Privacy Policy
Last updated: 1 June 2025
1. Who we are
HabitatsIQ Pty Ltd ("HabitatsIQ", "we", "us", or "our") operates the website and platform at habitatsiq.com.au (the "Platform"). We are committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose and manage personal information we receive through the Platform.
2. Information we collect
2.1 Information you provide directly
- Account information — name, email address, and password when you register.
- Profile information — profile photo, phone number, licence number, agency name and address (for agents and brokers).
- Property listings — addresses, descriptions, photos, and pricing details you submit.
- Payment information — billing details processed securely by our payment provider (Stripe). We do not store card numbers on our servers.
- Communications — messages or enquiries you send to us or to agents/brokers via the Platform.
2.2 Information collected automatically
- Usage data — pages visited, features used, search queries, and time spent on the Platform.
- Device & browser data — IP address, browser type, operating system, and referral source.
- Location data — suburb or region inferred from your IP address or entered by you in a search.
- Cookies & similar technologies — session identifiers and preference cookies (see Section 6).
2.3 Information from third parties
- Social login — if you sign in via Google or Facebook, we receive your name and email address from those providers in accordance with their privacy policies.
- Public property data — address and mapping data from Google Maps and public government databases.
3. How we use your information
We use personal information to:
- Create and manage your account and provide the Platform's services.
- Process subscription payments and issue receipts.
- Generate automated property and suburb market analysis reports.
- Display your profile and listings to other users of the Platform.
- Send transactional communications such as account confirmations, payment receipts, and password resets.
- Send promotional and newsletter emails where you have opted in (you may opt out at any time).
- Improve the Platform through anonymised, aggregated analytics.
- Comply with our legal obligations and resolve disputes.
4. Disclosure of information
We do not sell your personal information. We may share it in the following circumstances:
4.1 Service providers
We engage trusted third-party providers to operate the Platform, including cloud hosting, payment processing (Stripe), email delivery, mapping (Google Maps), and analytics. These providers are contractually obligated to handle your data only as we direct and in compliance with applicable privacy laws.
4.2 Agents and brokers
When you submit an enquiry about a property or agent, your contact details are shared with the relevant agent or broker to facilitate that enquiry.
4.3 Legal requirements
We may disclose information where required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of HabitatsIQ, our users, or the public.
4.4 Business transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, personal information may be transferred to the successor entity, subject to equivalent privacy protections.
5. Data storage & security
Your data is stored on servers located in Australia. We implement industry-standard technical and organisational measures to protect personal information from unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction, including:
- Encryption of data in transit (TLS/HTTPS).
- Hashed and salted password storage.
- Access controls limiting staff access to personal data on a need-to-know basis.
- Regular security reviews.
We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. Cached property analysis data is retained for up to 15 days and then purged.
7. Third-party services
The Platform integrates with the following third-party services. Their use of data is governed by their own privacy policies:
| Service | Purpose | Privacy Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Google Maps & Places | Mapping, location search, nearby places | policies.google.com |
| Stripe | Payment processing | stripe.com/au/privacy |
| Google (Sign-in) | Social authentication | policies.google.com |
| Facebook (Sign-in) | Social authentication | facebook.com/privacy |
8. Your rights & access
Under the Australian Privacy Principles you have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you.
- Correct inaccurate or out-of-date information.
- Delete your account and associated personal data (subject to legal retention requirements).
- Opt out of marketing communications at any time via the unsubscribe link in any email.
To exercise these rights, contact us at the address in Section 11. We will respond within 30 days.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au or by phone on 1300 363 992.
9. Children's privacy
The Platform is not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
10. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you by email or a notice on the Platform. Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
11. Contact us
For privacy-related queries, access requests, or complaints, please contact our Privacy Officer: