1. Who handles your personal information
Chelmsford Master Locksmiths is the business identified on this website for service enquiries. The contact address is Eckersley Road,Industrial Est, Victoria Road, Chelmsford, Essex and the service email address is [email protected]. This policy explains how personal information connected with enquiries, photo assessments and service arrangements is handled when Australian privacy requirements apply.
Privacy obligations in Australia depend on the circumstances in which an organisation operates and whether the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles apply to it. Where those requirements apply, personal information is managed with the aim of being open and transparent about collection, use, disclosure, security, access and correction.
2. Information we may collect
When you request a preliminary assessment or contact the business, information may include your name, email address, phone details, postcode or location, the type of locked item, photographs you choose to provide, your description of the object and circumstances, and information reasonably needed to understand whether you have authority to request the work. If an on-site service is arranged, further practical information about the property, access conditions, the item being opened and the agreed scope may form part of the service record.
Photographs can contain more information than the lock itself. They may show rooms, furnishings, documents, labels, addresses, people or other personal details. You should avoid including unrelated personal information where it is not needed for the assessment, and you should only provide photographs and information that you are entitled to share.
3. Why information is collected and used
Enquiry information is used to review the visible condition and context of a lock, safe, chest or closed storage item, respond to questions, determine whether an on-site inspection appears appropriate, communicate about scheduling and scope, maintain a record of instructions, verify authority where reasonably necessary, and handle matters arising from an agreed service. Information may also be used to protect the business, clients and property from misuse, fraud, unauthorised access or disputed instructions.
Where consent is required for a particular use, the information is used consistently with that consent. Where other legal bases or permissions apply, information may be handled as reasonably necessary for the service relationship, compliance with law, dispute management, safety, security, or the establishment and exercise of legal rights.
4. Authority and sensitive context
Requests involving estates, inherited property, tenancies, restoration projects, collections or shared ownership can contain information about other people. The business may ask for enough evidence to establish a reasonable basis for the instruction before opening work proceeds. This does not mean every document provided will be retained; the aim is to collect only what is reasonably needed for the circumstances.
Please do not send government identifiers, financial account information, medical information or other sensitive material unless it is genuinely necessary to establish your authority and you have been asked to provide it. If information appears unnecessary for the assessment, the business may ask you to provide a more limited document or image instead.
5. Disclosure and service providers
Personal information may be disclosed to service providers that support ordinary business functions such as website hosting, communications, file storage, security, professional advice or technical support, but only to the extent reasonably needed for the relevant function. Information may also be disclosed where required or authorised by law, to respond to a lawful request, to protect safety or property, or to establish, exercise or defend legal rights.
Where a service provider processes information outside Australia, reasonable steps are taken where required by applicable law to address the handling of personal information across borders. The location of individual providers can change over time, so enquiries about the current handling arrangements can be directed to [email protected].
6. Direct marketing and service messages
An assessment request is used to communicate about the service you asked about. It is not treated as permission to send unrelated promotional messages. If separate marketing communications are introduced, any consent, sender identification and unsubscribe requirements that apply to Australian recipients are to be respected, including requirements under the Spam Act 2003 where relevant.
You can ask for non-essential marketing contact to stop by using the unsubscribe method provided with such a message or by contacting the business. Operational communications that are reasonably necessary to respond to an enquiry or perform an agreed service may still be sent where appropriate.
7. Cookies and online information
The website may use essential browser storage or cookies needed for core functions and may use measurement or advertising technologies when campaigns are active. Information associated with such technologies can include device or browser details, approximate location derived from network information, pages viewed, referral information and interactions with website content. The Cookie Policy describes the categories and their purposes in more detail.
Where applicable law requires consent for a particular technology, that technology should be used consistently with the relevant consent requirement. You can also use browser controls to restrict or delete cookies, although doing so can affect some website functions.
8. Retention and security
Personal information is kept only for as long as it is reasonably required for the enquiry, service record, legal obligations, accounting or dispute purposes that apply to the circumstances. When information is no longer required, reasonable steps are taken to destroy it or de-identify it where this is lawful and practicable.
Reasonable administrative and technical safeguards are used to reduce the risk of loss, misuse, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. No method of electronic transmission or storage can remove every risk, so clients should avoid sending unnecessary sensitive material and should contact the business if they believe information has been sent in error.
9. Access, correction and privacy concerns
Where applicable privacy law gives you a right to request access to personal information held about you or to ask for correction, you may contact [email protected]. Reasonable identity verification may be required before personal information is released or changed. A request may be refused or limited where the law permits or requires that outcome, and an explanation will be provided where required.
Privacy concerns should first be raised with the business so they can be reviewed and addressed. If the Privacy Act 1988 applies and a concern cannot be resolved, you may also have the right to contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. Nothing in this policy limits rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.
10. Data breaches and policy changes
If a data breach occurs, the business will assess the circumstances and take steps appropriate to the risk. Where the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme applies and the legal threshold for notification is met, affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner will be notified as required.
This policy may be updated when service practices, technology or legal requirements change. The date at the top of this page identifies the current published version. Material changes will be reflected in the updated text so that the way information is handled remains clear.