Important Information

This is the privacy policy of R4K Services Pty Ltd ABN 23 158 974 120 (“R4K”) and its related companies. In this policy “we “us” and “our” refers to each of these companies.

We also have a policy on management of credit reporting information which is available on request to enquiries@R4K.com.au.

For your credit application to apply, you will need to supply:
Personal and identification information including:
1.  Your name, date of birth and marital status
2.  Drivers license or passport details
3.  Contact details

Address information including:
1.  Landlord or mortgage details including address and phone number
2. Previous address details if you have lived in the current residence for less than 2 years

Protecting your privacy
We are committed to protecting and maintaining the privacy, accuracy and security of your personal information. We will comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (“APPs”) in the Privacy Act (Cth) 1988 (“Privacy Act”), the Privacy Act, and, when applicable, the Credit Reporting Privacy Code (“CR Code”).

Words defined in the Privacy Act, the APPs and the CR Code have the same meaning we used in this policy. Our credit reporting policy includes details of the credit reporting bodies to which we are likely to disclose your credit information. It also includes information about your rights in relation to credit reporting information, including access and correction, and what can happen if we provide information about you to a credit reporting body. You’ll find a link to our privacy policy. All terms and conditions including our credit reporting policy will be provided to you at the time of entering into an agreement with us. You can request our credit reporting policy by writing to us or view it below.

Personal information that we collect and hold
We may collect personal information about you such as:

  • your name, your photo, current address details, previous address details, and landlord or mortgage details including    address and phone number;
  • date of birth, gender, and marital status;
  • government identifiers such as driver license number and passport details;
  • email address and telephone/mobile numbers;
  • financial information (including credit history), bank account and/or credit card details, and personal references;
  • current and previous place of employment, position within the current and previous place of employment, employer’s address and contact details, previous employer details, and business details (if you are applying as a business); and
  • sensitive information about you in relation to insurance products or if you are seeking assistance with financial hardship.

We collect information about your accounts and transactions with us. We may also collect information when you use our websites. Please refer to the Websites section of this policy for further details.

If there is another applicant named in a credit application, you may need to provide their personal information, and you warrant that the other applicant has consented to the collection of their personal information for the reasons it is being collected.

How we collect personal information

We collect personal information in a variety of ways. Mainly we will collect information from you when you knowingly provide it to us by telephone, in person or in documentation such as an application form (which may be an online application). We also collect information when you make a request or enquiry of us.

We may also collect personal information from publicly available sources or third parties, such as a referee provided by you, a credit reporting body or other credit provider, an insurer of your property, or a person selling your debt to us or engaging us to collect the debt.

Why we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information

We collect, hold, use and disclose personal information about individuals when it is necessary for us to carry on our business functions or to comply with laws.

Importantly, in some circumstances if you do not provide the information that we request, we may not be able to provide our services to you or provide them to the same standard.

We may collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information to answer your enquiry and/or provide the information or service that you requested.

We may also collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information:

  • to enable us to develop, administer and manage our services and businesses;
  • to customise services to better meet your needs and preferences;
  • to assess your application and manage your agreement with us;
  • to compile a customer profile about you to serve you better;
  • to engage a credit reporting body to conduct a credit and reference check;
  • to assess your creditworthiness;
  • for billing purposes and collection of debts;
  • statistical purposes;
  • future promotional and marketing purposes including direct marketing purposes;
  • to inform you of special offers, promotions and competitions;
  • for research purposes to better improve our websites, products or services;
  • any other customer support purposes;
  • to notify credit providers of a default by you of your agreement with us;
  • to advise credit providers of the status of your agreement with us, in circumstances where you are in default with credit providers;
  • to deal with complaints;
  • to enforce our rights when you are in breach; and
  • when authorised or required by law. These laws include:
    1. the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (Cth), which requires us to collect personal information about you when verifying your identity;
    2. the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (Cth), which requires us to make inquiries about you when assessing an application for credit by you; and
    3. the Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (Cth), under which we may need to collect personal information about you to record a security interest on the Personal Property Securities Register.

When we may disclose your personal information to third parties

  • In the course of conducting our business we may provide your personal information to:
  • related companies of ours;
  • distributors and introducers of our products and services;
  • credit reporting bodies;
  • other credit providers and insurers;
  • service providers including mail-houses, printers, call centers, marketing companies, and technology providers;
  • government bodies;
  • persons who act as your guarantor or who provide security for credit to you;
  • debt collectors and assignees of your debts;
  • a recognised external dispute resolution scheme of which we are a member; and
  • our professional advisors, including our lawyers, auditors and accountants.

