Fact sheet - Your personal information
Easy guide - Your personal information
Your personal information
Keeping your personal information is kept private and safe is important to us. In Tasmania, there is a law that says your personal information must be kept confidential. This law is called the
Personal Information Protection Act 2004.
This law is designed to protect the use and storage of personal information. Personal information includes such as:
- your name
- your date of birth
- your contact details
- paperwork and other information about you.
Who can use your personal information?
Housing Connect is the way to get housing and support in Tasmania.
Housing Connect works out what housing you need and can also help you find other support services. There are also several social housing providers. Their role is like that of a real estate agent or landlord in the private rental market. Homes Tasmania is one of these providers.
Other social housing providers include:
- Centacare Evolve Housing
- Community Housing Limited
- Housing Choices Tasmania
- Mission Australia Housing
- Salvation Army Housing Tasmania.
When you first speak with Housing Connect, you will be asked if it is OK for them to share your information with the social housing providers.
This may include Homes Tasmania and the other organisations listed above.
What information is collected?
When you apply for a home with Homes Tasmania, we will collect the following information about you:
- your income – how much you are earning
- any assets you have, including things such as shares, property and money in the bank
- any property or land that you own or are currently buying
- any health conditions or disability you may have
- whether or not you are a Tasmanian resident
- any other organisations that are providing you with support.
You will need to provide us with copies of documents and other information such as your:
- passport
- driver's licence
- payslips
- Centrelink details
- paperwork relating to any property or assets that you have.
How does Homes Tasmania use your personal information?
Homes Tasmania may use your personal information to:
- contact you
- contact someone else if there is an emergency
- work out if you can use social housing
- provide you with a service, such as home maintenance or repairs
- write to you about any problems you are having with your tenancy
- contact you if you owe us money
- respond to you if you write to us.
Sometimes, we use information for data collection and research. This helps us to provide better services. If we do this, we will not use your name without asking you.
Finding out about your information
You can ask us about the personal information we keep on file about you.
You can tell us if the information is:
- wrong
- out of date
- misleading
- incomplete.
You can ask us to correct it. If you are not happy with the way your personal information is being stored or managed, please contact us. The best people to talk to are those who work in your local office.
Alberta's story
When Alberta got married, she changed her surname. She wrote to us about this and asked us to update her file.
However, the next few letters she received from us still had her old surname on them. Alberta called her local office and asked them to update the file. Now, all letters are addressed to Alberta under her married name.
For more information contact Housing Connect
Phone: 1800 800 588, 24 hours, seven days per week.