Privacy Policy
Somners Pty Ltd (referred to in this policy as "Somners", "we", "us" or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to the responsible management of personal information.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, hold, use, disclose, protect and manage personal information across our business, including through our real estate agency services, website, enquiries, subscriptions, resources, software downloads and other interactions with Somners.
We manage personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) and other applicable laws to the extent that they apply to our activities. We also apply the privacy practices described in this policy more broadly across our operations as a matter of business practice.
What Is Personal Information?
Personal information is information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable. Whether particular information is personal information depends on the circumstances and how the information can reasonably be connected with an individual.
Information We May Collect
The personal information we collect depends on how you interact with Somners and the services involved. We seek to collect only information that is reasonably necessary for our functions, activities and legal obligations.
This may include your name, date of birth, residential or postal address, email address and telephone number, together with information about a property you own, occupy, wish to sell, purchase, lease or enquire about. Where you are involved in a property transaction, we may also collect information relating to agency appointments, inspections, offers, negotiations, communications, property ownership, beneficial ownership, representatives, authorities and other people connected with the transaction.
Where reasonably necessary, we may collect financial or payment information connected with a transaction, trust account process, payment, refund, invoice or other business purpose. We may also collect identity information and identity document details where identification or verification is required, including information needed to comply with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing obligations.
If you subscribe to updates or other communications, we may collect your contact details and communication preferences. We may also hold information contained in correspondence, complaints, access or correction requests and other communications with us, together with information connected with employment, contracting or other business relationships where applicable.
Some information we handle may be classified as sensitive information under the Privacy Act 1988. We only collect sensitive information where it is reasonably necessary for our functions or activities and we have the consent required by law, or where the collection is otherwise required or authorised by law.
We only use or disclose government-related identifiers, such as identification document numbers, where permitted by law.
How We Collect Personal Information
Where reasonably practicable, we collect personal information directly from you. This may occur when you contact us, complete a form, communicate by email or telephone, meet with us, enquire about a property, attend an inspection, enter into an agreement, subscribe to communications, provide documents, use one of our services or otherwise deal with Somners.
Depending on the circumstances, we may also collect personal information from other people or organisations where permitted by law. These may include your authorised representatives, co-owners, buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, applicants and other people involved in a property transaction. Information may also be obtained from solicitors, conveyancers, accountants and other professional advisers, other real estate professionals, contractors and service providers involved in a transaction.
Where relevant to identification, compliance or property services, information may also be obtained from identity verification providers, government agencies, public registers, publicly available sources, property and planning information services, title information services, real estate advertising services and property portals. We may obtain information from another third party where you have authorised us to do so or where collection is otherwise permitted or required by law.
If we receive personal information that we did not request, we will consider whether we could lawfully have collected that information ourselves. Where we are not permitted or required to retain it, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify it where appropriate.
We may also provide a specific privacy collection notice when collecting particular information. A collection notice provides information relevant to that particular collection and should be read together with this Privacy Policy.
Browsing Our Website
You do not need to identify yourself simply to browse the public areas of the Somners website, read our resources or access material that does not require personal details.
Our web servers and supporting infrastructure may automatically process ordinary technical information when a page or file is requested. This can include an IP address, browser and device information, the requested page or file, timestamps, referring information where supplied by the browser, and other basic request or security data.
Depending on the circumstances, some of this technical information may constitute personal information. We use it for purposes such as operating and securing the website, diagnosing technical problems, preventing misuse, maintaining reliability and understanding website usage at an aggregated level.
We do not use this information to track your activity across unrelated websites or to build advertising or behavioural profiles about you.
Cookies And Behavioural Tracking
Somners does not use cookies on this website.
We do not use cookies for analytics, advertising, behavioural tracking or profiling, and we do not use advertising identifiers or cross-site tracking technologies to follow visitors across other websites.
Anonymity
Where it is lawful and practicable, you may interact with Somners without identifying yourself. For example, you may browse our publicly available website resources without providing your identity and may make some general enquiries without providing more information than is necessary to answer them.
There are circumstances where we need to know who you are. Identification may be necessary where it would be impracticable to provide the requested service without identifying you, where we need to establish or perform a contractual or agency relationship, where your identity is relevant to a property transaction, or where identification is required or authorised by law.
This includes circumstances in which Somners must establish or verify identity to comply with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing requirements.
