Privacy Policy of Bill Reader by Save A Watt

This Privacy Policy sets out how we will handle personal information that we collect about you, through our domain Bill Reader Dot Co Dot NZ (“Website”), and in the course of our activities relating to Saveawatt Residential.

Saveawatt Residential is a business that creates content platforms, technology tools and digital campaigns. Our current consumer network is Saveawatt Residential (“our consumer networks”) and content platform includes Saveawatt Residential, (“our content platforms”). Our content platforms comprise websites and other digital media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. Amongst other things, we source potential discounts and group switching opportunities for members of our consumer networks for a range of consumer products, services and utilities.

Both the Website and Saveawatt Residential are operated by Save A Watt Limited (that’s us, also referred to below as “SAW”).

In this privacy policy, “personal information” has the same meaning as in the Privacy Act 2020 (information about an identifiable individual).

We can change this Privacy Policy from time to time, as outlined under the second-to-last heading below.

You control your personal information

If you’re not happy with any aspect of the way we hold, use or share your personal information, you can end your relationship with SAW at any time, by giving us at least 3 business days’ notice.

When your SAW relationship comes to an end, we will remove all records directly held by us about you on our servers, including all of your personal information, except that for legal and audit purposes we may retain any correspondence that we have with you, plus our record of you having agreed to our terms and conditions and privacy policy.
Please note that where we have shared your information with third parties (as outlined in this Privacy Policy), we do not have any control over the way that those third parties may store your personal information, and those third parties may continue to hold that information.

Application of this policy

This policy applies to the personal information we collect from or about you. This may occur when you:

  • use one of our content platforms;
  • register your interest with one of our content platforms;
  • become or remain a member of one of our consumer networks;
  • contact us;
  • participate in one of our consumer network campaigns;
  • upload any photos or information about yourself on one of our content platforms;
  • obtain a quote for one of our consumer network offers
  • apply for a job with us; or
  • provide your personal information to us in any other way.

How we collect your personal information

We will generally collect personal information directly from you.

We may obtain personal information about you based on your activity on one of our content platforms (including through the use of cookies). Sensitive information about you is only collected with your consent and if it is necessary for or directly related to our functions or activities, except if we are otherwise required or permitted by law to collect, use or disclose it.

We may obtain your personal information via a third party partner.

We may also collect photographs and/or personal information you upload on one of our content platforms during the course of a campaign or from our usual activities. Our consumer networks may post and use your photographs and/or personal information both on their websites, their social media sites (including Facebook) and in any other content or copy we may use for the purpose of our functions, activities and/ or campaigns (unless, in relation to direct marketing, you ask us not to).

If you do not provide the personal information requested by us or a third party partner, you may be unable to enjoy the full benefits of membership with our consumer networks, or participate in, or be notified of, relevant offerings and switching opportunities.

If we receive your personal information without soliciting it we will, within a reasonable period after receiving it, determine whether or not we could have collected it if we had sought it. If so, we will treat it in accordance with this policy.

If we could not have collected it, we will, as soon as practicable and provided it is lawful and reasonable to do so, destroy your unsolicited personal information or ensure that it is de-identified.

Purpose of collecting your personal information

We collect personal information (including sensitive information) about our members or potential members and job applicants in order to conduct our business of sourcing, identifying and referring potential member discounts or discount related products or group or individual switching opportunities for our members, and offering (sometimes via our third-party partners) and marketing those discounts and opportunities to our members and potential members.

Collected personal information is used to facilitate our consumer networks’ functions and activities including:

  • to source and identify potential member discounts or group switching opportunities;
  • to provide you with information regarding current and future offerings or switching
  • opportunities which we think may be of interest to you;
  • to compile data and conduct analysis of member statistics;
  • to develop our business and operational processes for delivering potential group discount offers and group switching opportunities;
  • to manage our ongoing relationship with our members;
  • to share experiences, provide commentary and feedback provided by our members on our content platforms (which may also be transferred to other consumer network social media platforms (including Facebook);
  • to make submissions to governmental departments, private sector organisations or to publish commentary or studies in support of legislative or other private sector reform;
  • to administer and process member participation in offerings and switching opportunities;
  • to resolve any legal and / or commercial complaints or issues;
  • to assess a job applicant and to allow us to carry out any monitoring activities which may be required of us under applicable law as an employer; and
  • to comply with legal requirements.

