Privacy Policy

1. About This Policy

Esteb and Co (ABN [Your ABN], Australian Credit Licence [Your ACL]) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

We are also bound by the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 and the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006.

2. What Personal Information We Collect

We collect the following types of personal information:

Identity Information:

Full name, date of birth, residential address
Driver's licence, passport, Medicare card
Contact details (phone, email)

Financial Information:

Employment details and income (payslips, tax returns)
Assets and liabilities (bank statements, loan statements)
Credit history and credit reports
Tax File Number (when provided on income documents)
Living expenses and financial commitments

Property Information:

Property details and valuations
Sales contracts and property documents

3. How We Collect Your Information

We collect information:

Directly from you through our online portal, phone calls, emails, and meetings
From third parties including credit reporting bodies, lenders, and referrers (with your consent)
From publicly available sources such as property registers and business registers

4. Why We Collect Your Information

We collect and use your personal information to:

Assess your eligibility for credit and suitability of loan products
Provide you with credit assistance and mortgage broking services
Submit loan applications to lenders on your behalf
Verify your identity under AML/CTF requirements
Comply with legal obligations under the NCCP Act
Communicate with you about your application and services
Improve our services and customer experience

5. Who We Disclose Your Information To

We may disclose your personal information to:

Lenders and Financial Institutions

We submit your information to banks and other lenders to obtain loan approval

Credit Reporting Bodies

We may access your credit report and share credit-related information (e.g., Equifax, Experian, illion)

Service Providers

IT providers, cloud storage, document verification services, and professional advisors

Government Agencies

ASIC, AUSTRAC, and other regulatory bodies when required by law

Important: We will only disclose your information with your consent or where required by law.

6. How We Protect Your Information

We take the security of your personal information seriously. Our security measures include:

Encryption: All data transmitted through our portal uses SSL/TLS encryption
Secure Storage: Documents are encrypted and stored on secure Australian servers
Access Controls: Strict access controls limiting who can view your information
Audit Logging: All access to your documents is logged and monitored
Staff Training: Regular privacy and security training for all staff
Secure Deletion: Secure destruction of information when no longer required

7. How Long We Keep Your Information

We are required by law to retain your information for a minimum of 7 years after the date of your last credit assistance, as required by the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009.

After the retention period, we will securely delete or de-identify your personal information unless we are required to keep it for longer by law.

8. Your Rights

Under the Privacy Act, you have the right to:

Access

Request access to your personal information we hold

Correction

Request correction of inaccurate information

Complaints

Make a complaint about how we handle your information

Withdraw Consent

Withdraw consent (may impact our ability to provide services)

To exercise these rights, contact our Privacy Officer using the details below.

9. Notifiable Data Breaches

In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in serious harm, we will:

Notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)
Notify affected individuals as soon as practicable
Provide information about the breach and steps being taken
Recommend steps you can take to protect yourself

10. Overseas Disclosure

We use cloud storage providers that may store data in overseas locations. However, we ensure that any overseas recipients comply with the Australian Privacy Principles. We currently use Australian-based servers where possible, but data may be stored in secure facilities in [specify countries if applicable, e.g., "USA, Singapore"].

11. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website uses cookies and analytics tools to improve user experience. We collect:

IP address, browser type, and device information
Pages visited and time spent on our portal
Session data for security and functionality

You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but this may affect portal functionality.

12. Contact Us - Privacy Officer

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to access or correct your information, or make a complaint:

Privacy Officer: Esteb and Co

Email: privacy@estebandco.com

Phone: 0424 406 977

Address: [Your Business Address]

We will acknowledge your complaint within 7 days and aim to resolve it within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner:

Website: www.oaic.gov.au
Phone: 1300 363 992
Email: enquiries@oaic.gov.au

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The current version will always be available on our website with the "Last Updated" date at the top. We will notify you of significant changes by email or through our portal.