Privacy

This privacy statement details how the Licensed Building Practitioner Scheme will deal with your personal information.

The Licensed Building Practitioner Scheme complies with the Privacy Act 2020. This statement does not limit or exclude any of your rights under the Privacy Act. If you want further information on those rights visit www.privacy.org.nz(external link).

How do we collect information about you?

We collect personal information about you from information you provide us (for example on forms, applications, subscriptions, and accounts). You do not have to provide us with information but not providing information may affect the services we can provide you.

Sometimes we can require you to provide us information (for example when you apply to be a Licenced Building Practitioner). If you do not provide this information we may be unable to progress your application or you may be in breach of your obligations in the Building Act 2004.

See below for what other information we might collect about you.

We record your calls

We record all telephone calls answered in our contact centre. This helps us to keep an accurate record, train staff, and to identify ways that we can provide better customer service.

How will we use your personal information?

We will generally only use personal information for the purpose you provided it (to provide you with a service). We may also use personal information provided to us through this website for other reasons permitted under the Privacy Act but we will only do so when it is reasonable to do so (e.g. for example when the law requires us).

How will we disclose your personal information?

We will disclose information when you authorise us to share it (for example to resolve a complaint). We will not otherwise disclose personal information unless it is lawful and reasonable. For example, we may be required to disclose information under the Official Information Act 1982 or in response to a Parliamentary Question.

We also publish information on the Licensed Building Practitioner Register. This includes the names, status and license histories of LBPs. We are required to publish this information by the Building Act 2004, so that anyone can find a suitable LBP or check that a person is an LBP.

How can you access or correct your information?

You can access or correct the information we hold about you by calling 0800 661 000 or writing to:

Privacy Officer
Licensed Building Practitioner Scheme
15 Stout Street
P O Box 1473
Wellington 6140

We will provide you all of the information you request unless we have lawful reason for withholding information.

If MBIE has a good reason for refusing a request for correction (for example because we hold a different opinion) we will attach to the information a statement that you sought a correction what you believe the information should say.

Do we use cookies?

We use cookies to improve functionality, improve security and measure the performance of the website. Cookies are small files that are sent by a website and stored on your computer's hard drive.

You can manually disable cookies at any time - check your browser's 'Help' to find out how. This may affect the functionality of certain features on the website (including login access).

What information we might collect about you

We collect information to help us improve this website. This information is aggregated to show how our website performs. The information includes browsing characteristics, for example:

  • Search terms
  • Pages viewed, and
  • Date, time and duration.

This information also includes technical characteristics, for example:

  • Screen resolution
  • Language settings
  • Operating system, and
  • The type of web browser.

The statistical information does not identify you or your individual browsing behavior.

To collect this information we use Google Analytics. You can read Google’s privacy statement or opt-out, at the Google Privacy Center.

How will we store your information?

We will take reasonable steps to store your information securely. The information you provide us may be accessed on our behalf by staff, contractors and authorised service providers where access is necessary to use the information or to administer the scheme.

We will only retain personal information for as long as it is required for the purposes for which it may lawfully be used or it is a public record. We store public records (which can include personal information) in accordance with the Public Records Act 2005.

How do we keep information secure?

MBIE websites have security measures in place to prevent the loss, misuse and alteration of information. In order to maintain the cyber security of MBIE systems and information, MBIE systems are subject to ongoing monitoring (including activity logging), analysis and auditing.

We may use information about your use of our websites and other IT systems to prevent unauthorised access or attacks on these systems or to resolve such events. We may use this information even if you are not involved in such activity.

MBIE may utilise services from one or more third party suppliers to monitor or maintain the cyber security of its systems and information. These third party suppliers will have access to monitoring and logging information as well as information processed on MBIE websites and other IT systems.

Changes

From time-to-time we may change this policy. The statement will apply from the date it is published.