Australia's oldest and most experienced
share accommodation service - since 1987

Flatmate Finders privacy policy

We're committed to protecting your privacy and the security of your information. Your information is only used by Flatmate Finders for the purpose of providing this service. The following privacy policy describes how we manage and protect your information.

Data collection

Flatmate Finders undertakes to collect Your Data by means that are:

  • fair;
  • legal; and
  • transparent.

If you visit Flatmate Finders' web-site, your web-browser automatically discloses, and Flatmate Finders' web-server automatically logs, the following information: the date and time, the IP address from which you issued the request, the type of browser and operating system you are using, the URL of any page that referred you to the page, the URL you requested, and whether your request was successful. This data may or may not be sufficient to identify you.

Any additional data that you provide, e.g. in a web-form, may also be logged. This data may or may not be sufficient to identify you.

Any additional data that your web-browser automatically provides may also be logged. This will be the case, for example, if your browser has previously been requested to store data on your computer in 'cookies' and submits them each time you request a web-page within a particular domain (such as Flatmate Finders.com.au). This data may or may not be sufficient to identify you.

If you disclose personal data to Flatmate Finders in conjunction with an identifier such as your name or your credit-card details, Flatmate Finders will collect Your Data. Moreover, any data that becomes available to Flatmate Finders through any of the means described in the preceding paragraphs may be able to be associated with that identifier, and hence become Your Data.

Subject to the qualifications immediately below, Flatmate Finders undertakes to collect Your Data from you and not from other parties. This undertaking is qualified as follows:

  • where Flatmate Finders reasonably considers that the protection of its financial interests requires that it gather Your Data from other sources, or from additional sources. This applies in particular where Flatmate Finders
    has a lending exposure to you, and seeks information about your creditworthiness;
  • where Flatmate Finders reasonably considers that its capability to deliver quality services to you will be
    materially enhanced by gathering YourData from other sources. This applies in particular to consumer
    profile data.

Where Flatmate Finders collects Your Data from sources other than you, it undertakes:

  • to do so only by legal means;
  • to do so only with your Consent; and
  • to declare to you what sources it uses, and under what circumstances.

Flatmate Finders undertakes to declare the purpose of collection in a manner which is clear and meaningful, and to avoid vague, highly inclusive statements such as 'to support our operations'.

Data security

Flatmate Finders undertakes to store Your Data in a manner that ensures security against unauthorised access, alteration or deletion, at a level commensurate with its sensitivity.

Flatmate Finders undertakes to store Your Data only in jurisdictions where data protections are at least equivalent to those required under the OECD Guidelines.

Flatmate Finders undertakes to transmit Your Data in a manner that ensures security against unauthorised access, alteration or deletion, at a level commensurate with its sensitivity.

Flatmate Finders undertakes to implement appropriate measures to ensure security of Your Data against inappropriate behaviour by Flatmate Finders' staff-members and contractors. These include:

  • training for staff in relation to privacy;
  • access control, to limit access to Your Data to those staff and contractors who have legitimate reasons to access it;
  • particularly in the case of sensitive data, audit trails of accesses, including the identities of staff and contractors accessing the data;
  • reminders to staff and contractors from time to time about the importance of data privacy, and the consequences of inappropriate behaviour;
  • declaration of appropriately strong sanctions that are to be applied in the event of inappropriate behaviour
  • clear communication of policies and sanctions; and
  • processes to audit, to investigate and to impose sanctions.

Data use

Use refers to the application of Your Data by any part of Flatmate Finders, or any staff-member or contractor of Flatmate Finders in the course of their work.

Flatmate Finders undertakes to use Your Data only for:

  • the purposes for which it was collected;
  • such other purposes as are subsequently agreed between Flatmate Finders and You;
  • such additional purposes as may be required by law. In these circumstances, Flatmate Finders will take any reasonable steps available to it to communicate to You that the use has occurred, unless it is precluded from doing so by law; and
  • such additional purposes as are authorised by law (in particular to protect Flatmate Finders' interests, e.g. if it believes on reasonable grounds that You have failed to fulfil your undertakings to Flatmate Finders or have committed a breach of the criminal law).

