Privacy Policy

1. About This Policy

Howitt Powered (ABN 99 383 833 134) is committed to protecting your privacy and personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and disclose your personal information when you use our electrical services or visit our website at howittpowered.com.au.

We are bound by the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and comply with all applicable privacy laws in New South Wales and Australia.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of personal information:

Contact Information

• Name and contact details (phone number, email address, postal address)
• Property address where electrical services are required
• Emergency contact information

Service Information

• Details about electrical services requested or provided
• Property type and electrical system information
• Service history and maintenance records
• Photos of electrical work (with your consent)
• Safety inspection results and compliance certificates

Financial Information

• Billing and payment information
• Quote and invoice details
• Insurance claim information (where applicable)

Website Usage Information

• Information collected through our website forms
• Website analytics data (aggregated and anonymised)
• Cookies and similar technologies for website functionality

3. How We Collect Information

We collect personal information through:

• Website contact forms and service estimators
• Phone calls when you contact us for quotes or services
• Email communications
• On-site consultations and service visits
• Our business management systems
• Security verification systems for form protection

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

Service Delivery

• Providing electrical services and consultations
• Scheduling appointments and service visits
• Preparing quotes and estimates
• Issuing compliance certificates and documentation
• Emergency electrical response services

Business Operations

• Processing payments and managing accounts
• Maintaining service records and warranties
• Ensuring compliance with electrical safety regulations
• Quality assurance and service improvement
• Legal and regulatory compliance

Communication

• Responding to enquiries and providing customer support
• Sending appointment confirmations and service updates
• Following up on completed work and customer satisfaction

Note: We do not send marketing communications or newsletters. All communications from us relate directly to your electrical service needs.

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your personal information with:

Service Providers

• Field service management platforms: For job scheduling and documentation
• Accounting software: For invoicing and financial management
• Email and document platforms: For communication and document management
• Website hosting providers: For website hosting and analytics (anonymised data only)
• Security verification services: For form security and spam protection

Professional Partners

• Electrical suppliers for warranty and product support
• Insurance companies (with your consent for claims)
• Real estate agents or property managers (where you've engaged us through them)
• Other licensed tradespeople working on the same project (with your consent)

Legal Requirements

• NSW Fair Trading for licensing and compliance purposes
• Electrical safety authorities for incident reporting
• Courts, tribunals, or law enforcement (where legally required)
• Professional indemnity insurers

6. Data Security and Storage

We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

Security Measures

• Encrypted data transmission and storage
• Secure cloud-based business systems with enterprise-grade security
• Access controls and password protection
• Regular security updates and monitoring
• Staff training on privacy and data protection

Data Storage

Your information is primarily stored in Australia through our service providers. Some information may be stored overseas through global cloud infrastructure providers that offer equivalent privacy protections to Australian standards.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for different periods depending on the type of information and legal requirements:

• Service records and compliance certificates: 7 years (as required by electrical safety regulations)
• Financial records: 5 years (as required by tax law)
• Contact information: As long as we have an ongoing relationship or as required by law
• Website analytics: Standard retention periods as per industry practices

We will securely delete or de-identify your personal information when it's no longer required for business or legal purposes.

8. Your Rights

Under Australian privacy law, you have the right to:

• Access: Request copies of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or outdated information
• Complaint: Lodge a complaint about our handling of your personal information
• Anonymity: In some circumstances, deal with us anonymously or using a pseudonym

To exercise these rights or for any privacy-related enquiries, please contact us using the details in Section 10.

9. Cookies and Website Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies for:

• Essential website functionality and security verification
• Analytics to improve our website performance (privacy-focused and GDPR compliant)
• Remembering your preferences and form submissions

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to access or correct your personal information, or want to make a complaint, please contact us:

We will respond to your enquiry within 30 days. If you're not satisfied with our response, you can lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will post the updated policy on our website with a new "last updated" date. For significant changes, we may notify you directly via email or when you next use our services.