Privacy Policy
Effective Date: 3 October 2025
Last Updated: 3 October 2025
Alternate Finance (“Alternate Finance”, “we”, “our”, “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information in accordance with the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020, as well as international best practice.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, protect, and store your personal information when you interact with us, apply for finance, or use our website https://alternatefinance.co.nz.
1. What Information We Collect
We may collect the following categories of personal information:
• Identification details: name, date of birth, driver’s licence, passport, or other identity documents.
• Contact details: email address, phone number, residential and postal address.
• Financial information: bank account details, income, employment details, assets, liabilities, credit history, repayment history, transaction records.
• Additional information: alternative contacts (for location purposes), citizenship status, marital status, landlord details.
• Digital information: IP address, device identifiers, browser type, pages visited, cookies, and analytics data.
• Communications: emails, phone calls, forms, or other correspondence.
• Other information you choose to provide when applying for finance or engaging with us.
2. How We Collect Information
We collect personal information:
• Directly from you when you apply for finance, use our website, or contact us.
• From third parties with your consent, such as credit reporting agencies, employers, banks, referees, and landlords.
• Automatically through cookies and similar technologies when you visit our website.
3. Purpose of Collection and Use
We use your personal information for the following purposes:
• To assess and process loan and finance applications.
• To verify your identity and comply with anti-money laundering (AML/CFT) obligations.
• To manage your account, repayments, and customer relationship.
• To communicate with you regarding products, services, or support.
• To conduct credit checks and share repayment history with credit reporting agencies.
• To comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
• To improve our website, services, and customer experience through analytics.
• With your consent, to send you marketing material (you may opt out at any time).
4. Legal Basis for Processing
We process personal information on the following bases:
• Contractual necessity – to provide you with finance or related services.
• Legal obligation – to meet obligations under the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act, AML/CFT Act, and Privacy Act.
• Consent – for optional uses such as marketing or non-essential cookies.
• Legitimate interests – including fraud prevention, system security, and service improvement.
5. Disclosure of Your Information
We may disclose your personal information to:
• Credit reporting agencies for credit checks and repayment reporting.
• Service providers and contractors who support our operations (IT, analytics, collections, payment processing).
• Regulators and authorities where required by law.
• Professional advisers such as auditors or legal counsel.
• Third parties with your consent, e.g., where you ask us to provide details to another lender.
We will never sell your personal information.
6. Overseas Transfers
Some of our service providers (e.g., analytics or cloud hosting providers such as Google) may store or process data outside New Zealand. Where this occurs, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your personal information.
7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies, pixel tags, and similar technologies to:
• Ensure our website functions properly.
• Analyse site usage through tools like Google Analytics.
• Improve our services and user experience.
You can disable cookies via your browser settings. Essential cookies are required for the website to function. Non-essential cookies are only used with your consent. See our [Cookie Policy] for more details.
8. Your Rights
Under the Privacy Act, you have the right to:
• Access your personal information.
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Withdraw consent for marketing or cookies at any time.
• Complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner if you believe your privacy rights have been breached.
To exercise these rights, contact us at [insert Alternate Finance contact email].
9. Data Retention
We retain your personal information only as long as necessary:
• To achieve the purposes outlined above.
• To meet legal, regulatory, and financial record-keeping obligations.
• To resolve disputes and uphold our agreements.
When no longer needed, personal data is securely deleted, anonymised, or archived as required by law.
10. Security
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to safeguard your personal information, including:
• Secure servers, firewalls, and encryption.
• Access controls and staff training.
• Ongoing monitoring and audits.
However, no system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute protection.
11. Automated Decision-Making
When assessing finance applications, we may use automated credit scoring systems. These evaluate factors such as repayment history and financial information. You may request human review of any decision that significantly affects you.
12. Children
Our services are not intended for people under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
13. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Updates will be published on our website with a revised “Last Updated” date. If material changes are made, we will notify you directly where practical.
14. Contact Us
For privacy queries, access requests, or complaints, please contact:
Privacy Officer
Alternate Finance
Email: mailto:info@alternatefinance.co.nz
Phone: 0800 695 626
Address: 3 Shirley Road, Christchurch 8013
If we cannot resolve your complaint, you may contact:
Office of the Privacy Commissioner
www.privacy.org.nz
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