Flatmate Finders undertakes to use YourData only if it has demonstrable relevance to the particular use to which it is being put.

Flatmate Finders undertakes to use YourData in such a manner as to take into account the possibility that it is not of sufficient quality for the purpose, e.g. because it is inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, or out-of-context.

Data disclosure

Disclosure refers to making YourData available to any party other than Flatmate Finders and You. The term disclosure may include many different conditions of data transfer, including selling, renting, trading, sharing and giving.

Flatmate Finders undertakes to disclose Your Data only under the following circumstances:

  • in the course of business being conducted between You and Flatmate Finders, where disclosure is necessary to a contractor, such as a transport company. Where Your Data is disclosed in this way, Flatmate Finders undertakes to exercise control over Flatmate Finders' contractors to ensure that their actions are compliant with these Terms;
  • in other circumstances that are directly implied by the purpose agreed between You and Flatmate Finders at the time of data collection or subsequently. Where Your Data is disclosed in this way, Flatmate Finders undertakes to exercise control over Flatmate Finders' contractors to ensure that their actions are compliant with these Terms;
  • with your consent, or at your request;
  • where required by law, such as a provision of a statute, or a court order such as a search warrant or sub poena. In these circumstances, Flatmate Finders will take any reasonable steps available to it to communicate to You that the disclosure has occurred, unless it is precluded from doing so by law;
  • where permitted by law (e.g. the reporting of suspected breach of the criminal law to a law enforcement agency; and in an emergency, where Flatmate Finders believes on reasonable grounds that the disclosure of YourData will materially assist in the protection of the life of health of some person), provided that Flatmate Finders will apply due diligence to ensure that the exercise of the permission is justifiable.

In all cases, Flatmate Finders undertakes to disclose only such of Your Data as is necessary in the particular circumstances.

Data retention and destruction

Subject to the qualifications immediately below, Flatmate Finders undertakes:

  • to retain Your Data only as long as is consistent with its purpose; and
  • to destroy Your Data when its purpose has expired, and to do so in such a manner that Your Data is not subsequently capable of being recovered.

This undertaking is qualified as follows:

  • Your Data may be retained in Flatmate Finders' logs, backups and audit trails within short-term retention cycles that are devised to protect the company's operations. In such cases, Your Data will be destroyed in accordance with those cycles;
  • Your Data may be retained beyond the expiry of its purpose if that is required by law, such as a provision of a statute, or a court order such as a search warrant or sub poena, or a warning by a law enforcement agency that delivery of a court order is imminent. In these circumstances, Flatmate Finders:
    • will take any reasonable steps available to it to communicate to You that Your Data is being retained, unless it is precluded from doing so by law; and
    • will only retain Your Data while that provision is current, and will then destroy Your Data;
  • Your Data may be retained beyond the expiry of its purpose if it is authorised by law (in particular to protect Flatmate Finders' interests, e.g. if it believes on reasonable grounds that You have failed to fulfil your undertakings to Flatmate Finders or have committed a breach of the criminal law). In these circumstances, Flatmate Finders will only retain Your Data while that situation is current, and will then destroy Your Data.

Access by you to your personal data

Flatmate Finders undertakes to provide you with access to Your Data, subject to only such conditions and processes as are reasonable in the circumstances. In particular, Flatmate Finders undertakes to enable access:

  • conveniently;
  • without unreasonable delay; and
  • without cost.

Flatmate Finders undertakes to establish and operate identity authentication protections for access to Your Data that are appropriate to its sensitivity, but practical. This may involve some inconvenience; for example, relatively straightforward procedures may be involved in order to provide you with access through a channel that you have previously registered with Flatmate Finders (such as a particular email-address), but may impose more onerous procedures if you wish to use some other channel.

In the event that you dispute some aspect of Your Data, Flatmate Finders undertakes to take reasonable steps in relation to the amendment, supplementation or deletion of Your Data.

You undertake:

  • not to seek access for frivolous purposes, or unreasonably frequently;
  • to accept that deletion of some data may not be consistent with the provision of particular services by Flatmate Finders to you.

Information about data-handling practices

Flatmate Finders undertakes to make information available to you about the manner in which Flatmate Finders handles your data:

  • in general terms, in a readily accessible manner; and
  • in more specific terms, on request.

