Privacy Policy

1. About this Privacy Policy

1.1 Group Four Building Surveyors (referred to as Group Four, we, us or our) respects your right to privacy and is committed to safeguarding the privacy of our customers and website visitors. We adhere to the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). This policy sets out how we collect and treat your Personal Information.

1.2 ‘Personal Information’ is information or an opinion about an individual who can reasonably be identified from that information or opinion, that is reasonably necessary for our functions or activities, or is required or permitted by law.

1.3 From time to time, Group Four may be related to other companies and entities (related entities). This Privacy Policy also applies to the use of your Personal Information by those related entities. Those related entities may have their own privacy policies which set out additional detail or differences in their privacy practices. A reference in this Privacy Policy to Group Four, we, us or our is also a reference to those related entities.

1.4 This Privacy Policy is available upon request and provided free of charge.

2. What Personal Information do we collect and hold?

2.1 At all times we try to only collect the Personal Information we need for the particular function or activity we are carrying out.

2.2 The types of Personal Information we may collect about an individual will depend upon the nature of our interaction with them. Personal Information that we may collect may include (but it is not limited to) the following:

  • a) name
  • b) signature
  • c) contact details including telephone numbers (landline and/or mobile)
  • d) address (including postal address)
  • e) email address
  • f) gender
  • g) payment details, such as your credit card or bank account details
  • h) information about your ability to pay us for our products and services (such as contact details of and confirmation of finance approval from your bank or credit provider or broker)
  • i) information about your home/property ownership status and preferences (including the nature and cost of building work you want carried out)
  • j) information from or in connection with your resume or job application if you apply for a position with us
  • k) occupation and employment details, including employment status and any previous work
  • l) emergency contact/parent or guardian/next of kin details (as applicable)
  • m) work details, including details about Safe Work Methods (SWMs) and trade qualifications in relation to our subcontractors
  • n) financial information in relation to our suppliers or subcontractors
  • o) Australian Business Number (ABN)
  • p) credit history and credit information
  • q) trade references, credit references or reports from a third party and
  • r) information from social media accounts and profiles.

2.3 We collect and record Personal Information about individuals such as:

  • a) our customers, potential customers and their representatives
  • b) our suppliers and potential suppliers and their representatives, directors, partners, proprietors and shareholders
  • c) contractors and subcontractors, and potential contractors and subcontractors, and their representatives, in relation to providing goods and services to us
  • d) our employees past and present, including applicants, and
  • e) any other person who comes into contact with Group Four.

2.4 We do not collect sensitive information (e.g. information about an individual’s race, ethnic origins, political opinions or association, trade or professional associations and memberships, union membership, criminal record or health information) unless:

  • a) the individual has consented to the collection of the information and the information is reasonably necessary for one or more of Group Four’s functions or activities; or
  • b) the collection is required or permitted by law.

3. How and when do we collect Personal Information?

3.1 Group Four only collects Personal Information by lawful and fair means. The main way we collect Personal Information about you is when you, or your authorized representative, gives it to us.

3.2 Personal Information may be collected from you in a variety of ways, including when you interact with us electronically or in person, when you access our website and when we provide services to you.

3.3 We may collect additional information at other times, including but not limited to, when you provide feedback, when you provide information about your personal or business affairs, change your content or email preference, respond to surveys, provide financial or credit card information, or communicate with our customer support.

3.4 In some circumstances, we may collect Personal Information from third parties or other sources, but only if it is unreasonable or impracticable to collect that Personal Information directly from you or if we are otherwise permitted to do so. Some examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • a) your nominated representatives (such as spouse, accountant, power of attorney, interpreter, brokers and other professional advisors)
  • b) your builder, architect or engineer
  • c) your bank, credit provider or broker
  • d) land registries, water authorities, local government authorities or government agencies
  • e) third party websites that advertise our products and services, and provide functionality for you to request further information from us
  • f) publicly available sources of information, or
  • g) related entities, companies or businesses of Group Four.