We may disclose your personal information to third parties:

  • to meet the purpose for which it was submitted;
  • if we have your consent to do so or otherwise when we are authorised by law;
  • if we are required by law to disclose the information.

Overseas recipients

We are likely to disclose personal information about you to overseas recipients who provide services for us and who do not have an Australian link. If you consent to us disclosing your personal information to them, we are not required to take reasonable steps to ensure that the overseas recipient does not breach the Australian Privacy Principles. By using our services you agree to us disclosing your personal information to those overseas service providers.

Security

All personal information held by us will be handled and stored in accordance with our obligations under the Privacy Act.

We will take reasonable steps to:

  • make sure that the personal information we collect, use or disclose is accurate, complete and up to date;
  • protect the information from misuse, interference, loss or unauthorized access, modification or disclosure both physically and through computer security methods; and
  • destroy or permanently de-identify the information if it is no longer needed for any purpose.

Websites

We have a number of websites, including websites which allow you to apply for credit (all referred to as the “Website” in this policy).

When you visit the Website, we or agencies on our behalf and our internet service provider may monitor and make a record of your visit and log the following “clickstream data” for statistical purposes:

  • your server’s IP address;
  • your top-level domain name (for example .com, .gov, .au, .co etc);
  • the pages you accessed and any documents downloaded;
  • the previous site you have visited and the site you move to;
  • the type of browser and operating system you are using; and
  • the date and time of your visit.

For example, this information may be used to find out how the Website is used and navigated, including the number of hits, the frequency and duration of visits and most popular session times, so that may we may evaluate and improve our website’s performance.

The Website may use cookies to provide a customized online experience. A cookie is a message given to a web browser by a web server. The browser stores the message in a text file called cookie.txt. The message is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server. Cookies are placed on your computer for the duration of a session and are used for session management purposes and do not contain any personal details. Periodically they can safely be deleted with no effect on future sessions. If you have configured your browser to reject all cookies, you will be able to view information-only pages on the Website.

When you are on the Website you could be directed to other sites that are beyond our control. These other sites may send their own cookies to users, collect data or solicit personally identifiable information. This privacy policy is strictly limited to the collection, storage and use of personally identifiable information collected from our customers, in the course of our businesses, and does not apply to any third parties. We have no control over the privacy practices or the content of any third-party websites, and assume no liability for the privacy practices of these websites. You should therefore check the individual privacy policy of any third party when accessing other websites that may be linked to the Website.

How to access and amend personal information

On request from you we will provide details of the personal information we hold about you. The release of information is subject to some exceptions such as information relating to existing or any anticipated legal proceedings, together with exceptions provided by the Privacy Act.

Unless unusual circumstances apply, we should provide access to you within 30 days of the request.

We reserve the right to charge a fee for providing access to your information when permitted by law.

To protect your personal information, the request to us must be in writing and can be sent by letter or facsimile or email. All correspondence should be addressed to:
Mail: The Privacy Officer
Email: enquiries@r4k.com.au

Our objective is to respond to any request within a reasonable timeframe.

We also aim to ensure that your personal information is accurate, up to date and complete. Amendment of personal information will be conducted upon written or verbal request from you. You can contact us on Phone: 03 8877 7400 or write to The Privacy Officer to do this.

How will we manage an actual or suspected data breach under this policy

We will manage the process of dealing with an actual or suspected breach in accordance with the Data Breach Procedure and Response Plan.

Notifiable Data Breaches

From February 2018, the Privacy Act includes a new Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme which requires us to notify you and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) of certain data breaches and recommend steps you can take to limit the impacts of a breach.

The NDB scheme requires us to notify you about a data breach that is likely to result in serious harm to affected individuals.  There are exceptions where notification is not required.  For example, where we have already taken appropriate remedial action that removes the risk of serious harm to any individuals.

If we believe there has been a data breach that impacts your personal information and creates a likely risk of serious harm, we will notify you and the OAIC as soon as practicable and keep in close contact with you about the nature of the breach, the steps we are taking and what you can do to reduce the impacts to your privacy.

If you believe that any personal information, we hold about you has been impacted by a data breach, you can Contact us using the contact details below.

Resolving your privacy issues or complaints

If you have a question or complaint about how your personal information is being handled by us, please contact us first by using the contact details provided below. We will acknowledge your complaint as soon as we can after receipt of your complaint. We will let you know if we need any further information from you to resolve your complaint.