Where Your Data is disclosed to a contractor, Flatmate Finders undertakes to make information available to you on request about the manner in which Flatmate Finders' contractors handle your data.

Flatmate Finders undertakes to ensure that the information provided is meaningful, and addresses your concerns.

You undertake:

  • not to seek such information for frivolous purposes, or unreasonably frequently; and
  • to accept that the disclosure of excessive detail may harm the security of Your Data and Flatmate Finders' business processes, and may harm Flatmate Finders' commercial interests.

Handling of enquiries, general concerns & complaints

If you have enquiries, general concerns, or complaints about these Terms, or about Flatmate Finders' behaviour in relation to these Terms, you undertake:

  • to communicate them in the first instance:
    • to Flatmate Finders only;
    • in sufficient detail;
    • through a channel made available by Flatmate Finders for that purpose;

Flatmate Finders undertakes:

  • to provide one or more channels for communications to Flatmate Finders, which are convenient to users;
  • to promptly provide acknowledgement of the receipt of communications, including the provision of a copy of the communication, the date and time it was registered, and Flatmate Finders' reference-code for the communication;
  • to promptly provide a response to the communication, in an appropriate and meaningful manner.

You further undertake to not pursue Flatmate Finders through any Regulator or the media:

  • until and unless Flatmate Finders has had a reasonable opportunity to respond to the initial communication; and
  • while Flatmate Finders and you remain are conducting a meaningful dialogue about the matter.

Enforcement

Flatmate Finders declares that its undertakings in these Terms are intended to create legal obligations, and that those obligations are intended to be enforceable under appropriate laws in appropriate jurisdictions. These include laws relating to data protection, privacy, fair trading, corporations and criminal laws.

You undertake to seek enforcement only in a jurisdiction that is relevant to the transactions that have taken place between You and Flatmate Finders, in particular the jurisdiction in which you live or in which you performed the relevant acts, and the jurisdiction in which Flatmate Finders is domiciled or performed the relevant acts.

If you wish to discover the relevant laws in any particular jurisdiction, Flatmate Finders draws your attention to the following resources:

Changes to these privacy undertakings

Flatmate Finders undertakes:

  • not to materially change these Terms in a manner that reduces the protections for Your Data;
  • to take all possible steps to prevent any company that acquires this company or any of its relevant assets from materially changing the Terms applicable to Your Data in a manner that reduces the protections for Your Data;
  • where it is considering making changes to these Terms, or creating more specific Terms relating to specific services, to consult with appropriate representative and advocacy organisations;
  • where it makes changes to these Terms, to ensure that the differences between successive versions are readily accessible;
  • to maintain all prior versions of these Terms in such a manner that they are dated, and readily accessible.

Definitions

Flatmate Finders means Linksoft Solutions Pty Ltd.

Your Data means data that is capable of being associated with you, whether or not it includes an explicit identifier such as your name or customer number. In particular, it encompasses all data that Flatmate Finders is capable of correlating with you, using such means as server-logs and cookie-contents.

Your Data does not refer to data that can no longer be associated with you. This includes aggregated data that does not and cannot identify the individuals whose data are included in the aggregation.

Consent means your concurrence with an action to be taken by Flatmate Finders. Consent may be express or implicit, but in either case must be informed and freely-given.

 

Copyright in the Privacy Statement Template is owned by Roger Clarke's company, Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd.

