Introduction

Gallant Design (“we”, “us”, or “our”) is an architectural design website based in Sydney, Australia. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is handled in compliance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you use our website or services.

By using our website or providing us with your personal information, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. We encourage you to read this policy carefully to understand our practices regarding your information. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, please do not use our website or services.

Information Collection

Types of personal information we collect: We may collect a range of personal information from you, including:

• Contact details: such as your name, email address, phone number, and postal address.
• Project information: any details you provide about your architectural project or design preferences.
• Enquiry or account information: information you provide when filling out forms on our site (for example, when you contact us through our online form or subscribe to our newsletter).
• Technical information: such as your IP address, browser type, device information, and browsing actions on our site (e.g., pages visited, time spent on the site), which may be collected through cookies and similar tracking technologies.

How we collect personal information: We collect personal information in several ways, including:

• Directly from you: when you fill out forms on our website (such as a contact or quote request form), communicate with us via email or phone, or otherwise provide information during our interactions (for example, when you give us feedback or submit an inquiry).
• Automatically: when you use our website, we use cookies and analytics tools to automatically collect certain technical data (see Cookies and Tracking below for more details). This may include information about your device, browsing patterns, and general location data (such as your city or region based on your IP address).
• Through third parties: in some cases, we may receive information from third parties. For instance, if you interact with us on social media or through a third-party referral, those platforms might send us some of your information. We will only collect information from third parties where it is lawful and reasonable to do so.

We will only collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for our business functions or activities. Wherever feasible, you may choose to remain anonymous or use a pseudonym when dealing with us (for example, when just browsing our website). However, certain services (like responding to your inquiry or providing design services) require your identifiable information, and we may not be able to assist you without it.

Use of Information

We use the personal information we collect for purposes consistent with the reasons you provided it to us, or as otherwise permitted by law. Specifically, we may use your information to:

• Communicate with you: to respond to your inquiries, questions, or requests for quotes/consultations. For example, we will use your contact information to reply to a message you send us through our contact form or to discuss your project requirements.
• Provide our services: to plan, design, and deliver the architectural design services you have requested. This includes using your information to understand your design needs, to prepare proposals or contracts, and to carry out our design work and related services for you.
• Send updates and marketing: to send you newsletters, updates, or marketing communications about our services, projects, or events that may interest you. We will only send you marketing materials if you have consented to receive them (for example, by subscribing to our mailing list), and you can opt out at any time.
• Improve our website and services: to analyze and improve our website’s functionality and user experience. For example, we may use analytics data to understand how users navigate our site or to troubleshoot performance issues. We might also use feedback or survey responses to enhance our services and offerings.
• Administrative and legal purposes: to manage our business operations, such as maintaining records, processing payments (if applicable), and enforcing our terms and conditions. We may also use your information to comply with legal obligations (for example, keeping records for tax purposes) or to resolve disputes and handle claims.

We will not use your personal information for purposes other than those you have consented to or which are related to the original purpose of collection, unless otherwise permitted or required by law. If we need to use your information for a new purpose not covered here, we will seek your consent or provide you with appropriate notice as required by law.

Disclosure of Information

We understand the importance of keeping your personal information private. We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties. However, we may disclose your information to certain third parties in the following circumstances:

