estate website, http://www.bowmansrealestate.com.au/.

Bowman's Real Estate is committed to providing you with the best possible customer service experience. Bowman's Real Estate is bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) which sets out a number of principles concerning the privacy of individuals.

The Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)(the Act) allows for ‘personal information’, including ‘sensitive information’ (which are defined in the Act) about you to be collected, used and disclosed provided we have provided you with notice and in certain circumstances also obtained your consent.  In this Privacy Policy and, where appropriate, a reference to ‘personal information’ includes ‘sensitive information’. We may update or amend this Privacy Policy from time to time by publishing the revised version on our website or by providing you with notice through other appropriate means. This Privacy Policy is available on our website, at our office, and may also be provided to you during property inspections or in our initial email communication with you. 

Collection of Your Personal Information

What personal information do we collect?

We collect and retain personal information that is reasonably necessary to carry out our real estate services, including property management, leasing, sales, strata communications, marketing, and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The types of personal information we may collect include:

  • Identity information such as your name, date of birth, residential and postal address, email address, phone numbers, and identification documents.
  • Property-related information including ownership details, tenancy history, rental payment records, inspection attendance, maintenance records, and your association with a property.
  • Tenancy application information such as employment details, income verification, payslips, bank statements, references, next of kin, emergency contacts, previous rental history, pet details, and any supporting documents submitted via 2Apply or similar platforms.
  •  Financial and business information including bank account details (for rental payments or disbursements), payment history, wage information, asset and investment details, taxation information, and other financial records relevant to a tenancy, lease, or sale.
  •  Professional and service provider information where relevant to your interactions with us (for example, contractors, valuers, solicitors, conveyancers, and tradespeople).
  • Interaction and communication records including correspondence, enquiry details, feedback, complaints, marketing preferences, and communication history.
  • Inspection-related information collected when you attend open homes, private inspections, rental inspections, or auctions.
  • Website and digital engagement data, including information collected automatically through our website and platforms, such as:
    • IP address, device details, browser type, operating system, and pages viewed
    • Cookies, analytics tools, Meta Pixel data, and Google Analytics (GA4) behavioural data
    • Online enquiry forms, appraisal requests, and booking tools
    • Information related to digital advertising, remarketing, and audience segmentation
  • Social media and online identifiers where provided or captured through integrated digital marketing and communication systems.
  • Sensitive Information where voluntarily provided and relevant to a tenancy or other real estate matter, may include details such as medical information (for accessibility requirements) or relationship information. We will only collect, use, or disclose sensitive information with your consent or where permitted by law.This information may be collected directly from you, through your use of our services or website, via rental application platforms, during property inspections, through third-party systems, or from other authorised sources as outlined in this Privacy Policy.

How we collect personal information from you

We will collect personal information from you in the following circumstances:  

Property Management

  • If you are a prospective or current landlord engaging our services to manage your property, we will collect personal information to verify your identity and details of the property.
  • If you are a prospective or current tenant and attend a rental property inspection, we will collect personal information at the time of your attendance.
  • If you are a prospective or current tenant applying to rent a property, we will collect personal information during the application process, including details provided in your application and supporting documentation. If your application is successful, we may continue to collect personal information throughout the duration of your tenancy or lease agreement with the landlord.

Sales

  • If you are a prospective or current vendor engaging us as your sales agent, we will collect personal information to verify your identity and details of the property.
  • If you are a prospective or current purchaser and attend a property inspection, we will collect personal information at the time of your attendance.
  • Subject to the terms of this Privacy Policy, we may also collect personal information when you make any other enquiry with us regarding a property.

How we collect personal information from other sources

We may collect personal information about you from other sources in any manner permitted by the Act. Such information will only be obtained where it is reasonably necessary for us to provide services in connection with our real estate and/or strata agency operations.

Examples of sources from which we may collect personal information include:

  • your agents, other property owners, insurers, underwriters, contractors, and legal, financial, or other professional advisors in relation to a tenancy, lease, or contract of sale;
  • public registers, including those maintained by NSW Land & Property Information;
  • publicly available sources;
  • property valuers and related service providers; and
  • our service providers, including third parties authorised to supply us with personal information.

 

When the law authorises or requires collection of personal information 

There are laws that may require us to collect and disclose your personal information.  For example, we may be required to collect and disclose your personal information pursuant to the Property, Stock and Business Agents Act 2002 (NSW), including any regulation under that law. 