How We Use Personal Information
We use personal information to respond to enquiries, communicate with you and provide our real estate agency and related property services. This can include establishing and maintaining client and business records, administering agency appointments, assisting with property sales, purchases, leasing and other transactions, communicating with people involved in those transactions, and processing offers, instructions, documents, payments and other transaction-related matters.
We may also use personal information to provide information, resources, property updates or other material you have requested, manage subscriptions and communication preferences, operate and secure our website and systems, administer software downloads, diagnose technical problems and maintain the reliability of our services.
Personal information may be used where reasonably necessary to prevent, detect or investigate fraud, misuse, security incidents or unlawful activity, to manage complaints, disputes and legal matters, and to meet accounting, taxation, insurance, auditing, corporate, trust account, real estate and other record-keeping requirements.
We may also use personal information where necessary to comply with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing obligations, other applicable laws, regulatory requirements, court or tribunal orders and lawful requests from government or regulatory authorities.
Where personal information was collected for a particular purpose, we will generally use or disclose it for that purpose. We may also use or disclose it for another purpose where you have consented, where you would reasonably expect that use or disclosure and it is permitted by law, or where another exception or legal authority applies.
Anti-Money Laundering And Counter-Terrorism Financing
Somners is required to comply with applicable obligations under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (Cth), associated rules and related requirements when providing designated services.
These obligations may require us to collect, verify, use and retain personal information for purposes including customer due diligence, identity verification, understanding ownership and control, assessing money laundering, terrorism financing and proliferation financing risk, ongoing customer due diligence, reporting and record keeping.
Information collected for these purposes may include your name, date of birth, residential address, identity document details, information about beneficial owners, agents or representatives, transaction information and other information reasonably necessary to meet our legal obligations.
We may verify information using reliable and independent data sources and, where appropriate, may use identity verification, compliance or technology services to assist with our AML/CTF obligations. We may also be required or authorised to disclose information to the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC), law enforcement agencies or other authorities.
When we collect personal information for customer due diligence or other AML/CTF purposes, further information about that collection is provided in our AML/CTF and Identity Verification notice. That notice should be read together with this Privacy Policy.
Some laws restrict what we are permitted to tell an individual about particular compliance activities, reports, investigations or disclosures. Nothing in this Privacy Policy requires Somners to disclose information where doing so would be prohibited by law.
Disclosure Of Personal Information
We do not sell, rent or trade personal information.
We may disclose personal information where reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, to provide a requested service, to operate our business, with your consent, or where disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.
In connection with a property transaction, this may involve disclosure to buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, applicants, authorised representatives, solicitors, conveyancers, accountants, other professional advisers, real estate professionals and contractors involved in providing the relevant service.
We may also disclose information to organisations that provide services to Somners, including website hosting, communications, email, data storage, business systems, information technology, identity verification, compliance, property advertising and property portal services. Where applicable, information may also be disclosed to financial institutions or payment providers involved in processing payments or transaction funds, insurers, auditors and professional advisers.
Personal information may be disclosed to AUSTRAC, regulators, courts, tribunals, law enforcement agencies, government authorities and other bodies where disclosure is required or authorised by law.
We seek to limit disclosures to the information reasonably required for the relevant purpose.
Direct Marketing And Subscriptions
Where permitted by law, we may use personal information to send newsletters, property information, market updates or other communications that we reasonably believe may be relevant to you.
We only use personal information for direct marketing in circumstances permitted by applicable privacy and electronic communications laws.
Marketing and subscription communications provide a simple way to opt out. You may also ask us at any time to stop using your personal information for direct marketing. We will give effect to an opt-out request within a reasonable period and without charge.
After you unsubscribe, we may retain a minimal record of your opt-out preference where reasonably necessary to ensure that your request continues to be respected.
Software Downloads
Software products downloaded from our website are subject to their applicable licence agreements and any accompanying terms.
If a particular software product separately collects or handles personal information, any additional information about that handling will be provided where applicable.
Third-Party Websites And Resources
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, services, government resources, property information services or other external resources.
Once you leave the Somners website, the privacy practices of the external website or service are governed by that provider. Somners does not control the privacy practices of independent third parties, and you should consider their privacy information where relevant before providing personal information to them.
Overseas Storage And Disclosure
Personal information handled by Somners may be stored or processed using systems or service providers located in Australia and the United States.
Where Australian privacy law requires us to do so, we take reasonable steps to ensure overseas recipients handle personal information consistently with applicable Australian privacy requirements. Exceptions may apply where an overseas disclosure is required or authorised by law.
How We Hold and Protect Personal Information
Personal information may be held electronically or, where appropriate, in physical records. Electronic information may be stored in systems operated by Somners or by service providers acting on our behalf.
