Policies
On this page you will find Sekisui House Australia's policies including:
Privacy Policy
1. Our commitment to protect your privacy
Sekisui House Australia Holdings Pty Limited and each of its related companies and businesses (referred to in this policy as “we”, “us” and “our”) are committed to protecting your privacy and handling personal and sensitive information in an open and transparent way.
This privacy policy sets out how we collect and handle personal information that we hold about you when we provide our products and services and what we do with that information when it is collected by us or gathered:
- on our web pages at the website sekisuihouse.com.au or other websites operated by Sekisui House Australia Holdings Pty Limited or its related entities or businesses (Website);
- from any third party websites where we may be advertising;
- via our conversations with you on the telephone;
- via email correspondence;
- from any third party websites where we are advertising;
- from your conversations with our sales representatives, employees or agents at our home display centres, established product or information briefings;
- in any forms completed by you, and
- from any social media platform.
We recognise that any personal information we collect about you will only be used for the purposes we have collected it or as allowed under the law. We are bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles set out in that Act and any other relevant law. By providing your personal information to us, including through the use of the Website or interaction with our social media accounts, you agree to our use of the information in accordance with this privacy policy.
Your access to and use of the Website is subject to our terms and conditions. These terms and conditions of use are located on the Website and easily available by clicking on the separate link sekisuihouse.com.au/terms-and-conditions
2. Collection of personal information
When we refer to personal information we mean information about you from which your identity is reasonably apparent. The personal information we hold about you may also include credit information.
Whenever it’s reasonable and practicable to do so, we only collect information about you that comes directly from you.
We may also collect personal information from suppliers, contractors and third party service providers who operate with our business and personal information that is publicly available.
The personal information we may collect about you includes your name, date of birth, address, account details, occupation, and any other information we made need to engage with you, conduct business with you, or review an application for you to work with us. If you are a job applicant, we may also collect information about your employment history and qualifications, academic records, references, medical information, superannuation fund details and criminal history record.
We do not collect sensitive information about you without your consent, except where otherwise permitted by law. Sensitive information may include information regarding: racial or ethnic origins, political or religious beliefs, sexual preferences, membership of professional or trade associations or unions, health information, or criminal convictions.
3. Why we collect your personal information
We only collect personal information about you which is reasonably necessary:
- when you register with us to receive information via the telephone, email, display centres or social media platforms or Website;
- as a result of your use of social media platforms or the Website;
- to assess your application in relation to the purchase of all of our services and products;
- when you enter a competition or complete a survey form;
- when you communicate, receive information or make enquiries about home building, land and apartment developments or housing and building projects;
- for the purposes of direct marketing or to send promotional materials regarding our services and products including future contract homes, home building, land and apartment developments or housing and building projects;
- when we provide you with information about products and services as it relates to contract homes, home building, land and apartment development or housing and building projects;
- when determining your requirements to provide personalised advice on contract homes, home building, and apartment developments or housing and building projects;
- for feedback on our services for market or other research purposes;
- for you to be updated and included in any offers we may make for our new products and services and new ranges of contract homes products and services , home building, land and apartment developments or housing and building projects;
- to maintain your contact details and other relevant information that enables us to service you more effectively in relation to our products and services including contract homes, home building, land and apartment developments or housing and building projects; and/or
- to assess your application to work with us.
If you do not provide personal information when requested, we may not be able to effectively engage with you, conduct business with you or assess your application to work for us.
4. How we hold your personal information
We hold personal information in electronic form. We have reasonable commercial standards of technology and operational security procedures in place to protect all information provided from misuse, disclosure and unauthorised access.
We may use cloud storage to store the personal information we hold about you. The cloud storage and the IT servers are located in Australia and the USA.
We may also store and maintain any content that you provide using the Website, including postings on any blogs, webinars, forums, and other social media applications and services that we may provide.
5. Use of personal information
We only use and disclose personal information about you for the purpose for which it was disclosed to us or as otherwise permitted by law. For example, we may from time to time use your personal information:
- to provide information about products and services which we expect may be of interest to you, for example building and housing projects, land and apartment development projects;
- to inform you of our new range of products and services including new contract homes or updates on building and housing projects, land and apartment development projects;
- to determine your requirements so as to provide personalised advice on our contract homes, land and apartment development projects and our other products and services;
- to promote and market our existing and future contract home products, land and apartment development projects and other products services to you;
- to manage your request and to customise and improve the Website and related products services offered to you;
- that you post in our blogs and forums for marketing purposes including our web marketing; or
- data (that does not include your personal information) about your experience and feedback regarding our services and products, such as, user success stories and testimonials for statistics, research and marketing purposes.
We do not sell personal information to other organisations to allow them to do this. You may also at any time request that we discontinue sending you emails or other communications generated in response to information we have gathered from you.
6. Blogs, forums and other social media
We may host blogs or forums on our Website or social media accounts that allow users to share content. We reserve the right to manage all content on these platforms and may remove users, as well as review, edit, or delete posts if deemed inappropriate.
Inappropriate content includes:
- abusive or hurtful comments about others, including our staff or affiliates;
- language that is inappropriate or derogatory, including racial, ethnic, or gender-based slurs;
- personal attacks or defamatory remarks;
- comments violating user privacy or Privacy Acts; and
- any other content we deem unsuitable for our platforms.
