Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

Austop Lending Pty Ltd (ABN 76 703 125 008) is a lending and financial services provider based in Melbourne VIC, Australia. We are an APP entity for the purposes of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and are bound by the Australian Privacy Principles.

2. Information We Collect

Depending on the nature of your engagement with us, we may collect the following types of personal information:

• Your name, contact details and residential address;
• Date of birth and identification documents (such as driver's licence details);
• Employment details and income information;
• Financial information, including assets, liabilities, expenses and credit history;
• Information required to assess loan applications and affordability;
• Enquiry details and records of your communications with us;
• Website usage data collected through cookies and analytics tools.

We do not collect sensitive information (such as health information or biometric data) unless it is reasonably necessary for our functions and you have consented to its collection.

3. How We Collect Information

We collect personal information in a variety of ways, including:

• Directly from you when you complete forms on our website, submit an enquiry, or request a quote;
• During telephone, email or in-person communications;
• From third parties you authorise us to contact, such as employers, accountants or credit reporting bodies;
• From publicly available sources where it is lawful and reasonably necessary;
• Automatically through our website via cookies, server logs and analytics services.

Where it is reasonable and practicable to do so, we collect personal information directly from you.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:

• Assessing and processing loan and finance applications;
• Providing our lending and financial services to you;
• Verifying your identity in accordance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws;
• Responding to your enquiries and providing customer support;
• Preparing quotes and preparing documentation relating to our services;
• Complying with our legal and regulatory obligations;
• Improving our website, products and services;
• Marketing our services, where you have consented or where permitted by law (you may opt out at any time).

5. Disclosure of Personal Information

We may disclose your personal information to:

• Lenders, credit providers and financiers involved in assessing or funding your application;
• Credit reporting bodies, where permitted under the Privacy Act and the Credit Reporting Code;
• Valuers, settlement agents and conveyancers engaged in your transaction;
• Our professional advisers, including accountants, auditors and legal counsel;
• Service providers who assist us with hosting, analytics, communication or administration;
• Government agencies, regulators or courts where required or authorised by law.

We take reasonable steps to ensure that any third party we disclose information to handles that information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles. Where personal information is disclosed to overseas recipients, we will take reasonable steps to ensure they do not breach the APPs.

6. The Australian Privacy Principles

The Australian Privacy Principles govern the way organisations collect, use, disclose and secure personal information. Our practices are designed to comply with each of the thirteen APPs, including:

• APP 1 – Open and transparent management: this Policy sets out how we manage personal information;
• APP 3 & 5 – Collection and notification: we only collect information that is reasonably necessary and will notify you of the purposes of collection;
• APP 6 – Use and disclosure: we use and disclose personal information only for the primary purpose of collection or for related purposes you would reasonably expect;
• APP 8 – Cross-border disclosure: we take reasonable steps to ensure overseas recipients comply with the APPs;
• APP 11 – Security of personal information: we actively protect the information we hold from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access.

7. Data Security and Retention

We hold personal information in secure electronic systems and physical files, protected by access controls, encryption and other appropriate security measures. Access to personal information is restricted to personnel and service providers who need it to perform their functions.

We retain personal information only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting and record-keeping obligations. When information is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify it securely.

8. Notifiable Data Breaches

In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in serious harm to any individual, we will assess the breach and, where required under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and affected individuals as soon as practicable.

9. Access and Correction

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and to request its correction if you believe it is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading. We will respond to such requests within a reasonable period. There is generally no charge for making a request; however, we may charge a reasonable fee for providing access in some circumstances.

To request access to or correction of your personal information, please email ceo@austoplending.online.

10. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to improve functionality, analyse traffic and enhance your browsing experience. Cookies may collect information such as pages visited, time spent on the site and referring pages. You can configure your browser to refuse cookies or delete existing cookies; however, some features of the website may not function fully as a result.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit.

12. Making a Privacy Complaint

If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles or mishandled your personal information, you may lodge a complaint with us by emailing ceo@austoplending.online. Please include details of the alleged breach.

We will acknowledge your complaint promptly and aim to resolve it within thirty (30) days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may escalate your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the law or our business arrangements. The most current version will always be published on this page. This Policy was last updated in 2025.

14. Contact Us

For any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer:

Austop Lending Pty Ltd
ABN 76 703 125 008
Melbourne VIC, Australia
Email: ceo@austoplending.online