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What People Say About Us
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    I believe Flatmate Finders was the best avenue of the finding a decent place to live with well suited flatmates. Thanks for the service, I'll use it again if the need arises.
    Aleisa l May 14, 2012
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    Flatmate Finders where have you been all my flatmate life? Such a relief to have an organised system, more sophisticated than simple Classifieds. I really appreciate having detailed profiles, and a two-way matching system to make the house hunting more efficient. A suggested enhancement would be a calendar to organise inspection times.
    LUCY B May 11, 2012
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    Thank you so much for this comprehensive service. It is the only one I have found that actually does all the things that should be possible on a proper website. And especially thank you for allowing me to communicate without publishing my email address to the world. I have been scammed and spammed by people on other websites. So thanks again, Stephen.
    Stephen J May 7, 2012
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    I found this site great - spoke to a couple of potential flatshares through the website and the first one I went to view I moved into that week!
    Rachel C May 7, 2012
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    Flatmate Finders is a fantastic website, I found it easy to use and I was able to find my new housemate in less than a week, I would definitely use this service again and highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a place to live or needs a new housemate, flatmate finders beats any other website that I've come across when searching for flat mates in the past.
    Erin M May 6, 2012
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    Thank you so much. After years using Gumtree to find and fill rooms I am now completely converted! Couldn't recommend this service more! Thanks, Sash
    Sasha D May 6, 2012
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    Hi Guys, just a short note to thank you and let you know what a great service you have. Due to a change in family circumstances I ended up renting my own place but your referrals were really good. Cheers, Greg.
    Greg R May 6, 2012
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    I really liked your service, I found it easy to use and viewed some really lovely properties. I would highly recommend this to my friends or anyone looking for a new place and would use it again myself. Thanks
    Blaithin G Apr 21, 2012
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    When I need to move I'll definitely use the service again. It was really useful and those I know who have used it rave about it.
    Belle B Apr 16, 2012
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    I have been looking into renting out my spare room and came across your website "flatmatefinders". I have to rave about what a fab service you provide and how easy and straight forward it is to use. So thank you thank for providing something so simply and easy to use.
    Rebecca R Apr 15, 2012
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    Thank you for your assistance. I found this website to be very useful, helpful and productive. I would definitely use this service again.
    Nick M Apr 2, 2012
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    I have had some great flatmates from your site and will continue to use it as it seems to be the only reliable one.
    Tracy B Mar 29, 2012
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    I've moved in with a friend, but I have recommended this site to so many other people. Thanks so much it was really helpful.
    Jess H Mar 26, 2012
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    Hi Guys. Thanks for a great service. I have found three fantastic flatmates and we are getting along famously : ) Please keep the profile on record as I may need to advertise for rooms again in the future. Many Thanks Jonny G.
    jonny g Mar 15, 2012
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    What an amazing website and service. It's so easy to use. I feel it also encourages people to take each post seriously and professionally adding pictures and excellent descriptions. Thanks you for this services. What a pleasure.
    Colin S Mar 9, 2012
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    Flatmate finders was easy to use and reliable in contacting potential housemates. It was also great to browse perfect and partial matches to get an idea of who might be interested.
    Jess H Mar 7, 2012
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    I must say that of all the share accommodation websites, I found Flatmate Finders to be the best! It is very fun, bright and easy to use - extremely user friendly and I'm sure I will use the site again at some point in the future. Keep up the good work!! :)
    Bec H Mar 6, 2012
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    I appreciate your service and I must tell you that yours was the better of the 5 I listed with... I think if you keep going the way you are you will be the preferred site in no time.
    Dean M Mar 4, 2012
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    I have to say from day 1 the customer service @ Flatmate Finders has been outstanding! I wish everyone I dealt with provided such fantastic service. Thanks again, Romy.
    Romy S Mar 4, 2012
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    It's a great and uncomplicated service that you guys provide: the colour scheme is really nice, the site is easy to navigate, the dashboard is well laid out, the description pane on the right hand side of profiles is handy and gives all the important information quickly, the filtering methods work well and the four categories on the "Matching Profiles" page is good.
    Luke S Feb 23, 2012
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    Flatmate Finders is an fantastically managed site and I always recommend it.
    Simon B Feb 20, 2012
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    I found a great share house in the location i wanted with a really nice group of flatmates. Service was great ... thanks for making it so easy.
    Daniel B Feb 17, 2012
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    Such a great website, thanks for the service. It is certainly better quality flatmates than on gumtree in my opinion and a better quality service. Will certainly use this again in the future if needing someone again and will be recommending the site to friends. Thanks!
    Jody E Feb 15, 2012
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    You provide a really great service. It was recommended to me by friends and I in turn highly recommend it to others.
    Jo L Feb 12, 2012
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    Awesome, thanks so much for the outstanding quality of the service. It took me less than a week to find a place, I will recommend it all around and use again when necessary. Thanks a lot and keep it up, Cheers. Gus.
    Gus Z Feb 12, 2012