Privacy policy

Who we are

Back Channel Property is operated by Back Channel Property (ABN 81 250 172 198). We run a private network of off-market property listings for buyers agents. In this policy "we", "us" and "our" mean Back Channel Property, and "you" means anyone whose personal information we hold.

What we collect

We collect the following, and nothing we do not need:

• Account details. Your name, email address, phone number, member type, employer or agency name, job title, licence number and profile photo, where you give them to us.
• Sign-in records. We authenticate by emailing a six-digit code. We keep the fact and time of each sign-in, and the session tokens that keep you signed in.
• Agency membership. Which agency you belong to, your role in it, and invitations you send or accept.
• How you use the network. Saved searches, alert preferences, listings you create or view, and the ordinary server logs that record requests to our systems, including IP address.
• Billing details. Your subscription status, plan and invoice history. Card numbers are entered directly with Stripe and never reach our servers.
• Listing information. Property details you publish to the network, and listing details we import from agency websites. Imported listings can include the name, phone number and email address that the agency has published for the listing agent.

Information we collect about other people

Some information in the network is about people who are not our members. Where an agency publishes a listing on its own public website naming the listing agent, we may import that listing and the contact details published alongside it, so a buyers agent knows who to approach. We collect only what the agency itself has already made public, and we remove a listing on request from the agency or the agent named in it. Contact us at support@backchannelproperty.com to have a listing or contact detail removed.

We do not collect information about the owners or occupants of the properties listed, beyond the address of the property itself.

Why we collect it

• To create and run your account and verify that you are who you say you are.
• To show off-market listings to the members entitled to see them.
• To send the alerts you have asked for when a listing matches a saved search.
• To take payment, manage subscriptions and issue invoices.
• To keep the network trustworthy — moderating listings, investigating misuse and enforcing our terms.
• To answer your questions and provide support.
• To meet our legal obligations.

Who we share it with

We do not sell personal information, and we do not disclose it for anyone else's marketing. We share it only with:

• Other members of the network. A listing you publish, and the contact details attached to it, are visible to subscribed members. That is the purpose of the service — treat anything you publish as disclosed to every member.
• Stripe, who process payments and hold your card details under their own privacy policy.
• Google, who provide address lookup and geocoding. Addresses you search for and listing addresses are sent to Google Maps Platform to resolve them to a location.
• Amazon Web Services, who host our systems and deliver our email.
• Professional advisers, and law enforcement or regulators where we are required or permitted by law to disclose.

Where your information is held

Our databases and file storage run on Amazon Web Services in the Sydney region (ap-southeast-2), so your information is held in Australia. Two of our providers may handle it overseas: Stripe and Google both operate globally and may process information in the United States and elsewhere. By using the service you agree to that disclosure. We take reasonable steps to ensure both handle personal information consistently with the Australian Privacy Principles, but we cannot control an overseas recipient to the same degree as an Australian one.

Security

Access to member data is restricted to the staff who need it. Traffic to our systems is encrypted in transit, credentials are held in a managed secrets store, and we authenticate by emailed code rather than passwords you might reuse elsewhere. No system is perfectly secure. If a data breach occurs that is likely to cause you serious harm, we will notify you and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner as the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme requires.

Alerts and marketing

We send two kinds of email: messages you need in order to use your account, such as sign-in codes, receipts and listing alerts you have asked for; and occasional messages about the service itself. You can turn off saved-search alerts at any time in your saved searches, and every non-essential email carries an unsubscribe link, as the Spam Act 2003 (Cth) requires. Account and billing emails cannot be turned off while your account is open.

Cookies

We set cookies only to keep you signed in and to keep the site working. We do not run advertising trackers, and we do not use third-party analytics that profile you across other websites. Blocking our cookies will sign you out.

How long we keep it

We keep account information while your account is open and for as long afterwards as we need it to meet our legal and tax obligations — generally seven years for billing records. Listing records are kept as part of the network's history, and imported listings are removed when the source agency stops publishing them. You can ask us to delete your account at any time.

Getting access, and correcting or deleting your information

Most of what we hold about you is on your profile screen, and you can change it there. For anything else, email support@backchannelproperty.com and we will give you access to the personal information we hold, correct it, or delete it. We will respond within 30 days. There is no charge, and if we refuse a request we will tell you why in writing.

Complaints

If you think we have mishandled your personal information, email support@backchannelproperty.com and we will investigate and respond within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our answer, you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at oaic.gov.au or on 1300 363 992.

Changes to this policy

We will update this page when our practices change, and change the date at the top. If a change materially affects how we handle your personal information, we will tell you by email before it takes effect.

Contact us

Privacy questions and requests go to support@backchannelproperty.com.