Privacy Policy

Effective Date: October 14th, 2026

Entity Name: “SPECIALISED HEATING & COOLING PTY LTD”

Website: https://hotwaterspecair.com.au

Contact Phone: (03) 9743 7633

Contact Email: privacy@specair.com.au / sales@specair.com.au

1. Commitment to Privacy

SPECIALISED HEATING & COOLING PTY LTD (“we”, “us”, “our”, or “Specair”) is committed to protecting your privacy and complying with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), including the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and applicable state or territory data protection and fair trading regulations.

This Privacy Policy sets out how we collect, hold, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you browse our website (https://hotwaterspecair.com.au), complete our contact or quote request forms, speak with our customer team, or engage our hot water system supply and installation services.

2. What Personal Information We Collect

The types of personal information we may collect depend on your interaction with us, including:

• Identity & Contact Details: Full name, residential or site installation address, billing address, email address, telephone numbers, and identification verification (such as driver’s license or Medicare card where required to prove eligibility for government rebate schemes).
• Property & System Details: Information regarding your residential or commercial premises, dwelling type, existing hot water system details (brand, fuel type, serial number, location), switchboard specifications, and site photos provided for remote assessment.
• Rebate & Eligibility Data: Proof of property ownership (rates notices), council property details, household income thresholds or pension/concession card numbers (required strictly for means-tested rebates, such as Solar Victoria programs).
• Payment & Transaction Details: Payment methods, bank transfer records, invoicing details, and purchase history. (Note: Credit card payments handled through third-party payment gateways are encrypted and not stored directly on our servers).
• Technical & Usage Information: IP address, browser type, device information, operating system, pages visited, time spent on pages, and referral sources collected via cookies and analytics tools.

3. How We Collect Personal Information

We collect personal information through lawful and fair means, primarily directly from you:

1. Direct Submissions: When you complete our “Get a Free Quote”, “Request A Quote”, or contact forms on our website.
2. Direct Communications: Over the phone ((03) 9743 7633), via email, in-person site assessments, or through warranty and service requests.
3. On-Site Installation: Technicians collecting signed post-installation paperwork, compliance documentation, or photographic proof of decommissioning.
4. Automated Technologies: Website analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Tag Manager, session cookies) collecting aggregated browsing behaviors.
5. Authorized Representatives: Property managers, landlords, or family members acting with your express authority.

4. Purposes of Collecting, Holding, and Using Personal Information

We collect, hold, and use your personal information only for purposes directly related to our business functions, including:

• Assessing site requirements and delivering tailored quotes for heat pump hot water systems.
• Supplying, delivering, installing, commissioning, and decommissioning hot water infrastructure.
• Processing and lodging government rebate claims and environmental certificate assignments (e.g., Victorian Energy Upgrades [VEU], Solar Victoria, Federal Small-scale Technology Certificates [STCs], NSW Peak Demand Reduction Scheme [PDRS] / Energy Savings Scheme [ESS]).
• Generating mandatory compliance documentation, including Victorian Building Authority (VBA) Compliance Certificates and Certificates of Electrical Safety (COES).
• Registering manufacturer product warranties (e.g., NeoPower, Daikin, Haier, Hisense, Panasonic).
• Managing billing, accounting, debt recovery, and customer service inquiries.
• Complying with statutory reporting, safety regulations, and legal obligations.

5. Disclosure of Personal Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may disclose your information to trusted third parties strictly necessary to deliver our services or fulfill legal obligations:

• Government & Regulatory Authorities:
  • Essential Services Commission (ESC) for the VEU program;
  • Clean Energy Regulator (CER) for Federal STCs;
  • Solar Victoria for state-administered rebates;
  • Victorian Building Authority (VBA) and Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) for statutory trade certifications.
• Accredited Certificate Providers (APCs): Environmental certificate aggregators and trading agents engaged to create, validate, and trade STCs and VEECs on your behalf.
• Contractors & Technicians: Licensed plumbers, electricians, delivery drivers, and crane/equipment hire operators engaged to perform your installation.
• Equipment Manufacturers & Distributors: For equipment supply, product registration, and warranty claims.
• Professional & IT Service Providers: Web hosting, database management, cloud backup systems, accounting systems, legal advisers, and payment gateway providers under strict confidentiality agreements.

6. Overseas Data Disclosures

Our core operations, data storage, and trade personnel are located in Australia. However, some cloud infrastructure, web analytics, and email service providers may store data on servers located outside Australia (such as the United States or within the European Union).

Where personal information is transferred overseas, we take reasonable steps to ensure that international recipients handle your data in accordance with standards substantially similar to the Australian Privacy Principles.

7. Direct Marketing and Opt-Out

We may use your contact information to send you updates regarding promotional offers, routine system servicing, or energy efficiency schemes that may benefit you.

• You may opt out of receiving direct marketing communications at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any promotional email, or by contacting us at sales@specair.com.au or calling (03) 9743 7633.
• Opting out of marketing communications does not affect transactional or service-related notifications (such as installation schedules, compliance certificates, or warranty updates).

8. Storage, Security, and Retention

We implement appropriate technical, operational, and physical security measures to protect your personal information against loss, misuse, interference, unauthorized access, alteration, or disclosure:

• Digital data is secured behind firewalls, role-based access restrictions, and industry-standard encryption protocols (SSL/TLS).
• Physical records are kept in secure, restricted-access office facilities.
• Information is retained only as long as necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected, or to satisfy legal, tax, trade licensing, and warranty retention requirements. When no longer required, data is securely destroyed or de-identified.

9. Access to and Correction of Your Personal Information

Under Australian Privacy Principles 12 and 13, you have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and to request corrections if it is inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, or misleading.

• How to Request: Email your request to privacy@specair.com.au or write to our office address with appropriate proof of identity.
• Timing & Cost: We will respond to your request within a reasonable period (usually within 30 days). Access is generally provided free of charge, though we reserve the right to charge a reasonable administrative fee for complex or voluminous retrieval requests.
• Exceptions: In certain circumstances permitted by law (such as where providing access would prejudice legal proceedings or unreasonably impact the privacy of others), we may refuse your request, providing written reasons and details on how to lodge a complaint.

10. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and tracking technologies to ensure seamless navigation, improve website performance, and deliver relevant content.

• You can configure your browser to reject cookies or notify you when a cookie is placed.
• Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of interactive elements on our website (such as quote forms).

11. Complaints and Dispute Resolution

If you have questions, concerns, or believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles or a relevant privacy code, please contact us immediately:

• Attn: Privacy Officer
• Company: SPECIALISED HEATING & COOLING PTY LTD
• Phone: (03) 9743 7633
• Email: privacy@specair.com.au
• Postal Address: Specair Head Office, Melton / Greater Melbourne, VIC, Australia

We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 7 business days and aim to resolve the matter within 30 days.

If you are unsatisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a formal complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

• Website: www.oaic.gov.au
• Phone: 1300 363 992
• Postal Address: GPO Box 5288, Sydney NSW 2001

12. Updates to This Policy

We review and update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our business practices, customer feedback, and legislative amendments. Any updated version will be published on our website with a revised effective date.