January of 2005 adopted a new real estate privacy policy enacted for Canada. With that enactment you as a consumer have more protection and power to ensure how you private information is handled.
Privacy, privacy, privacy………..
That is all we hear these days. I need more privacy. Well, we are doing our best to accommodate your privacy in our industry.

Recently a client asked me a question about another client that had purchased a property. I politely answered that I couldn’t answer the question as it was private information. He questioned my answer. He didn’t think what he had asked was a big deal. I said that it may not be a big deal to him, but it may be to the client.

In any event a privacy policy has been adopted by all the Provinces in Canada (some longer than others) As of January 2005. This is what it looks like.

TRADEWINDS REALTY PRIVACY POLICY and the Nova Scotia Real Estate Industry as a whole

PRINCIPLE 1
ACCOUNTABILITY
Members are responsible for the proper management of all personal information under their control, and shall designate one or more persons to be accountable for compliance.

PRINCIPLE 2
IDENTIFYING THE PURPOSES
OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
Members shall identify the purposes of collecting information before or at the time the information is collected.

PRINCIPLE 3
OBTAINING CONSENT
The knowledge and consent of the consumer are required for the collection, use or disclosure of personal information except where inappropriate.

PRINCIPLE 4
LIMITING COLLECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
Members shall limit the collection of personal information to that which is necessary for the purposes identified.

PRINCIPLE 5
LIMITING USE, DISCLOSURE AND RETENTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
Members shall use or disclose personal information only for the reason it was collected, except with the consent of the consumer or as required by law.

PRINCIPLE 6
ACCURACY OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
Members shall keep personal information as accurate, complete, current and relevant as necessary for its identified purpose.

PRINCIPLE 7
PROTECTING INFORMATION
Members shall protect personal information with safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.

PRINCIPLE 8
OPENNESS CONCERNING
POLICIES AND PRACTICES
Members shall make readily available to consumers specific information about their policies and practices relating to the management of personal information.

PRINCIPLE 9
CONSUMER ACCESS TO
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Upon request, members shall inform a consumer of the existence, use and disclosure of his or her personal information and shall give the individual access to that information.

PRINCIPLE 10
CHALLENGING COMPLIANCE
A consumer shall be able to address a challenge concerning compliance with the above principles to the designated accountable person or persons in the member office.

EMAIL Tim Harris with a comment

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