• Service providers and contractors: We may share your information with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate our business and website or deliver services to you. For example, this can include:
  • Contractors or partners involved in your project: If you engage us for a design project, we might need to share relevant details with third parties such as engineers, builders, or specialist consultants working on the project.
  • IT and technical service providers: Companies that provide services like website hosting, data storage (cloud services), email delivery, or customer relationship management. For instance, if our website is hosted by a third-party company or if we use an email newsletter service, those providers may process personal information on our behalf.
  • Analytics providers: We use third-party analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) to understand how users interact with our site. These partners may receive certain technical or usage information (see Cookies and Tracking below). They generally do not receive information like your name or contact details, but they may collect data related to your device or browsing activities.
• Legal obligations and protection: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, or if we believe in good faith that such action is necessary to comply with legal obligations or government requests (for example, responding to a court order or subpoena). We may also share information when we believe it’s necessary to prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing, such as fraud, security breaches, or potential harm to any person or property.
• Business transfers: If Gallant Design undergoes a business change such as a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, personal information held by us may be transferred to the new owner or entity as part of that transaction. If such a transfer occurs, we will ensure that your personal information remains protected in accordance with this Privacy Policy (or we will inform you and obtain consent if required by law).
• With your consent: In all other cases, we will seek your consent before sharing your personal information with third parties. For instance, if you request a referral or ask us to coordinate with another service provider on your behalf, we will share your information only with your approval.

When we disclose personal information to third parties, we take reasonable steps to ensure those parties handle your information securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and Australian privacy laws. Some of our service providers or partners may be located outside Australia. In such cases, we will only transfer personal information overseas if we have taken appropriate measures to ensure the recipient protects your information to the same standard as required in Australia, or if we obtain your consent for the cross-border disclosure.

Data Storage and Security

We take the security of your personal information seriously. We store personal information in a combination of secure computer storage systems and (in some cases) in physical files at our office. To safeguard your information from loss, misuse, unauthorized access, or alteration, we implement a range of security measures, including:

• Secure storage and encryption: Personal data collected through our website is transmitted using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption and stored on secure servers. We use firewalls, encryption technologies, and secure data centers to protect electronic data. If we keep physical documents, they are stored in a locked and secure location.
• Access controls: Access to personal information is restricted to authorized personnel who need it to perform their job duties. Our team members and contractors are bound by confidentiality obligations and are trained to understand the importance of protecting personal data.
• Regular monitoring and maintenance: We regularly update our systems and security practices to protect against vulnerabilities. Our website is monitored for unusual activity to prevent unauthorized access, and we have procedures in place to detect and respond to security incidents. In the event of a data breach that is likely to cause serious harm, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) as required by law.

While we strive to protect your personal information, please remember that no method of electronic storage or transmission over the internet is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data. However, we will promptly inform you and take appropriate action if we become aware of any breach of security involving your personal information.

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, or as required by law. When your personal information is no longer needed, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify it, provided it is lawful for us to do so.

User Rights

Under Australian privacy laws, you have certain rights in relation to your personal information. We are committed to upholding these rights, which include:

• Accessing your information: You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you. To make such a request, please contact us (see Contact Information below). We will respond within a reasonable time and provide the information in a suitable format. In some cases, we might not be able to provide access (for example, if it unreasonably affects the privacy of others or if we are legally prevented from doing so), but we will always explain the reason if that happens.
• Correcting your information: We want to ensure that your personal information is accurate and up to date. If you believe any information we hold about you is incorrect, incomplete, or outdated, you have the right to request a correction. Simply contact us with the details, and we will promptly update our records.
• Deleting your information: You can request that we delete or remove personal information we hold about you in certain circumstances. For example, if the information is no longer necessary for the purpose it was collected, you may ask us to erase it. We will take reasonable steps to accommodate such requests, provided we do not need to retain the information for legal, auditing, or legitimate business purposes. If we cannot delete your information, we will let you know why (for instance, we may need to keep certain records to comply with legal obligations).
• Withdrawing consent: If you have given us consent to use your personal information for a specific purpose (such as receiving our newsletter or other marketing communications), you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. You can opt out of marketing emails by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in those emails or by contacting us directly. Please note that withdrawing consent will stop future uses of your information for that purpose, but it won’t affect any processing already done.
• Making a privacy complaint: If you believe we have breached your privacy or this Privacy Policy, you have the right to lodge a complaint. We encourage you to contact us first with your concerns so we can address the issue. We take all privacy complaints seriously and will investigate your complaint and respond to you with the outcome. If you are not satisfied with our handling of your complaint, you can escalate it to the OAIC.

