Privacy Policy

Melbourne Plumbing Network (ABN: 21 576 580 832) ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and complying with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our website or services.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information You Provide

When you submit a lead request through our website or phone service, we collect:

• Contact Information: Your name, phone number, email address
• Service Details: Your suburb/postcode, description of plumbing issue, urgency level
• Property Information: Property type (if relevant to the service)

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect:

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on site, referral source
• Cookies: We use cookies and similar technologies (see Section 6)

1.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive feedback about you from plumbers in our network after they complete a job (e.g., review of the service experience, payment status).

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• Service Delivery: To match you with suitable licensed plumbers and facilitate the referral
• Communication: To contact you about your service request, follow up on satisfaction, and provide customer support
• Quality Assurance: To monitor and improve our referral service
• Legal Compliance: To comply with Australian laws and regulations
• Analytics: To understand how visitors use our website and improve user experience
• Marketing: To send you information about our services (only with your consent - see Section 7)

3. How We Share Your Information

3.1 Sharing with Plumbers

When you submit a service request, we share your contact information and service details with:

• Up to 3 licensed plumbers in our network who service your area and specialize in your type of plumbing issue
• These plumbers will contact you directly to provide quotes and arrange service

3.2 We Do NOT Sell Your Information

We will NEVER sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

3.3 Other Disclosures

We may disclose your information:

• Legal Requirements: If required by law, court order, or government authority
• Service Providers: To trusted third-party service providers (e.g., website hosting, email services) who assist in operating our business (under strict confidentiality agreements)
• Business Transfer: If our business is sold or merged, your information may be transferred to the new owner

4. Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction:

• SSL/TLS encryption for data transmitted through our website
• Secure cloud-based storage with access controls
• Regular security audits and updates
• Employee training on data privacy and security

However, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our services to you
• Comply with legal obligations (e.g., record-keeping requirements)
• Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements

Typically, we retain lead information for 7 years from the date of submission. After this period, we securely delete or anonymize your data unless we are required by law to retain it longer.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

• Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality (e.g., form submissions)
• Analytics Cookies: Google Analytics to understand website usage (anonymized data)
• Performance Cookies: To improve website speed and user experience

You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but this may affect website functionality.

7. Your Privacy Rights

Under Australian privacy law, you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your information (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time
• Complain: Lodge a complaint about our handling of your information (see Section 9)

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@melbourneplumbingnetwork.com.au or call 03 7074 8841.

8. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., plumber websites, social media). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

9. Privacy Complaints

If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles:

1. Contact us at privacy@melbourneplumbingnetwork.com.au
2. We will investigate your complaint within 30 days
3. If you're not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC): www.oaic.gov.au

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page indicates when the policy was last revised. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.