We aim to resolve complaints as quickly as possible. We strive to resolve complaints within five (7) business days but some complaints may take longer to resolve. If your complaint is taking longer, we will let you know what is happening and a date by which you can reasonably expect a response.

Most of the time we should be able to resolve your complaint without any problems, if you’re still unhappy with our response, you can contact an external body at any time whose details are set out below.  Under the Privacy Act you may complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) about the way we handle your personal information.  Please note the OAIC requires any complaint must first be made to the respondent organisation.  The law allows 30 days for the respondent organisation to deal with the complaint before a person may make a complaint to the OAIC.  The Commissioner can be contacted at:

Office of Australian Information Commissioner

GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001 | 1300 363 992 | enquiries@oaic.gov.au

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority can consider certain privacy complaints relating to either the provision of credit or credit reporting information in general.  You can lodge your complaint with:

Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA)

Online:                 www.afca.org.au

Email:                    info@afca.org.au

Phone:                 1800 931 678 (free call)

Mail:                      Australian Financial Complaints Authority

                              GPO Box 3 Melbourne VIC 3001

Credit Reporting Policy

This is the credit reporting policy of related companies of R4K Services Pty Ltd ABN 23 158 974 120 that deal with credit reporting information. In this policy “we” “us” and “our” refers to each of these companies.

Words defined in the Privacy Act (Cth) 1988 (“Privacy Act”), the Australian Privacy Principles (“APPs”) and the Credit Reporting Privacy Code (“CR Code”) have the same meaning when used in this policy.

Credit information that we collect

The kinds of credit information that we collect about an individual includes information (other than sensitive information) that may be provided to us from a credit reporting body, including:

  • identification information such as name, any alias or previous name, date of birth, gender, current or last known address and 2 previous addresses, and driver licence number;
  • information about consumer credit provided to an individual including the name of the credit provider, whether the credit provider is an Australian credit licensee, the type of consumer credit, the day on which the consumer credit is entered into, the terms or conditions of the consumer credit that relate to repayment, the maximum amount of credit available under the consumer credit, and the day in which the consumer credit is terminated or otherwise ceases to be in force;
  • information about whether or not an individual has met an obligation to make a monthly payment of consumer credit, the day on which the payment is due, and the day on which the payment is made;
  • a statement that an information request has been made to a credit reporting body in relation to the individual by a credit provider;
  • the type of consumer credit or commercial credit, and the amount of credit, sought in an application made by the individual to a credit provider and in connection with which a credit provider has made an information request in relation to the individual;
  • information about payments that are at least 60 days overdue for consumer credit and more than $150, where the credit provider has requested payment and recovery is not prevented by a statute of limitations;
  • information that an overdue payment has been paid;
  • information about arrangements with credit providers;
  • information about court judgments (but not for criminal proceedings) against an individual that relate to credit applied for or given to an individual;
  • personal insolvency information;
  • publicly available information that relates to the individual’s activities and the individual’s credit worthiness and that is not court proceedings information about the individual or information about the individual that is entered or recorded on the National Personal Insolvency Index; and
  • the opinion of a credit provider that the individual has committed, in circumstances specified by the provider, a serious credit infringement in relation to consumer credit.

Credit eligibility information

If we obtain credit reporting information on an individual from a credit reporting body, or we derive information from it that has any bearing on the individual’s credit worthiness and could be used in establishing the individual’s eligibility for consumer credit, we refer to this information as “credit eligibility information” in this policy.

The types of credit eligibility information that we hold includes the credit information listed above. It may also include information such as credit scores and assessments which we generate from this information.

How we collect and hold credit information and credit eligibility information

We collect credit information from customers either by telephone, in person or in documentation such as an application form (which may be an online application). We may also collect credit information when you make a request or enquiry of us.

We also collect credit information from publicly available sources or third parties, such as a referee provided by you, a credit reporting body or other credit provider, an insurer of your property, or a person selling your debt to us or engaging us to collect the debt.

We will hold credit information and credit eligibility information in secure electronic and physical files.

Why we collect hold, use and disclose credit information and credit eligibility information

We may collect, use, hold and disclose credit information and credit eligibility information when permitted by law:

  • to assess an application for credit or a guarantor;
  • to use a credit reporting body;
  • to manage credit that we provide;
  • to assist customers avoid defaulting;
  • to collect debts;
  • to comply with laws;
  • to deal with complaints;
  • to assist other credit providers to do these things; and
  • for other lawful purposes.

