Privacy Policy

Introduction

Quest Serviced Apartments Pty Ltd (ACN 119 523 483) ("QSA") together with its Associates (collectively referred to as “Quest”, "us", "we") provides intellectual property, services, skills and facilities required for the acquisition, establishment, sale and operational support of franchises operating under the Quest brand. In addition, Associates of Quest are also involved in the sale of properties used in Quest businesses under lease or similar arrangements. (Quest's Associates means any individuals or entities described in section 318 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Cth)). Franchise businesses operating and providing accommodation services under the Quest brand are independent entities from QSA.

Application of this Policy

This policy explains how Quest manages the Personal Information that we collect, how we use and disclose it, how to seek access to and correction of the Personal Information we hold about you, how to contact us if you have any complaints or queries about our management of your Personal Information, and how we will deal with complaints. This policy applies to the services provided by Quest (both online, including via our website at www.questapartments.com.au ("Website") and offline). This policy is intended to apply generally in respect of the personal information collected and handled by each entity within the Quest group, which includes Quest and all Quest franchisees. QSA and some of its Associates are subject to Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and Australian Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act in relation to their handling of personal information. While not all franchisees and Associates will be directly subject to the Privacy Act in relation to their information handling practices, this policy will generally apply to them.

In addition to this privacy policy, there may be additional privacy policies which apply from time to time in respect of specific activities, in certain circumstances or with respect to particular entities (“Additional Privacy Policy”). We recommend that you always read any applicable Additional Privacy Policy. Where there is any inconsistency between this privacy policy and any Additional Privacy Policies, the Additional Privacy Policy prevails.

Index:

Changes and updates to this Policy
Quest contact details
The kinds of Personal Information we collect and hold
How we collect Personal Information
Cookies and links (for Website users)
The purposes for which we collect, hold and use Personal Information
To whom we disclose Personal Information
Overseas disclosures of Personal Information
How to access your Personal Information and seek its correction [or deletion]
How we hold Personal Information and keep it secure
Complaint process and further information

1. Changes and updates to this Policy

QSA will review and may update this Privacy Policy from time to time in whole or part to reflect its practices, business arrangements and legal obligations. The updated policy will be available on our Website and any changes will apply when the updated version is posted on our Website (or when the changes are otherwise notified to you, if earlier). By continuing to use or access our Website, products or services after the posting or notification of an updated version of this Privacy Policy, you agree that the updated version will apply. You may also obtain a copy of our latest Privacy Policy by contacting us at the contact details section 2 below. You should review this Privacy Policy periodically to ensure that you are updated on any changes.

2. Quest Contact details

Contact details for privacy related enquiries, complaints requests and feedback in relation to this Privacy Policy are as follows:
Quest Serviced Apartments Pty Ltd

Privacy Officer
Level 21, 390 St Kilda Road
Melbourne
Victoria, 3004, Australia
Phone +61 3 8699 1500
Fax +61 3 8699 1555
email: privacy@questapartments.com.au

3. The kinds of Personal Information we collect

"Personal Information" means information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable, whether the information or opinion is true or not and, whether the information or opinion is recorded in a material form or not and includes the information described in this policy. We will only collect Personal Information if it is necessary for one or more of our functions. The types of Personal Information that we collect from you and hold depends on our relationship with you, the circumstances of collection and, the type of service you request from us. The kinds of Personal Information that we may collect include:

your contact information such as your first and last name, gender, date of birth, telephone number, current and valid email address and home address;
credit card information;
if you use a corporate account, your employer details and corporate account details;
information regarding your employment or prospective employment with QSA, Quest Associates, other Quest entities or with a Quest franchise, including criminal records check, passport and visa information, professional memberships;
information on your customer profile about your guest bookings and stays at Quest accommodation, such as check-in/out details, total spend over time, properties booked, identity verification information such as your driver's licence or passport, information relating to in-house services and facilities used;
information regarding your prospective application for a Quest franchise including criminal records check, passport and visa information, professional memberships, your attendance at our franchisee events, your business experience, financial resources and credit worthiness;
for existing franchisees, information relating to the operational and financial performance, position and plans of Quest franchises, your attendances at our franchisee events; and
such other information that is relevant for us to provide our services to you in the manner that you have requested, or to comply with the law.

We do not otherwise generally collect sensitive Information about you (such as your health information) unless you choose to provide it to us. However, if you provide such information to us, we will only collect that information with your express consent and only where such information is reasonably required in order for us to provide our services to you. We will not disclose sensitive information to any other party without your consent.

4. How we collect Personal Information

Where possible, you will have the option of remaining anonymous, or of using a pseudonym, when dealing with us. However, it may be impracticable for us to deal with you, or to provide services to you, where you have not identified yourself, or where you are using a pseudonym.

We collect personal information from a number of collection channels through which you may interact with us, including but not limited to, when you:

use our services, partner with us, attend our events, or make bookings with or stay at our Quest franchises;
apply for a job with us or a Quest franchise;
enter one of our competitions or use one of our promotions;
contact us using mobile applications SMS, MMS, Instant Messaging;
submit Website based forms;
browse our Website,
engage with us through our social media accounts (such as Google+, LinkedIn and Facebook);
sign-up or register an account with Quest through any of the collection channels; and
contact us or submit an enquiry by email (including through our Website) or by telephone.

As well as collecting information directly from you, there may be occasions when we collect information about you from a third party. These third parties may include, but are not limited to, financiers, business brokers and, legal representatives, travel agents, our franchisees.

We may combine Personal Information we receive about you with other information we hold about you.

