JD Dodds aims to provide the best possible service across our wide range of property valuation and consultancy services. To achieve this aim, we need to make the most efficient use of all personal information that is provided by you to us on a confidential basis.
We are committed to ensuring the confidentiality and privacy of all personal information it collects during the conduct of our business. In relation to managing personal information, we abide by the National Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

What is Personal Information?

Personal information is any information about a client or individual that identifies the client or by which the client's identity can be reasonably determined.

How do we Collect Personal Information?

Collection of personal information is essential for JD Dodds to be able to conduct its business of providing valuation and property consultancy service and advice. If we do not collect and make use of this personal information, we are unable to conduct business with you.

Where possible, personal information is collected directly from you or is provided to us by our instructing authority. Collection may also take place by:

• conducting personal interview with you;
• provision by a third party, ie: an instructing financial institution to us;
• searching local, state or federal authorities;
• instructions received from you by letter, facsimile or email.

In most cases we will require you to specifically consent to any collection, use or disclosure of your personal information by JD Dodds. Your consent will usually be required in writing but we may accept your verbal consent in certain circumstances. Sometimes your consent may be implied through your conduct with us, such as when instructing us to conduct a valuation or property consultancy matter.

However, no matter how your personal information is collected, it will be dealt with by JD Dodds in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

How do we Use the Personal Information?

We use the personal information collected from you to:

• conduct our business of providing valuation and property consultancy advice and to meet the necessary requirements set down by the Australian Property Institute (API) for these services;
• confirm the various forms of ownership of property affecting the particular service we are providing to you;
• obtain necessary information regarding services, mortgages, leases, licenses etc., affecting the property;
• confirm any encumbrances, licences and registration with local, state or federal governments;
• enable us to provide our services to you we may share your personal information with the related companies within JD Dodds;
• register your contact and property details;
• maintain our customer sales and rental databases;
• open a file and maintain billing arrangements with you;
• establish and maintain our relationship with you;

We may distribute your personal information within our company and/or disclose it to other parties in connection with our normal business operations. However, we do not disclose any personal information for any other purposes without your consent unless required by law.

Direct Marketing

From time to time we may use your personal information to provide you with information about the state of the market.

If you do not want to receive any of this information, contact us at one of our offices. If you inform us that you no longer wish to receive information about the market, we will not send you any further material. You can however, change your mind about receiving this market information at any time - either way, you just need to let us know.

JD Dodds does not disclose your personal information to any parties outside JD Dodds for the purposes of allowing them to direct market their products or services to you.

Disclosure of Personal Information to Third Parties

JD Dodds may disclose your personal information in certain circumstances.

Sometimes we are required or authorised by law to disclose your personal information. For example, we may disclose your personal information to a Court in response to a subpoena.

Generally, we will not disclose personal information to a party outside JD Dodds, unless that party is contracted to JD Dodds to provide administrative services or activities on our behalf. In those circumstances that party is bound by the same privacy rules we follow. Some examples of parties outside JD Dodds to whom we may disclose your personal information and the reason for disclosure are:

• local, state and federal authorities to obtain property related information, eg: rates, zonings, leases, licences and registrations;
• financial institutions for mortgage security valuations; and
• real estate agents for access to properties for inspections.

Ensuring your personal information is up-to-date

We rely on personal information we hold about you to efficiently conduct our business of providing property and consultancy services. Therefore, it is important that the personal information collected is accurate, complete and up-to-date. If you think we have incorrectly recorded your personal information please contact us so we can correct that information.

Security of Your Personal Information

We take all reasonable precautions to safeguard personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure are taken as follows:

• external and internal premises security
• restricted access to personal information
• confidentiality agreements with contractors and third party organisations
• maintaining technology products to prevent unauthorised computer access

In most cases, a summary of your personal information held by us, such as your name and address details, contact telephone numbers, are freely available to you by calling one of our offices.

If you make a requests for more detailed personal information, for example, access to information held in archives, you may incur a fee to cover the cost of retrieval and the supply of this information to you.

All requests for access to personal information will be handled as quickly as possible and we shall endeavour to process any request for access within 30 days of having received the request. Some requests for access may take longer than 30 days to process depending upon the nature of the personal information being sought.

JD Dodds may be required by law to retain personal information for a period of time after you have ceased your relationship with us.

JD Dodds is not always required to provide access to personal information upon request.

Access may be refused in a number of circumstances such as:

• where the information may relate to existing or anticipated legal proceedings
• where required or authorised by law
• where the request is regarded as frivolous or vexatious

If access is denied, we will explain why.

Identification

A Commonwealth identifier is a Commonwealth Government or Commonwealth Government agency designated identification number such as your Tax File Number (TFN) or Medicare number.

JD Dodds does not use Commonwealth identifiers as a means of identifying the personal information that we may have collected about you.

Sensitive Information

If personal information concerns particular topics it is regarded as sensitive information.

Sensitive information can be information about:

• racial or ethnic origin
• political opinions
• membership of a political association
• religious beliefs or affiliations
• philosophical beliefs
• membership of a professional or trade association
• membership of a trade union
• sexual preferences or practices
• criminal record
• health

JD Dodds does not collect this information.

Access via the Internet

The Internet has brought many improvements in the way JD Dodds is able to do business. JD Dodds is continually maintaining and upgrading technology and procedures in this respect to its online transactions. For more information about the JD Dodds website please visit www.jdd.com.au

JD Dodds retains the right to collect any information from any visitor to the JD Dodds web site typically but not exclusively for the better understanding of its visitors. For example, how often a visitor goes to a specific page can assist us in focussing our business to the interests and needs of our visitors. Any visitor to the JD Dodds web site who provides any information to JD Dodds agrees that JD Dodds has the right to use that information and the information provided by the visitor shall be deemed to be non-confidential. JD Dodds agrees not to knowingly give any information provided by any visitor to a third party.

JD Dodds like a number of other commercial websites stores information in a small text file on your hard disk known as a cookie. The information stored in the cookie includes your preferences and choices you make while visiting the JD Dodds website. Please check your web browser to ensure that you have consented to the use of cookies during your web browsing. Please note that we do need cookies for you to be able to properly access our website.

Privacy Policy changes

JD Dodds constantly reviews all its policies and procedures to keep up-to-date with changes in the law, technology and market practice.

As a result we may change this Privacy Policy from time to time.

Concerns or requests for access?

If you have a question about this Privacy Policy, wish to lodge a request to access information, or lodge a complaint, please contact us:

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If you are not satisfied with the result of your complaint to JD Dodds, you can refer your complaint to the Federal Privacy Commission, who can be contacted:

• By telephone: 1300 363 992
• By writing to: Director of Complaints

Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner

GPO Box 5218

Sydney NSW 1042