Credit policy

Protecting your privacy

This is the credit reporting policy of Energy Lease Pty Ltd trading as Smart Ease ABN 25 601 345 055 (“we”, “us” and “our” in this policy).

Words defined in the Privacy Act (Cth) 1988 (“Privacy Act”), the Australian Privacy Principles (“APPs”) and the Credit Reporting Privacy Code (“CR Code”) have the same meaning when used in this policy.

We also have a Privacy Policy which is available here.

Credit information we collect

The kinds of credit information that we collect about an individual includes information (other than sensitive information) that may be provided to us from a credit-reporting body, including:

  • Identification information such as name, any alias or previous name, date of birth, gender, current or last-known address and two (2) previous addresses, and driver licence number
  • Information about consumer credit provided to an individual including the name of the credit provider, whether the credit provider is an Australian credit licensee, the type of consumer credit, the day on which the consumer credit is entered into, the terms or conditions of the consumer credit that relate to repayment, the maximum amount of credit available under the consumer credit, and the day on which the consumer credit is terminated or otherwise ceases to be in force
  • Information about whether or not an individual has met an obligation to make a monthly payment of consumer credit, the day on which the payment is due, and the day on which the payment is made
  • A statement that an information request has been made to a credit-reporting body in relation to the individual by a credit provider
  • The type of consumer credit or commercial credit, and the amount of credit, sought in an application made by the individual to a credit provider and in connection with which a credit provider has made an information request in relation to the individual
  • Information about payments that are at least 60 days overdue for consumer credit and more than $150, where the credit provider has requested payment and recovery is not prevented by a statute of limitations
  • Information that an overdue payment has been paid
  • Information about arrangements with credit providers
  • Information about court judgments (but not for criminal proceedings) against an individual that relate to credit applied for or given to an individual
  • Personal insolvency information; publicly available information that relates to the individual’s activities and the individual’s credit worthiness and that is not court-proceedings information about the individual or information about the individual that is entered or recorded on the National Personal Insolvency Index, and
  • The opinion of a credit provider that the individual has committed, in circumstances specified by the provider, a serious credit infringement in relation to consumer credit.

Credit-eligibility information

If we obtain credit-reporting information on an individual from a credit-reporting body, or we derive information from it that has any bearing on the individual’s credit worthiness and could be used in establishing the individual’s eligibility for consumer credit, we refer to this information as “credit-eligibility information” in this policy.

The types of credit-eligibility information that we hold includes the credit information listed above. It may also include information such as credit scores and assessments which we generate from this information.

How we collect and hold credit information and credit-eligibility information

We collect credit information from customers:

  • either by telephone, in person or in documentation such as an application form (which may be an online application), or
  • when a customer makes a request or enquiry of us.

We also collect credit information from publicly available sources or third parties, such as:

  • a referee provided by you
  • a credit-reporting body or other credit provider
  • an insurer of your property, or
  • a person selling your debt to us or engaging us to collect the debt.

We will hold credit information and credit-eligibility information in secure electronic and physical files.

Why we collect hold, use and disclose credit information and credit-eligibility information

We may collect, use, hold and disclose credit information and credit-eligibility information when permitted by law:

  • to assess an application for credit or a guarantor
  • to use a credit-reporting body
  • to manage credit that we provide
  • to assist customers to avoid defaulting
  • to collect debts
  • to comply with laws
  • to deal with complaints
  • to assist other credit providers to do these things, and
  • for other lawful purposes.

Disclosing credit information to a credit-reporting body

We may disclose credit information about you to a credit-reporting body (“CRB”). The CRB that we are likely to disclose your credit information to is:

Equifax
Customer Resolutions Team
PO Box 964
North Sydney, NSW 2059

http://www.mycreditfile.com.au/corrections

If we disclose your credit information to a CRB:

  • the CRB may include the information in reports provided to credit providers to assist them to assess your credit worthiness, and
  • if you fail to meet your payment obligations in relation to consumer credit or commit a serious credit infringement, we may be entitled to disclose this to the CRB.

Each CRB has a policy about the management of credit-related personal information. You can get a copy of the policy by contacting the CRB using its contact details above.

Your rights under the Privacy Act in relation to credit-related information

Your rights under the Privacy Act in relation to credit-related information include the following:

  • You may obtain the CRB’s policy about the management of credit-related personal information by contacting the CRB. See contact details above.
  • You have the right to access from us credit-related information that we hold about you, to request us to correct the information, and to make a complaint to us.
  • You have the right to request a CRB not to use credit-reporting information about you for the purposes of pre-screening of direct marketing by a credit provider.
  • You have the right to request the CRB not to use or disclose credit-reporting information about you if you believe on reasonable grounds that you have been or are likely to be a victim of fraud.

How to access credit-eligibility information

On request from you we will provide details of the credit-eligibility information we hold about you. The release of information is subject to some exceptions, such as information relating to existing or any anticipated legal proceedings, together with exceptions provided by the Privacy Act.

Unless unusual circumstances apply, we should provide access to you within 30 days of the request.

We reserve the right to charge a fee for providing access to your information when permitted by law.

To protect your personal information, the request to us must be in writing and can be sent by letter or email. All correspondence should be addressed to:

We will respond to any request within a reasonable timeframe.

How to seek correction of credit information or credit-eligibility information

We aim to make sure that credit information and credit-eligibility information about you is accurate, up to date and complete.

We will assess your request for amendment of information upon written or verbal request from you. You can contact us on 1300 795 695 or write to The Privacy Officer to do this.

Complaints

Under the Privacy Act you have the right to make a complaint to us about an act or practice engaged in by us that may be a breach of Part IIIA of the Privacy Act (which deals with credit reporting) or the CR Code (a “Credit Privacy Complaint”).

If you make a Credit Privacy Complaint, you must specify the nature of the complaint. It may relate to personal information that has been destroyed or de-identified. We will not charge you for making or dealing with the complaint. Within seven days we will give you a written notice that acknowledges the complaint and sets out how we will deal with it, and we will then investigate the complaint.

If we think it is necessary, we may consult with a CRB or another credit provider. After investigating the complaint, we will within 30 days (or any longer period agreed by you in writing) give you a written notice setting out our decision.

Alternatively, you may make a complaint to the Information Commissioner.

Changes to this policy

This policy is subject to change over time without prior notice. We may amend this policy by updating this posting.

Copies of this policy

You can ask us to provide you with a copy of this policy, including a hard copy, by contacting us using the contact details above.

Address: Level 1, 23-27 Wellington Street, St Kilda, VIC 3182

Phone: 1300 795 695

Email: [email protected]

ABN: 25 601 345 055

(Energy Lease Pty Ltd trading as Smart Ease)

updated 11 April 2022