While we make reasonable efforts to monitor content, we do not moderate every post and may not respond immediately to online inquiries.
By submitting content to any of our blogs, forums, or social media sites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest), you acknowledge that the information is public and may be used for our business purposes such as marketing and promotion. We cannot control how other users may use the content you post. If you do not want your content shared, published, or reprinted, please refrain from posting. Additionally, please review and comply with the terms of use for each social media platform before posting.
7. Our disclosure of your personal information
Prior to disclosing any of your personal information to another person or organisation, we will take all reasonable steps to satisfy ourselves that:
(a) the person or organisation has a commitment to protecting your personal information by having in place the necessary privacy policy to protect your interests; or
(b) you have consented to us making the disclosure.
We may disclose your personal information to overseas entities that provide support functions to us, including Sekisui House, Ltd. Japan. You may obtain more information about these entities by contacting us.
We may disclose your personal information:
- to our related companies and associated businesses that may want to market products and services to you;
- to consultants, contractors, agents and service providers who assist us in providing services or who perform functions on our behalf;
- to other organisations that are involved in managing or administering the products or services that we provide to you including third party suppliers;
- to anybody who represents you, such as lawyers and accountants;
- to anyone else where you have provided your consent to do so;
- where we are authorised to do so by law;
- to investors, agents or advisers, or any entity that has an interest in our business;
- organisations that provide products or services used or marketed by us; or
- to your employer, referees or identity verification services.
By providing information through the Website or to us, you are consenting to the disclosure as described above.
8. Your access or correct the information we hold about you
We will endeavour to ensure that the personal information collected from you is up to date, accurate and complete.
You may request access to, or correction of, the personal information we hold about you at any time by contacting our Privacy Contact Officer.
Response and Costs
We will aim to address your request to access or update your personal information promptly and without charge where possible. For simple requests, we may respond immediately. For archived or non-current records, a response will generally be provided within seven days, and charges may apply for retrieving such records.
Identification and Investigation
We may require proof of identity to ensure the security of your information. In some cases, we may need to contact other entities to thoroughly investigate and fulfill your request.
Exceptions to access
Access may be denied in certain circumstances, such as:
- if the information relates to ongoing or anticipated legal proceedings; and
- if your request is vexatious or unreasonable.
If we cannot provide access, we will explain the reasons for our decision.
For further assistance, please contact our Privacy Contact Officer.
9. Log information and cookies
The Website collects standard internet log information including your IP address, browser type and language, access times and referring website addresses. This information is provided by your computer during your first visit to the Website server. The server records this information in a small data file called a cookie, which is then stored on your hard drive. When you visit our Website again the server may use cookies to enable us to:
(a) identify you;
(b) authenticate your details;
(c) track and record the material you viewed on our Website to enable us to make improvements to our Website; and
(d) collect aggregated data.
Cookies help us personalise your experience on the Website because it is a tool to help us “remember” who you are. Most browsers are set up to accept cookies. You can reset your browser to refuse all cookies or warn you before accepting cookies. We use cookies to help us improve and ensure that the Website is easy to navigate.
We partner with Microsoft Clarity and Microsoft Advertising to capture how you use and interact with our website through behavioural metrics, heatmaps, and session replay to improve and market our products/services. Website usage data is captured using first and third-party cookies and other tracking technologies to determine the popularity of products/services and online activity. Additionally, we use this information for site optimisation, fraud/security purposes, and advertising. For more information about how Microsoft collects and uses your data, visit the Microsoft Privacy Statement.
10. Website Measurement Software
We may, from time to time use website measurement software such as Google Analytics to assist in tracking traffic patterns to and from our Website, anonymously surveying users of the Website. The software monitors information such as the number of unique visitors, how long these visitors spend on the Website when they visit, and common entry and exit points into and from the Website.
The information is collected and aggregated by us and/or our service provider to assist us in our analysis of our Website.
For more information about how Google Analytics collects and processes data, visit https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/.
11. “Do Not Call” Register
The “Do Not Call Register” gives phone users the right of opting out of receiving unsolicited telemarketing calls. In compliance with our obligations under the Do Not Call Register Act 2006, we will make telemarketing calls to numbers listed on the Do Not Call Register only in the circumstances permitted by the Act. Such circumstances include where you have given us consent (express or implied) to do so. When you have given us express consent to call, your consent is deemed to be for an indefinite period unless you specify otherwise.
12. Changes to our privacy policy
We frequently review all of our policies and attempt to keep up to date with market expectations and changing legal requirements. As a consequence we may change this privacy policy from time to time, as the need arises. We encourage you to periodically review this privacy policy to be informed about how we are protecting your information.
13. Complaints
If you are dissatisfied with how we have dealt with your personal information, or you have a complaint about our compliance with the Privacy Act, you may contact our Privacy Contact Officer at:
Privacy Contact Officer
Sekisui House Australia Pty Limited
68 Waterloo Road
Macquarie Park NSW 2113
[email protected]
We will acknowledge your complaint within seven days. We will provide you with a decision on your complaint within 30 days.
If you are dissatisfied with the response of our Privacy Contact Officer you may make a complaint to the Privacy Commissioner which can be contacted via the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner website (www.oaic.gov.au) or on 1300 363 992.
Further information
You may request further information about the way we manage your personal information by contacting us.
Whistleblowing Policy
Click here to download our Australian Whistleblowing Policy.