We take reasonable technical, organisational and physical steps appropriate to the circumstances to protect personal information from misuse, interference and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
No method of electronic transmission or storage can eliminate every security risk. We therefore review our practices and take reasonable measures designed to reduce foreseeable privacy and security risks.
Retention And Destruction Of Personal Information
We retain personal information only for as long as it is reasonably needed for a purpose for which it may lawfully be used or disclosed, or where retention is required or authorised by law.
Different types of records may need to be retained for different periods. Relevant considerations can include the nature of our relationship with you and legal requirements relating to real estate transactions, contracts, trust accounts, taxation, corporate records, disputes, insurance and anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing.
AML/CTF records must be retained for the periods required by law. Customer due diligence records are generally required to be retained for seven years after the relevant business relationship ends or, in the case of an occasional transaction, for seven years after the transaction is completed. Different retention periods or starting points may apply to other AML/CTF records.
Where identity documents are used for verification, we retain the information and records reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose and applicable record-keeping obligations. The AML/CTF legislation does not, merely for its record-keeping requirements, require us to retain scanned or photocopied identity documents themselves. Where a complete copy of an identity document is collected, we take reasonable steps not to retain that complete copy once it is no longer required for verification, another AML/CTF purpose or another lawful purpose.
When personal information is no longer required for any purpose for which we are permitted to retain it, we take reasonable steps to destroy it or ensure that it is de-identified.
Requests For Deletion
You may ask us to delete personal information that we hold about you. We will consider the request having regard to the purposes for which the information is held and our legal obligations.
Australian privacy law does not provide an unconditional right to require deletion of all personal information. We may need to retain information where it remains reasonably necessary for a permitted purpose or where retention is required or authorised by law.
Where information is no longer required and no lawful basis for retaining it remains, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify it.
Access To Personal Information
You may request access to personal information we hold about you.
To protect privacy and security, we may need to verify your identity before providing access. We may also ask you to provide sufficient information to help us identify the records you are seeking.
We will respond to access requests within a reasonable period. In most cases we aim to respond within 30 days.
There may be circumstances in which access can or must be refused under applicable law. If we refuse access, we will provide the reasons and information about available complaint mechanisms where required and where it is lawful to do so.
Correction Of Personal Information
You may ask us to correct personal information that you believe is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading.
We will take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information we use and disclose is accurate, up to date, complete and relevant having regard to the purpose for which it is being used or disclosed.
We will respond to correction requests within a reasonable period and do not charge for making a correction request or for correcting personal information.
If we refuse a requested correction, we will provide the reasons and information about available complaint mechanisms where required and where it is lawful to do so.
Automated Decision-Making And Artificial Intelligence
Somners does not use automated decision-making systems or artificial intelligence to make decisions about individuals based on their personal information.
We do not use personal information for automated behavioural profiling or AI-based analysis intended to determine an individual’s eligibility for, access to, or treatment in relation to our real estate services.
If our practices in this area materially change, we will review and update this Privacy Policy and any other privacy notices required by law before implementing relevant personal information handling practices.
Data Breaches
We maintain procedures for responding to suspected or confirmed data breaches involving personal information.
If we become aware of circumstances that give us reasonable grounds to suspect that an eligible data breach may have occurred, we will assess the incident in accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act 1988 and take reasonable steps to contain and respond to the incident.
Where a breach meets the requirements of the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme and no exception applies, we will notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and individuals at risk of serious harm as soon as practicable, in accordance with our legal obligations.
Privacy Complaints
If you believe that Somners has mishandled your personal information or breached an applicable privacy obligation, please contact us using the details below and provide sufficient information for us to understand and investigate your concern.
We will acknowledge and investigate privacy complaints appropriately and will generally aim to provide a response within 30 days. If additional time is reasonably required because of the nature or complexity of the matter, we may contact you regarding the progress of the complaint.
If your concern is not resolved, the matter may be escalated internally to senior management of Somners Pty Ltd for further review.
If you remain dissatisfied after giving us a reasonable opportunity to address the complaint, you may be entitled to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
Changes To This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, regulatory requirements, technology, our services or our information-handling practices.
The current version will be published on this website with the date of the most recent update. Where a change materially affects the way we handle personal information, we will take any additional notification steps required in the circumstances.
Contact
For privacy enquiries, access or correction requests, deletion requests or privacy complaints, please contact Somners Pty Ltd at:
Last updated: 21 August 2026