5. Cookies and links (for Website users)

We use Google Analytics to gather statistics about how our Website content is used. This tracking information allows us to better understand the needs of our site visitors and what content they expect and view. This allows us to make better decisions about our Website and content. We use statistics about our visitors such as the browser type, geographic locations and referring sites.
No personally identifying information is collected.

The information collected includes:

How visitors arrived at our pages (e.g. directly from a bookmark, typing in an address, from a search engine; linked from another page);
Which pages are viewed and for how long, including the viewing time and date
The general geographical locations of visitors (as indicated by the network or internet service provider they use) and the speed of their internet connections;
Technical information about the computers or devices used to browse pages, including the operating systems, browsers, plug-ins, screen types and default languages; and
To opt out of analytics, you can download a browser add-on from Google. Alternatively, you can set your browser to refuse or delete cookies from Google Analytics. Check your browser's help information to find out how.

Our Website may from time to time contain advertisements placed by third party companies or links with other websites. The websites associated with those third-party companies or accessed via these links may contain cookies which may operate differently and collect Personal Information by different methods. We strongly suggest that you check the privacy policies of these sites.

QSA does not monitor these sites and is not responsible for their content. If you link to another website you do so at your own risk. QSA makes no warranties regarding these websites. QSA is not responsible for any privacy policies or practices of any sites linked to our Website. QSA is not responsible for the removal of your Personal Information from any third party to whom your Personal Information has been provided in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

6. The purposes for which we collect, hold and use Personal Information

We may use your Personal Information for any of the following primary purposes:

for the purpose of which it was collected from you at the time you gave us the particular information;
to provide and administer our services and manage customer accounts (individual and corporate);
to contact you about your prospective application for a Quest franchise or your existing Quest franchise;
to train our staff and testing our systems;
to distribute our newsletters, brochures and other communications either ourselves or with the assistance of third party services providers regarding Quest franchising;
for customer support, including for providing assistance in resolving complaints or responding to other enquiries or requests;
to conduct marketing activities for our services and Quest franchises, and to conduct market and other research to improve our services and marketing activities; and
to maintain internal business records and to comply with our legal obligations.

Direct marketing and opting out

With your consent (which may be inferred or express) we will use your Personal Information to communicate with you by mail, telephone, email or SMS for direct marketing purposes in order to tell you about our products and services, promotion and offers, events that we think may be of interest to you. You may at any time opt out of receiving any direct marketing from us by emailing the Privacy Officer (refer contact details at section 2 above) or by choosing 'unsubscribe' from our electronic communications.

7. To whom we disclose personal information

For the purposes described above, we may disclose your Personal Information to:

our service providers, contractors, agents, other business partners within QSA and other entities who assist us in providing our services to you (for example, lawyers, conveyancers, financiers, property valuers,);
external providers of services where you have engaged us to act as your agent;
members of the Quest Group as necessary and appropriate for the services that you have requested;
other service providers, who provide the various services that you have requested and we have arranged;
third parties who provide us with marketing service and conduct market research and analysis on our behalf;
our related bodies corporate;
our professional advisers;
an entity including government agency to whom we are required by law to disclose your information;
to third parties as required to provide our services or to meet the purposes for which the Personal Information was collected; and
to third parties you otherwise authorise us to.

8. Disclosure of Personal Information overseas

We may disclose your Personal Information for the purpose for which it was collected to overseas recipients, which include entities within or associated with QSA which are located in Singapore, New Zealand, the European Union and Fiji in accordance with our obligations under the APPs.

9. How you may access your Personal Information and seek its correction (or deletion)

We take reasonable steps to ensure that the Personal Information we collect, use and disclose is accurate, complete and up to date. You can access and seek correction of the Personal Information that we hold about you at any time by contacting the Privacy Officer (refer to section 2 for contact details).

We will provide access to the Personal Information we hold about you unless there is an exemption which applies under the APPs, within a reasonable time following receipt of a request for access. We may charge reasonable fees for supplying you with access to your Personal Information. However, we will not charge you for the making of the request or to correct or update your information. If we refuse to provide you with access to your Personal Information or to correct it, we will notify you of our reasons for our decision to the extent required and, how you may complain about our decision.

If requested, all reasonable steps to delete your Personal Information will be made, except where it is required for legal reasons. Deletion of information may result in us being unable to facilitate or provide you with information about certain transactions, services, promotions or competitions.

10. How we hold Personal Information and keep it secure

We hold your Personal Information in a combination of physical records and electronic files which may be located at QSA corporate office. We use third party information system providers who may store or have access to your Personal Information. The information is stored on secure servers that are protected in controlled facilities.

We will take reasonable steps to keep secure your Personal Information held by us from misuse, interference and loss and from unauthorised access, modification and disclosure. We have taken measures to help secure any Personal information you submit via our Website. These measures include but are not limited to the use of secure website channels. Internet browsers provide users with a positive visual clue that they are at a secure website. In Microsoft Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox the closed padlock icon appears in the address bar.

While we will take all reasonable steps to protect the transmission, no data transmission over the internet is guaranteed to be totally secure. As such we make no warranty about the security, accuracy or privacy of Personal Information submitted via the Website.

11. Complaint process and further information

If you have any concerns in relation to the handling of your Personal Information or wish to make a complaint, please direct these in writing to the Privacy Officer (refer to section 2 for contact details). We may need to verify your identity and ask for further information in order to investigate and respond to your concern or complaint. We will aim to respond to you within a reasonable time and generally within 14 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may make a complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

More information about Privacy Act and the APPs and how to complain is available from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at http://www.oaic.gov.au/

This Privacy Policy was last updated: June 2018