How your personal information may be used

We may collect and disclose your personal information for the following purposes including: 

Property Management

  • to identify and/or verify the identity of prospective or current landlords and tenants for any property we manage or intend to manage;
  • to process and assess applications relating to a tenancy or lease;
  • to advertise, market, and promote rental properties;
  • to negotiate and prepare tenancy agreements, leases, and related documentation;
  • to liaise and share information with landlords, tenants, and their respective agents, contractors, and legal, financial, or other advisors in connection with a tenancy or lease;
  • to administer and manage tenancy or lease agreements, including the collection of rent and other payments on behalf of the landlord and the preparation of account statements;
  • to maintain the safety and security of landlords, occupants, and their properties during inspections by prospective tenants;
  • to provide relevant information to insurers in relation to a property;
  • to comply with applicable laws and regulations relating to tenancy agreements or leases;
  • to confirm whether a landlord or tenant is registered for GST; and
  • to inform you about other rental properties we manage or services we offer, unless you opt out (direct marketing).

Sales

  • to identify and/or verify the identity of prospective or current vendors for any property;
  • to advertise, market, and promote the sale of properties;
  • to negotiate and manage property sales, including providing non-legal assistance with contract exchanges and preparing any required statements of account;
  • to liaise and exchange information with vendors, purchasers (including prospective purchasers), and their respective agents, contractors, legal, financial, or other advisors in connection with the sale;
  • to maintain the safety and security of vendors, occupants, and their property during auctions and property inspections by prospective purchasers;
  • to comply with all applicable laws relating to the sale of the property;
  • to confirm whether a vendor or purchaser is registered for GST; and
  • to inform you about other properties we are selling or services we provide, unless you opt out (direct marketing).

Automated Decision Making

  • to operate automated decision-making (ADM) systems, such as computer programs, to make decisions that may affect our services, including, but not limited to, your rights under an arrangement and access to significant services or support.

Generally

  • provide statistical and other information to the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales and to property, portal, and data service providers, including realestate.com.au, Domain, PriceFinder, CoreLogic RP Data, Inspect Real Estate / 2Apply, Google Analytics, Meta/Facebook advertising platforms, and any other third-party providers we use to support market analysis, reporting, marketing, and business operations;
  • to enable us to operate our business efficiently and carry out administrative and operational tasks;
  • to comply with any dispute resolution process or other legal requirements;
  • to act on behalf of clients in accordance with agency agreements and to meet our obligations under those agreements;
  • to update our records and your contact information;
  • to operate controlled money accounts;
  • if we enter into, or plan to enter into, any agreement or arrangement regarding the acquisition of our business (or any part of it containing personal information), to provide relevant personal information to the other party and their legal, financial, or professional advisers in connection with that arrangement; and
  • for any other purposes to which you have provided your consent.

You can tell us at any time if you no longer wish to receive direct marketing information or offers from us. We will process your request as soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of the request.  

Sharing of your personal information

Sharing Personal Information with Third Parties

We may obtain personal information about you from, and disclose personal information to, third parties in connection with the rental, leasing, sale, or purchase of a property, or for other business and administrative purposes related to our real estate and/or strata services. These third parties may include:

  • your representatives, attorneys, lawyers, settlement agents, accountants, and brokers;
  • any co-listing, conjunction, buyer’s, or other property agents acting on your behalf in relation to the rental, lease, sale, or purchase of a property;
  • auctioneers;
  • your financiers, including mortgage brokers assisting with existing loans or applications for property transactions;
  • valuers, surveyors, insurers, re-insurers, claim assessors, and investigators;
  • financial institutions, including deposit-taking institutions;
  • if you are a tenant or prospective tenant, your referees, such as employers or other individuals, to verify your identity and other details in a rental application;
  • organisations involved in debt collection;
  • law enforcement agencies;
  • government and regulatory bodies, including but not limited to the NSW Land and Property Management Authority, Australian Taxation Office, and the NSW Office of State Revenue (in many cases, these organisations may share information with foreign authorities);
  • mailing houses and telemarketing agencies that assist us with communications;
  • if we enter into, or propose to enter into, any agreement or arrangement regarding the acquisition of our business (or any part containing personal information), the other party and their legal, financial, and professional advisers for the purposes of that arrangement; and
  • service providers, including IT and data consultants, agents, contractors, and advisers who assist in the operation of our business.

We may occasionally hire other companies to provide services on our behalf, including but not limited to handling customer support enquiries, processing transactions or customer freight shipping. Those companies will be permitted to obtain only the personal information they need to deliver the service. Bowman's Real Estate takes reasonable steps to ensure that these organisations are bound by confidentiality and privacy obligations in relation to the protection of your personal information.