Disclosure of your personal information

Subject to this Privacy Policy and any applicable law, we may disclose your personal information to other entities in order to facilitate the purposes for which the personal information was collected. The circumstances in which we may disclose your personal information include where:

  • disclosure is to one of our third-party partners;
  • we have your consent;
  • if we are under a legal or regulatory obligation to do so (for example as required by New Zealand Law) or to protect the rights and interests, property, or safety of SAW, our members or others;
  • all, or substantially all, the assets of SAW are merged with or acquired by a third party, in which case your personal information may form part of the transferred or merged assets;
  • we provide or share aggregate or bulk data (such as information about market trends and consumer choice) with other reputable third parties. If we do this, personal information which might identify a particular SAW member will not form part of the aggregate or bulk data;
  • we provide stories, commentary or share photos or other personal information you have uploaded on our content platforms onto other social media channels associated with our consumer networks (including Facebook);
  • we use a third-party service provider to provide services that involve data processing, for example archival, auditing, professional advisory (including legal, accounting, financial and business consulting), mailing house, delivery, technology, website, research, banking, payment, data processing, insurance, marketing and security services.

Where possible, we will inform you, at or before the time of collecting your personal information about other types of organisations to whom we may, with your consent, disclose your personal information. Prior to such disclosures, SAW will take all reasonable steps to satisfy ourselves that:

  • the organisation has a commitment to protecting your personal information; and
  • where necessary, you have consented to such disclosure.

Some of our third-party partners may be located or may have some of their business functions located, in countries outside of New Zealand (for example, a third party partner may have a call centre located in Asia) (Overseas Recipients). We may update this policy from time to time to identify the location of any Overseas Recipients, so please check it regularly. In order to carry out our business functions, including providing you with the full benefits of membership with one of our consumer networks, it may be necessary for us to disclose your personal information to these Overseas Recipients. Before we do so, we will take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to ensure that the Overseas Recipients does not breach New Zealand privacy legislation in relation to your personal information.

If it is necessary for us to transfer your personal information outside New Zealand to any other entities or in any other circumstances, we will comply with the relevant privacy legislation relating to transborder data flows and cross-border disclosures.

Direct Marketing

We or a third party partner may use your personal information to contact you about, among other things:

  • potential member discount offers and group switching opportunities for consumer products, services and utilities which we think may be of interest to you;
  • changes to our organisation;
  • new products, services, utilities or switching opportunities being offered to our members through us or in combination with any third party partner; or
  • your membership or potential membership.

You may be contacted in various ways including, but not limited to, email, SMS, instant messaging, telephone, multimedia messaging or other forms of electronic communication.

If you do not wish to receive marketing information or be contacted for the purposes outlined above, you can opt-out at any time. If you wish to opt-out, please contact us via the contact details at the end of this policy and provide us with details of the communication which you no longer wish to receive and your request to be removed from the relevant mailing list.

How secure is your personal information?

As required by the Privacy Act 2020, we take reasonable precautions to prevent the loss, misuse or unauthorised alteration of your personal information. Security and privacy are of paramount importance to us and ensuring Saveawatt Residential is as secure as possible is a core goal. When you provide us with personal information, that information may be collected, stored and processed on servers located outside of New Zealand.

What rights of access to and correction of my personal information do I have?

You have rights under the Privacy Act 2020 to find out what personal information we hold about you, to get a copy of that information, and/or to request the correction of your personal information, or any part of it, at any time. If you would like to do any of these things or for further information about our Privacy Policy, please contact us.

How accurate is your personal information?

We take all reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we store, use and enable you to share is accurate, complete and up to date. However, the accuracy of that information largely depends on the details you give us. Please let us know if there are any errors by simply updating your information via the Website.

Public postings on the Website

The information that you choose to make public via your use of the Website (for example, through a discussion forum or any other public communication function) is able to be viewed by other users and visitors. We take no responsibility for any information submitted in this manner.

Log files and analytics

We use log files in order to enhance your experience with Saveawatt Residential and to analyse trends. Log files gather information, such as which URL you just came from, which URL you visit next, what browser you are using and your IP address. This information is used to analyse trends and to administer and operate the Saveawatt Residential.

We will have access to and may use other information, such as the number of users, traffic patterns and demand for the Website, for the purpose of monitoring server and software performance as well as for our other internal purposes. Further, we may collect information about system interactions between the Website and users while they are logged in or using the Website. This information may be used to verify actions taken by a user or to better understand the behaviour of users in order to improve the Website.

We can change this Privacy Policy

We regularly review all our business policies and may change this Privacy Policy at any time by publishing an updated version on the Website. The changes will take effect 14 days after we publish them.

If you don’t agree with the changes, you can end your relationship with SAW at any time, by giving us at least 3 business days’ notice. When your SAW relationship comes to an end, we will remove all records directly held by us about you on our servers, including all of your personal information, except our record of you have agreed to our terms and conditions and privacy policy.

Please note that where we have shared your information with third parties (as outlined in this Privacy Policy), we do not have any control over the way that those third parties may store your personal information, and those third parties may continue to hold that information.

How can you contact us?

If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy or any other matter, please feel free to contact us.

You can obtain further general information about your privacy rights and privacy law from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner in New Zealand by calling their Privacy Hotline on 0800 803 909, e-mailing them or visiting their website.


Last updated on 7 September 2021

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