Mates Rates Mortgages Privacy Policy

We Value Your Privacy

We take your right to privacy very seriously. Your personal information is important to us and Mates Rates Mortgages is committed to safeguarding your personal privacy.

We recognise that you have a right to control how your personal information is collected and used. We know that providing personal information is an act of trust and we take that very seriously. At no stage will Mates Rates Mortgages pass any personally identifiable information to any third party without your written consent.

This Privacy Policy applies to the services offered on the matesratesmortgages.com.au web site (the Mates Rates Mortgages web site) offered by Mates Rates Mortgages .

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully before using the Mates Rates Mortgages web site. Usage of the Mates Rates Mortgages web site is conditional upon you agreeing to be bound by this privacy policy.

Unless you directly give us consent to do otherwise, Mates Rates Mortgages will only collect and use your personal information as set out below.

In summary, while you should read each provision in this Privacy Policy, you must note that by using the Mates Rates Mortgages web site:

• You agree that if you submit your personal information to us, we may create a database record about you;
• You agree for us to use cookies on your browser (unless you remove them - please see below for explanation);

Our services

Mates Rates Mortgages offers a variety of services on our web site related to our service, which might be of interest to you. These services may have specific conditions, which are explained at the time when you take up those services, in addition to these general Terms and Conditions.

Collecting information about you

Mates Rates Mortgages will not collect or monitor any personal information about you without your consent. The only personal information we collect is what you tell us about yourself, for example when joining the Keep Informed service on our site, and information about how you use our site through cookies.

When you apply for a service from us (either online, over the telephone or in person), we may ask for your personal information (such as name and address) in order to service your application. You do not have to provide us with this information if that is your preference. However, your decision not to may result in Mates Rates Mortgages being unable to provide assistance to you or able to provide certain services including ongoing support services.

Our use of cookies

Cookies are pieces of information that a web site transfers to your computer's hard disk for record keeping purposes.

Most web browsers are set to accept cookies. Mates Rates Mortgages uses cookies to make your use of our web site and services as convenient as possible. Cookies do not themselves personally identify users, although they do identify a user's browser. Cookies allow us to remember the information you have entered as you move through our site, and let us know how many people are using the different parts of the site. If you do not wish to receive any cookies you may set your browser to refuse cookies. However, this may mean you will not be able to take full advantage of Mates Rates Mortgages's web site.

When you submit information on our site anonymously, such as when using our calculator, we do not link this information back to a cookie which identifies you or retain it in any way unless you have agreed to this information being retained.

Using and disclosing your personal information

We intend to use your information for the following purposes only.

• To fulfill our obligation under any contract and/or any other contract between you and Mates Rates Mortgages
• To provide you with information about our products, service and/or special offers
• To ask you for you opinion or comments about our products and/or services
• To track general traffic patterns showing the usage of our web site, without identifying the usage patterns of any particular individual
• Please also note that in order to operate the web site or deliver a service we may sometimes share your personal information with a service provider, a non-Mates Rates Mortgages company, but will not do so without your consent.

As Mates Rates Mortgages recognises the trust you place in us when you give us personal information, we will not use or disclose any information about you for other purposes without your consent, except for in exceptional cases such as if disclosure is required by laws or is necessary to protect the rights or property of Mates Rates Mortgages, or any member of the public, or to lessen a serious threat to a person's health or safety.

When we will contact you

We may contact you at the email, other address, or contact telephone number which you provide to us in order to:

• Assist you with your enquiry
• Provide you with information which may be of interest about updates, new Mates Rates Mortgages services and other matters which may interest you
• To send you a newsletter
• We will not send you 'spam' (advertising information) without first asking you whether you wish to have promotional information sent to you. If you are receiving communications from Mates Rates Mortgages and do not wish to receive this information any longer, you may remove your name from our list by contacting us

Storage and security of your personal information

Mates Rates Mortgages will endeavour to take all reasonable steps to keep secure any information, which we hold about you, and to keep this information accurate and up to date. Your information is stored on secure servers that are protected in controlled facilities. Our employees and data processors are obliged to respect the confidentiality of any personal information held by Mates Rates Mortgages. However, as we cannot guarantee the security of communications over the Internet, we cannot give an absolute assurance that your information will be secure at all times. Mates Rates Mortgages will not be held responsible for events arising from unauthorised access to your personal information.

Mates Rates Mortgages and links to other web sites

Mates Rates Mortgages provides links to web sites outside of the Mates Rates Mortgages site. These linked sites are not under the control of Mates Rates Mortgages, and we are not responsible for the conduct of companies linked to our web site. Before disclosing your personal information on any other web site, we advise you to examine the Terms and Conditions of those web sites.

Accessing personal information held

If at any time you want to know what information we hold about you, you are welcome to request your personal information by calling us on 1300 55 81 61. To have personal information deleted, please let us know in the same manner, and we will take reasonable steps to delete your personal information unless we need to keep it for legal reasons.

What to do if you have a problem or question

If Mates Rates Mortgages becomes aware of any ongoing concerns or problems with areas on our web site, we will take these issues seriously and work to address these concerns. If you have any further queries relating to our Privacy Policy, or you have a problem or complaint, please contact us or call the customer support number 1300 55 81 61.

Future changes

Our commitment to be a leading provider of online financial services means that our business will continue to evolve as we introduce new services and features to our web site. Because of this, from time to time, our policies will be reviewed and may be revised. Mates Rates Mortgages reserves the right to change its privacy policy at any time and notify you by posting an updated version of the policy on this web site. The amended Privacy Policy will apply between us whether or not we have given you specific notice of any change.