Sharing personal information with related companies

We may share personal information about you with our related companies and associated entities for any of the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. 

Sharing Personal Information Outside of Australia

We may share personal information outside of Australia in the following circumstances:

  • We have a small number of offshore staff based in the Philippines who may access personal information to assist with property management, administration, marketing, maintenance coordination, and other services we provide.
  • We may disclose personal information to third parties located overseas where necessary in connection with a property transaction, including vendors, purchasers, landlords, or tenants based overseas.
  • We use cloud-based systems, CRM platforms, maintenance software, tenancy application platforms, digital advertising tools, and website analytics providers that may store or process personal information on servers located overseas. These may include:
    • United States – Google Analytics/GA4, Google Workspace, Meta/Facebook, cloud hosting providers
    • Singapore – cloud hosting and data storage providers
    • European Union – cloud service providers and data processing partners
    • United Kingdom – cloud service and communication platforms
    • New Zealand – data storage and support services
    • Hong Kong, China, Japan, Malaysia – locations where parties to property transactions may be based or where cloud data routing may occur

Because electronic or networked storage can be hosted across multiple global regions, it is not always possible to identify every country where personal information may be stored. However, we take reasonable steps to ensure that any overseas recipients handle personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

If You Do Not Provide Personal Information

If you choose not to provide personal information, we may be unable to deliver the services you request or apply for. For example:

  • If a prospective tenant does not provide personal information in a rental application, we may be unable to process the application or submit it to the landlord for consideration or approval. If you enter into a rental or lease agreement, your personal information must be included in the agreement.
  • If a vendor does not provide personal information for a property sale, we cannot verify ownership or advertise and market the property.
  • If a prospective purchaser does not provide personal information at an open inspection, we may be unable to admit them.
  • If a prospective purchaser does not provide personal information at an auction, we cannot register them as a bidder.
  • If an owner does not provide personal information regarding their strata scheme or property, we cannot verify ownership or manage the strata scheme.
  • We may be unable to inform you about other services that may be suitable for your needs unless you opt out.

Personal information about other people

If you give us personal information about any other person in relation to, or in connection with, the rental/lease or sale of any property: 

  • we are entitled to assume that you have obtained their consent to disclose their personal information to us;
  • we have collected their personal information for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy;
  • we may share their personal information with other organisations for the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy;
  • we will manage their personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy, and they have the right to:
    • access or request a copy of this Privacy Policy; and
    • access the personal information we hold about them.

Anonymity and Pseudonymity

We are not always able to deal with individuals who choose not to identify themselves. This is particularly relevant when we are acting, or proposing to act, for a vendor or landlord in relation to the sale, rental, or lease of a property. The same applies when dealing with actual or prospective tenants for properties we manage.

For security and other considerations, we cannot permit individuals to attend property inspections without identifying themselves, as this could pose risks for the property owner.

However, where feasible, we can provide general information. For example, we may respond to general telephone enquiries about a rental, lease, or sale property from unidentified individuals. Please note that enquiries made via email or other electronic or written methods may inherently identify you.

Information security

We take reasonable steps to protect all information which we hold (including any personal or sensitive information) from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

Marketing and opt-out

We may also use the information, including personal information (excluding sensitive information), provided by you for marketing and research purposes, to analyse and improve products, services and benefits and to inform you of products, services and benefits provided by us, our related entities, suppliers or sponsors which we consider may be of value or interest to you, unless you tell us or have previously told us not to. We will not use your sensitive information for these purposes without your consent. 

Accessing your Personal Information

Unless we are entitled to withhold access to your personal information (there are various reasons why this may be the case), you have the right to request access to any personal information held by us which relates to you.  We may charge a reasonable fee where access to personal information is provided.  Any requests for access to your personal information should be made in writing to the Privacy Officer (details specified below).  You also have the right to request the correction of any personal information which relates to you that is inaccurate, incomplete, irrelevant, misleading or out-of-date

If you require any further information about our management of personal information or have any queries or complaints, you should contact:  

Bowman's Real Estate welcomes your comments regarding this Privacy Policy. If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy and would like further information, please contact us by any of the following means during business hours Monday to Friday.

Call: 02 6964 3222

Post: Attn: Privacy Policy,
Bowman's Real Estate,
454 Banna Avenue, Griffith, 2680

E-mail: admin@bowmansrealestate.com.au