PRIVACY POLICY
BT Legal
1. Introduction
BT Legal (“we”, “us”, or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. As a professional legal firm specialising in property law and conveyancing services in Melbourne, Victoria, we understand the sensitive nature of the information entrusted to us by our clients.
This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, disclose, and protect your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). This policy applies to all personal information collected through our website (btlegal.com.au), during the provision of our legal services, and through any other interactions with our firm.
2. About BT Legal
BT Legal is a premier legal firm based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. We provide comprehensive legal solutions tailored to our clients’ needs across the following service areas:
• Residential and Commercial Conveyancing
• Off-the-Plan Contracts
• Related Party Transfers
• Plan of Subdivision Applications
• Transmission and Survivorship Applications
• Lost Title Applications
• Self-Managed Super Funds (SMSF)
• Solicitor Guarantees
• Contract Reviews
3. Information We Collect
3.1 Personal Information
We may collect the following types of personal information depending on the nature of your engagement with us:
Identity Information: Full name, date of birth, gender, marital status, and proof of identity documents (such as driver’s licence, passport, or Medicare card).
Contact Information: Residential address, postal address, email address, telephone numbers, and emergency contact details.
Financial Information: Bank account details, credit card information, tax file numbers, and financial statements (where relevant to property transactions or SMSF matters).
Property Information: Property addresses, title references, property valuations, mortgage details, and settlement information.
Employment Information: Employer details and occupation (where relevant to loan applications or property matters).
Legal Matter Information: Details relating to your legal matter, including correspondence, contracts, legal documents, and case history.
3.2 Sensitive Information
In certain circumstances, we may need to collect sensitive information such as health information (for survivorship or transmission applications) or information about relationships and family circumstances. We will only collect sensitive information with your consent and where it is reasonably necessary for the provision of our legal services.
3.3 Website Information
When you visit our website, we may automatically collect technical information including your IP address, browser type, operating system, pages visited, time spent on pages, and referring website. We may use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience.
4. How We Collect Information
We collect personal information through various means, including:
• Directly from you when you complete our online inquiry form or quote request form
• Through email correspondence, telephone conversations, and in-person meetings
• From documents you provide to us in connection with your legal matter
• From third parties such as real estate agents, financial institutions, government registries, and other legal professionals
• Through publicly available sources and property databases
• Through your use of our website
5. Purpose of Collection
We collect and use your personal information for the following purposes:
• To provide legal services including conveyancing, contract reviews, and property law advice
• To conduct property searches and due diligence
• To prepare and review legal documents, contracts, and applications
• To communicate with you about your legal matter
• To process payments and manage billing
• To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations
• To verify your identity as required by law
• To respond to your inquiries and provide quotes
• To improve our services and website functionality
• To send you information about our services (with your consent)
6. Disclosure of Personal Information
We may disclose your personal information to the following parties in connection with our legal services:
Government Bodies and Registries: Land Victoria, the Victorian Land Registry Services, State Revenue Office, local councils, and other government agencies as required for property transactions and legal compliance.
Financial Institutions: Banks, lenders, and mortgage providers involved in your property transaction.
Other Legal Professionals: Solicitors, conveyancers, and barristers acting for other parties in your transaction.
Property Professionals: Real estate agents, property valuers, surveyors, and building inspectors.
SMSF Trustees and Administrators: Where relevant to self-managed super fund property transactions.
Service Providers: IT service providers, cloud storage providers, and other third parties who assist us in operating our business (subject to strict confidentiality obligations).
We will not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.
7. Data Security
We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it from unauthorised access, modification, disclosure, or destruction. Our security measures include:
• Secure, encrypted electronic storage systems
• Password-protected access to client files and systems
• Secure document transmission using encrypted email where available
• Regular security updates and system maintenance
• Staff training on privacy and data protection
• Secure physical storage for paper documents
• Confidentiality obligations for all staff members
8. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, to comply with our legal and professional obligations, and to protect our legitimate interests. In accordance with legal professional standards and regulatory requirements, we typically retain client files for a minimum of seven (7) years after the completion of a matter, or longer where required by law or professional guidelines.
After the retention period has expired, personal information will be securely destroyed or de-identified.
9. Your Rights
Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:
Right of Access: You may request access to the personal information we hold about you. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe and may charge a reasonable fee to cover administrative costs.
Right of Correction: If you believe that any personal information we hold about you is inaccurate, incomplete, or out-of-date, you may request that we correct it.
Right to Complain: If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to lodge a complaint with us. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in Section 13 of this policy.
10. Cookies and Website Tracking
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to improve your browsing experience, analyse website traffic, and understand how visitors interact with our site. Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our website.
You can control cookies through your browser settings and can choose to disable cookies. However, disabling cookies may affect your ability to use certain features of our website.
We may also use third-party analytics services (such as Google Analytics) to collect and analyse information about website usage. This information is used to improve our website and services.
11. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or other factors. Any updates will be posted on our website with a revised effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal information.
13. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our handling of your personal information, please contact us:
BT Legal
Victoria’s Trusted Property Law and Conveyancing Specialists
Phone: 0430 050 505
Email: info@btlegal.com.au
Website: https://btlegal.com.au/
14. Complaints
If you are not satisfied with our response to a privacy complaint, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner:
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)
Website: www.oaic.gov.au
Phone: 1300 363 992
Email: enquiries@oaic.gov.au
