Privacy Policy

Geoff McLean & Associates – Personal Real Estate Corporation

Re/Max Camosun Ten Privacy Principles
Privacy Principles in Detail
Re/Max Camosun’s Privacy Policy
Types of Information We Collect

Re/Max Camosun Ten Privacy Principles

Re/Max Camosun has always been and will continue to be, committed to maintaining the accuracy, confidentiality, and security of your personal information. As part of this commitment, we have adopted Ten Privacy Principles to govern our actions as they relate to the use of customer information. Re/Max Camosun invites you to review our principles, which have been built upon the values set by the Canadian Real Estate Association.

Principle 1 – Accountability
Principle 2 – Identifying Purposes
Principle 3 – Obtaining Consent
Principle 4 – Limiting Collection
Principle 5 – Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention
Principle 6 – Accuracy
Principle 7 – Protecting Information
Principle 8 – Openness
Principle 9 – Customer Access
Principle 10 – Handling Customer Complaints

Privacy Principles in Detail

Principle 1 – Accountability

Re/Max Camosun is responsible for maintaining and protecting the customer information under its control. In fulfilling this mandate, Re/Max Camosun is required to designate an individual who is accountable for the Company’s Compliance with the Ten Privacy Principles.

Principle 2 – Identifying Purposes

The purposes for which customer information is collected shall be identified before or at the time the information is collected.

Principle 3 – Consent

The knowledge and consent of the customer are required for the collection of, use or disclosure of customer information except where required or permitted by law.

Principle 4 – Limiting Collection

The collection of personal information shall be limited to that which is necessary for the purposes identified.

Principle 5 – Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention

Customer information may only be used for the purpose for which it was collected unless the customer has otherwise consented, or when it is required or permitted by law.

Principle 6 – Accuracy

Customer information must be maintained in as accurate, complete and up-to-date form as is necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it is to be used.

Principle 7 – Protecting Information

Customer information must be protected by security safeguards that are appropriate to the sensitivity level of the information.

Principle 8 – Openness

Re/Max Camosun shall make readily available to customers specific information about our policies and practices relating to the management of personal information.

Principle 9 – Customer Access

Upon request, a customer shall be informed of the existence, use and disclosure of their information, and shall be given access to it. Customers may verify the accuracy and completeness of their information and may request that it be amended if appropriate.

Principle 10 – Customer Privacy Complaints

Customers may direct any questions or inquiries with respect to the privacy principles outlined above to the Privacy Compliance Officer at Re/Max Camosun, 4440 Chatterton Way, Victoria B.C. V8X 5J2

Re/Max Camosun’s Privacy Policy

1. The Privacy Code of The Canadian Real Estate Association

Re/Max Camosun is a member of The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and adheres to and abides by the principles set out in the CREA Privacy Code. All employees and sales representatives associated with Re/Max Camosun must sign an acknowledgement that they will comply with the requirements of the Code.

2. The Policy Statement

Re/Max Camosun only collects personal information necessary to effectively market and sell the property of sellers, to locate, assess and qualify properties for buyers and to otherwise provide professional and competent real estate services to clients and customers.

3. The Person In Charge

Ray Blender is the privacy compliance officer responsible for privacy compliance at Re/Max Camosun. His name shall be made available to consumers. The responsibilities of the privacy compliance officer shall include:

• Establish and update information protection policies
• Ensure policies are implemented by other organizations to which data-processing functioned are outsourced
• Establish criteria for classification of information
• Evaluate the accessibility of sensitive information and take corrective action where necessary
• Provide education to employees on the importance of information protection
• Attempt to resolve consumer privacy complaints to the satisfaction of the consumer

4. The Collection, Use and Disclosure of Personal Information

• Only the information necessary to facilitate the real estate transaction or otherwise provide professional and competent service to clients and customers will be collected
• No personal information shall be collected from an individual without first obtaining the consent of the individual to the collection, use and dissemination of that information
• Express consent (whether oral or written) must always be obtained except in the following situation. Consent may be implied where the information is not sensitive and where it can be reasonably assumed that the individual would expect the information to be disclosed in this fashion
• Once information is collected, it will be used and disclosed only for the purposes disclosed to the individual
• All representation agreements must include the approved privacy clauses

5. Disclosure for New Purposes

Anyone using personal information for some new purpose that extends beyond the consent already provided must obtain the express consent of the person for that use;

Requests for information by law enforcement officials, lawyers, private investigators, or other agents, or subpoenas for documents issued by the court must be referred to the privacy officer.

6. Protecting Information

Information must be protected in a manner commensurate with its sensitivity, value and criticality. This policy applies regardless of the media on which information is stored, the systems used to process the information, or the processes by which information is handled.

Collection and Disclosure

Meetings with customers and clients on Re/Max Camosun premises must take place in a place and manner to ensure confidentiality

• Mail and faxes must be routed directly to the intended recipient
• Information should be available to other persons in the office only on a need-to-know basis

Storage

• Filing cabinets designated by the office manager to contain personal, including sensitive, information are to be kept secured at all times
• All personnel have computer passwords. These passwords are confidential and are not to be shared with any unauthorized persons

Destruction

• This office has in place a record retention and destruction policy. Refer to that portion of the policy manual for details

7. Accuracy of Personal Information

To ensure the quality of the information collected:

• insofar as possible, personal information should be collected directly from the consumer;
• public property information (taxes, assessment data etc.) should be verified;
• disclaimers of accuracy in the form approved by Re/Max Camosun should always be attached to any disclosure of information.

8. Access to Personal Information

• Copies of any privacy brochure approved by Re/Max Camosun should always be available to the public in the reception area of the offices
• Ray Blender is responsible for privacy compliance and is responsible for responding to all access requests and all such requests will be referred to him. All staff and sales people will co-operate fully with the privacy compliance officer in responding to requests
• On written request and appropriate identification satisfactory to Re/Max Camosun, an individual will be advised of personal information about him/her retained in the firm’s records
• Where information cannot be disclosed (for example the information contains reference to other individuals or is subject to solicitor-client privilege) the individual will be given reasons for non-disclosure
• An individual may have appended to a record, any alternative information where Re/Max Camosun is of the view that the appended information is, in fact, correct
• A minimal administration fee may be charged to supply the information.

9. Compliance

• Any complaints from an individual concerning the collection, use or disclosure of their personal information or concerning the individual’s ability to access their personal information must be referred to the privacy compliance officer, who will attempt to resolve the complaint to the individual’s satisfaction
• In the event the complaint cannot be resolved internally to the individual’s satisfaction, he or she will be advised of where to direct the complaint.

Types of Information We Collect

Personal Information

Personal information is information that refers to you specifically. With your consent, we may gather personal information from you in person, at one of our offices, over the telephone or by corresponding with you via mail or the Internet.

The type of information we usually collect and maintain in your customer file may include your:

• Personal Information
• Name
• Mailing Address
• E-Mail Address
• Telephone Number
• Place of Employment
• Transaction History

For business customers, information may include:

• Business Customers
• Business Name
• Business Address
• Business Telephone Number
• Name(s) of Owner(s), Officer(s) and Director(s)

Anonymous/Non-Personal Information

Anonymous/non-personal information is information that cannot be associated with or traced back to a specific individual or business entity. For example, our web servers collect some anonymous/non-personal information automatically by web servers when you visit various Re/Max Camosun Corporate or Sales Associates Web Sites. Gathered electronically, this information may include the pages you visited, the type of web browser you are using and your Internet Protocol address. This anonymous/non-personal information collected may be used for research and analytical purposes.