4. How do we collect information via our Website?

4.1 When you use our website, we or our third party service providers may obtain information using technologies such as cookies, tags, web beacons and navigational data collection (log files, server logs, and clickstream data) to better understand your user experience. This information is used in an aggregated manner to analyse how people use our site, so that we can improve our service. This information is generally not linked to your identity, except where it is accessed via links in an email we send you or where you have identified yourself.

4.2 Cookies
We may from time to time use cookies on our website. Cookies are very small files that are transferred to a user’s computer hard drive by a website for the purpose of storing information about a user, browser type or website visiting patterns. Cookies may be used on our website to monitor web traffic, for example, the time of visit, pages visited and some system information about the type of computer being used. We collect such information for statistical and maintenance purposes that enables us to enhance the content and services offered on our website. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies but you can choose to reject cookies by changing your browser settings. However, this may prevent you from taking full advantage of our website.

4.3 Analytics and customization cookies
These cookies collect information that is used either in identifiable or aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used, the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns, or to help us customize our online services for you. We may use the following third party cookies:

By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you through the use of Google Analytics. You can click on the link above to learn more about how Google Analytics uses cookies and to opt-out.

4.4 Our website may from time to time have links to other websites not owned or controlled by us. These links are meant for your convenience only. Links to third party websites do not constitute sponsorship or endorsement or approval of these websites. Please be aware that Group Four is not responsible for the privacy practices of other such websites. We encourage our users to be aware, when they leave our website, to read the privacy statements of each and every website that collects personal identifiable information.

5. How do we store and protect Personal Information?

5.1 Group Four is committed to ensuring that the information you provide to us is secure. We take reasonable steps to keep Personal Information protected from loss and misuse and unauthorized access, modification and disclosure. Any Personal Information that is collected via our website or which is held on our computer systems is protected by a variety of physical and electronic security measures, including restricting physical access to our offices, firewalls, appropriate encryption, anti-virus scanning software and secure databases.

5.2 Your Personal Information may be stored on a database maintained by a cloud hosting service provider. Where Personal Information is stored with a third party, we have arrangements which require those third parties to maintain the security of the information, or we will use a cloud storage company subject to privacy laws which are similar to Australian privacy laws. We take reasonable steps to protect the privacy and security of that information, but we are not liable for any unauthorized access or use of that information.

5.3 If we find that we no longer require or have no further need for your Personal Information we may de-identify or remove it from our systems and destroy all record of it in a secure manner.

5.4 The transmission and exchange of information is carried out at your own risk. No data transmission over the internet can be guaranteed as totally secure. We cannot guarantee the security of any information that you transmit to us, or receive from us. Although we take measures to safeguard against unauthorized disclosures of information, we cannot assure you that Personal Information that we collect will not be disclosed in a manner that is inconsistent with this Privacy Policy.

6. How do we use your Personal Information?

6.1 We use the Personal Information we collect about you for the purpose for which it was provided to us, for related purposes or as required or permitted by law. Such purposes include:

  • a) in the ordinary course of conducting our business. For example, supplying or acquiring products and services, responding to individuals’ enquiries and feedback, providing information about our events, news, publications and products and services that may be of interest to individuals, and maintaining a relationship with individuals;
  • b) for market research and product and service development, so that we are able to better understand our customers’ needs and tailor our future products and services accordingly;
  • c) in performing general administration, reporting and management functions. For example, invoicing and account management, payment processing, risk management, training, quality assurance and managing suppliers or contractors;
  • d) for employment-related purposes, such as recruiting and providing services to staff; and
  • e) for other purposes related to or in connection with our business, including meeting our legal and contractual obligations to third parties and for internal corporate governance purposes.

7. When do we disclose your Personal Information?

7.1 Group Four may disclose your Personal Information to any of our related entities, employees, officers, insurers, professional advisors, agents, suppliers or subcontractors insofar as reasonably necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy.