To exercise any of these rights or for more information, please refer to the Contact Information section at the end of this policy. We may need to verify your identity before actioning requests (to ensure we don’t disclose information to the wrong person). We do not generally charge a fee for requests, but if your request is unusually complex or time-consuming, we will let you know in advance if any cost may apply.

Cookies and Tracking

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience and collect information about how you use our site:

• Cookies: Cookies are small data files stored on your browser when you visit our site. We use cookies to remember your preferences and to make your browsing experience more convenient (for example, by keeping you logged in or retaining your settings on the site). Cookies also help us understand how visitors use our site. They can tell us whether you are a new or returning visitor and which pages you find most interesting.
• Analytics: We use third-party analytics tools (like Google Analytics) that employ cookies and scripts to gather information about how visitors interact with our website. This information may include your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and the date/time of your visits. We use these analytics insights to improve our website’s content, layout, and performance. The data collected by these analytics services is generally aggregated and does not directly identify you. However, such data may be processed by the analytics provider on servers outside Australia (for example, Google may process data in the United States). These providers are responsible for how they handle your data under their own privacy policies.
• Third-party features: Some features on our site might come from third parties, which could set their own cookies. For example, if we embed a video from YouTube or include a Google Map, those third-party services may place cookies to collect information about how you interact with their content. Similarly, social media sharing buttons (like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn) may use cookies to manage sharing functionality or for their own analytics. We do not control these cookies, and their use is governed by the privacy policies of the third-party providers.
• Your choices: When you first visit our website, you may see a notice about our use of cookies. By continuing to use our site, you consent to our use of cookies as described in this policy. You have the option to disable cookies or adjust your cookie settings through your web browser. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies; however, please note that if you disable cookies, some parts of our website may not function properly or your experience may be affected (for example, certain preferences might not be saved). If you want to opt out of Google Analytics specifically, Google provides a browser add-on to prevent data collection. Additionally, you can usually manage preferences for other third-party cookies through your browser settings.
• “Do Not Track” signals: Some web browsers offer a “Do Not Track” (DNT) feature that lets you tell websites you do not want to be tracked. There is currently no industry standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals. As a result, our site may not respond differently to a browser with a DNT signal. We will continue to monitor developments around DNT and will update our practices if a uniform standard is established.

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not operated by Gallant Design. These links are provided for your convenience and reference (for example, to view a supplier’s site, relevant articles, or partner services). However, once you click on a third-party link and leave our site, please be aware that we do not have control over the content or practices of that external website.

This Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of any site that we do not own or control. We recommend that you review the privacy policy of any external website you visit via links from our site to understand how they collect and use your information. Clicking on these links is at your own discretion, and Gallant Design will not be liable for any issues arising from your use of external websites.

Policy Updates

Gallant Design may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or to ensure compliance with new laws and regulations. We reserve the right to modify this policy at any time, and any updates will be effective once the revised Privacy Policy is posted on our website.

When we make significant changes to our privacy practices, we will update the “Last updated” date at the bottom of this policy. In the case of major changes, we may also provide additional notice of the update (for example, a prominent notice on our website or an email notification if we have your email address and the changes are material). We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your personal information.

By continuing to use our website or services after any changes to this Privacy Policy are posted, you acknowledge and agree to the updated terms of the policy.

Contact Information

We value your privacy and welcome your questions or concerns. If you would like to access or correct your personal information, or if you have any questions or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us:

• Email: gallantproperty@gmail.com
• Phone: +61 432 525 431 (Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM AEST)
• Mail: Gallant Design, 17 Patrick St, Blacktown NSW 2148, Australia

We will do our best to respond to your inquiry or resolve your complaint promptly and fairly. If you make a privacy complaint, we will investigate the matter and inform you of the outcome. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) to seek further review or assistance.

Thank you for reading our Privacy Policy. Your trust is important to us, and we are committed to protecting your personal information and privacy in all aspects of our business.

Last updated: 18 March 2025