Disclosing credit information to a credit reporting body

We may disclose credit information about you to a credit reporting body (“CRB”). The CRBs that we use to disclose your credit information to include but not limited to are as follows:

Equifax Australia Information Services and Solutions Pty Limited

Mail:                      GPO Box 964, North Sydney NSW 2059

Phone:                 138332

Online:                 www.equifax.com.au/contact

Mail:                      Level 7, 479 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3000

Phone:                 1300 734 806

Online:                 www.illion.com.au/contact

Experian Australia Credit Services Pty Ltd

Mail:                      GPO Box 1969, North Sydney NSW 2060

Phone:                 1300 783 684

Online:                 www.experian.com.au/contact-us

If we disclose your credit information to a CRB:

  • the CRB may include the information in reports provided to credit providers to assist them to assess your credit worthiness; and
  • if you fail to meet your payment obligations in relation to consumer credit or commit a serious credit infringement, we may be entitled to disclose this to the CRB.

Each CRB has a policy about the management of credit-related personal information. You can get a copy of the policy by contacting the CRB using its contact details above.

Your rights under the Privacy Act in relation to credit-related information

Your rights under the Privacy Act in relation to credit-related information include the following:

  • You may obtain the CRB’s policy about the management of credit-related personal information by contacting the CRB. See contact details above.
  • You have the right to access credit-related information that we hold about you from us, to request us to correct the information, and to make a complaint to us.
  • You have the right to request a CRB not to use credit reporting information about you for the purposes of pre-screening of direct marketing by a credit provider.
  • You have the right to request the CRB not to use or disclose credit reporting information about you if you believe on reasonable grounds that you have been or are likely to be a victim of fraud.

Overseas recipients

We are likely to disclose credit information or credit eligibility information about you to overseas recipients who provide services to us and who do not have an Australian link. Those recipients are likely to be located in the Philippines.

How to access credit eligibility information

On request from you we will provide details of the credit eligibility information we hold about you. The release of information is subject to some exceptions such as information relating to existing or any anticipated legal proceedings, together with exceptions provided by the Privacy Act.

Unless unusual circumstances apply, we should provide access to you within 30 days of the request.

We reserve the right to charge a fee for providing access to your information when permitted by law.

To protect your personal information, the request to us must be in writing and can be sent by letter or facsimile or email. All correspondence should be addressed to:

Mail: The Privacy Officer, 35a Railway Road, Blackburn VIC 3130

Fax: (03) 8877 7411

Email: compliance@R4K.com.au 

Our objective is to respond to any request within a reasonable timeframe.

How to seek correction of credit information or credit eligibility information

We aim to ensure that credit information and credit eligibility information about you is accurate, up to date and complete. Amendment of information will be conducted upon written or verbal request from you. You can contact us on 03 8877 7400 or write to The Privacy Officer to do this.

Complaints

Under the Privacy Act you have the right to make a complaint to us about an act or practice engaged in by us as a credit provider that may be a breach of Part IIIA of the Privacy Act (which deals with credit reporting) or the CR Code (a “Credit Privacy Complaint”).

If you make a Credit Privacy Complaint, you must specify the nature of the complaint. It may relate to personal information that has been destroyed or de-identified. We will not charge you for making or dealing with the complaint. Within 7 days we will give you a written notice that acknowledges the making of the complaint and sets out how we will deal with the complaint, and we will then investigate the complaint. If we think it is necessary, we may consult with a CRB or another credit provider. After investigating the complaint, we will within 30 days (or any longer period agreed by you in writing) give you a written notice setting out our decision.

If you are not satisfied with our decision, you may access our external dispute resolution scheme, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (“AFCA”). R4K Services Pty Ltd and its associated companies are members of AFCA. The contact details for AFCA are:

Australian Financial Complaints Authority
GPO Box 3
Melbourne VIC 3001
Phone 1800 931 678 (free call)
Email: info@afca.org.au
Website: www.afca.org.au

Alternatively, you may make a complaint to the Information Commissioner.

The Commissioner can be contacted at:

Office of Australian Information Commissioner

GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001 | 1300 363 992 | enquiries@oaic.gov.au

Changes to this policy

This policy is subject to change over time without prior notice. We may amend this policy by updating this posting.

Copies of this policy

You can ask us to provide you with a copy of this policy, including a hard copy, by contacting us using the contact details above.

Contact details

Contact for all matters related to privacy, including:

  • general inquiries;
  • accessing personal information held about you;
  • requests to correct personal information held about you; and
  • complaints about breaches of privacy,

Should be directed as follows:

Privacy Coordinator – R4K Compliance

E: compliance@r4k.com.au

T: 03 8877 7400

P: 35A Railway Rd, Blackburn VIC 3130

Date published: 1 July 2023