7.2 Personal Information is only supplied to a third party when it is required for the delivery of our products and services, or with your authorization. For example, we are required by law, in the course of providing you with our services, to share your Personal Information with relevant Local Government Authorities and the Victorian Building Authority (including via the Building Activity Management System (BAMS)). In each case, we will endeavour to share your Personal Information with third parties that are subject to Australian privacy laws, if and to the extent necessary to satisfy any applicable law, and/or for the relevant third party to perform the activity or purpose for which your Personal Information is shared with them.

7.3 We may from time to time need to disclose Personal Information to comply with a legal requirement, such as a law, regulation, court order, subpoena, warrant, in the course of a legal proceeding or in response to a law enforcement agency request.

7.4 If there is a change of control in our business or a sale or transfer of business assets, we reserve the right to transfer to the extent permissible at law our user databases, together with any Personal Information and non-personal information contained in those databases. This information may be disclosed to a potential purchaser under an agreement to maintain confidentiality. We would seek to only disclose information in good faith and where required by any of the above circumstances.

7.5 By providing us with Personal Information, you consent to the terms of this Privacy Policy and the types of disclosure covered by this Policy.

8. Will your information be disclosed overseas?

Group Four is unlikely to disclose your Personal Information to any person or entity outside Australia, but will inform you if and when this is necessary.

9. Will you receive direct marketing?

9.1 You consent to us using your Personal Information for sending you information, including promotional material about us or our products and services, as well as the products and services of our related entities and third parties, now and in the future. You also consent to us sending you such information by means of direct mail, email, SMS and MMS messages.

9.2 If you do not want to receive marketing information from us, you can do so in any of the following ways:

  • a) Clicking on “Unsubscribe” in a direct marketing email that you have received from us, or
  • b) Contacting us using the contact details specified in paragraph 13.

10. How can you access and correct your Personal Information?

10.1 You are generally entitled to access Personal Information that we hold about you. If you request access to your Personal Information, in ordinary circumstances we will give you full access to your Personal Information within a reasonable period after the request is made. Depending on the nature of the request, a small administrative fee may be payable for the provision of this information. However, there may be occasions where this access may be denied under the exemptions contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). If we deny access in those circumstances, we will provide you with reasons for the refusal where we are required by law to give those reasons.

10.2 A request for access may be made by contacting our Privacy Officer in any of the ways specified in paragraph 13.

10.3 We take all reasonable steps to ensure that any Personal Information we collect and use is accurate, complete and up-to-date. To assist us in this, you need to provide true, accurate, current and complete information about yourself as requested, and properly update the information provided to us to keep it true, accurate, current and complete.

10.4 Please contact us in any of the ways specified in paragraph 13 if you believe that the Personal Information is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date, and we will use all reasonable efforts to correct the information.

11. How can you complain about privacy breaches?

11.1 If you feel that we have not respected your privacy or that we have conducted ourselves inconsistently with this Privacy Policy, please contact our Privacy Officer in any of the ways specified in paragraph 13 and advise us as soon as possible. It would assist us to respond to your complaint if it is made in writing. Please detail information relevant to your complaint.

11.2 We take complaints very seriously and will investigate your queries and complaint within a reasonable period of time depending on the complexity of the complaint, and notify you of the outcome of our investigation.

11.3 If you are not satisfied with how Group Four has handled a complaint, you may apply to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) to have the complaint heard and determined.

12. Will this Privacy Policy change?

This policy is available upon request. Please be aware that we may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. Amendments will be effective immediately upon notification on this website. We encourage you to check this page from time to time for any changes.

13. Who can you contact about your Personal Information?

Please contact our Privacy Officer in any of the following ways:
Email Address: privacy@groupfour.com.au

Mailing Address: The Privacy Officer, Group Four Building Surveyors, Level 4, 10 Nexus Court, Mulgrave VIC 3170.

Phone: (03) 9544 0544

This Privacy Policy was last updated in April 2021