Privacy Policy: Updated 1 May 2023
This privacy policy (the Privacy Policy) explains how First Block Properties Ltd. (First Block, we, us, or our), a company registered in Trinidad and Tobago, collects, uses, discloses, and protects your personal information when you visit our website (the Website) or use our services (the Services). The Services include providing information about our real estate services, properties for sale or rent, and other related content.
By accessing or using the Website or the Services, you agree to this Privacy Policy and our Terms and Conditions, which are incorporated by reference into this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy or our Terms and Conditions, you must not use the Website or the Services.
We reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time without prior notice. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting on the Website. Your continued use of the Website or the Services after any changes to this Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.
1. What personal information do we collect
Personal information is any information that identifies you or can be linked to you. The types of personal information we may collect from you include;
- Contact information, such as your name, email address, phone number, postal address, and social media handles.
- Identification information, such as your date of birth, national identification number, passport number, driver’s license number, or other government-issued identification documents.
- Financial information, such as your bank account details, credit card details, income, assets, liabilities, credit history, or other financial information related to the purchase or sale of real estate.
- Transaction information, such as your property preferences, search criteria, inquiries, offers, contracts, agreements, payments, receipts, feedback, reviews, ratings, or other information related to the purchase or sale of real estate.
- Technical information, such as your IP address, device type, browser type, operating system, location data, cookies, web beacons, or other technologies that we use to collect information about your use of the Website or the Services.
- Marketing information, such as your preferences, interests, responses, or interactions with our marketing communications, surveys, contests, or promotions.
- We may collect your personal information from various sources, such as
- Directly from you, when you provide it to us voluntarily through the Website or the Services, such as when you register an account, submit an inquiry, make an offer, sign a contract, provide feedback, or contact us for any reason.
- From our agents, brokers, or third-party providers, who may act on our behalf or in connection with the Services, such as when they assist you with the purchase or sale of real estate, provide valuation, inspection, legal, financial, or other services, or share your personal information with us for any reason.
- From other sources, such as public records, databases, social media platforms, or other websites that you visit or link to from the Website or the Services.
2. How do we use your personal information
We may use your personal information for various purposes, such as;
- To provide you with the Website and the Services, and to respond to your inquiries, requests, feedback, or complaints.
- To facilitate and manage the purchase or sale of real estate, and to perform our contractual obligations to you or others.
- To communicate with you about the Website and the Services, and to send you marketing communications, surveys, contests, or promotions that may be of interest to you, with your consent or as permitted by law.
- To improve and personalize the Website and the Services, and to develop new features, products, or services that may be of interest to you.
- To analyse and measure the performance, usage, and effectiveness of the Website and the Services, and to conduct research and statistical analysis.
- To maintain and enhance the security, integrity, functionality, and quality of the Website and the Services, and to prevent fraud, abuse, or illegal activity.
- To comply with our legal obligations, policies, and procedures, and to protect our rights, property, or interests, or those of our agents, brokers, third-party providers, or users.
3. How do we disclose your personal information
We may disclose your personal information to various parties, such as;
- Our agents, brokers, or third-party providers, who may act on our behalf or in connection with the Services, such as when they assist you with the purchase or sale of real estate, provide valuation, inspection, legal, financial, or other services, or share your personal information with us for any reason.
- Other parties involved in the purchase or sale of real estate, such as buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, lawyers, notaries, mortgage lenders, insurance companies, government agencies, or other service providers.
- Our affiliates and subsidiaries who may provide us with administrative support, marketing, data analysis or other services or who may offer products, services or promotions that may be of interest to you with your consent or as permitted by law.
- Our service providers who perform functions on our behalf such as hosting, storage, maintenance, security, analytics, payment processing, communication, marketing or other services. We require our service providers to protect your personal information in a manner consistent with this Privacy Policy and applicable law.
- Other parties when required by law, such as when we respond to subpoenas, court orders, legal processes, regulatory inquiries, audits, investigations or requests from government authorities.
- Other parties when necessary to protect our rights, property or interests, or those of our agents, brokers, third-party providers, or users, such as when we enforce our Terms and Conditions, prevent fraud, abuse or illegal activity, resolve disputes, defend claims, or establish, exercise or defend legal rights.
- Other parties with your consent such as when you authorise us to share your personal information with third parties for their own marketing research or other purposes.
4. How do we protect your personal information?
We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, or destruction. We use appropriate physical, technical, and organizational measures to safeguard your personal information, such as encryption, firewalls, passwords, access controls, and secure servers. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of your personal information. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for notifying us immediately if you suspect or become aware of any unauthorized or fraudulent activity on your account.
5. How long do we retain your personal information?
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which we collected it or as required by law. We may also retain your personal information for longer periods if we have a legitimate interest to do so, such as for fraud prevention, dispute resolution, legal compliance, or audit purposes. When we no longer need your personal information, we will securely delete or destroy it in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
6. How do we use cookies and other technologies?
We and our service providers may use cookies and other technologies to collect and store information about your use of the Website and the Services. Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device when you visit a website. They help us to recognize you, remember your preferences, customize your experience, analyse traffic, and deliver targeted advertising. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings or by using tools provided by us or third parties. However, some features of the Website and the Services may not function properly if you disable or reject cookies.
We and our service providers may also use web beacons, pixels, tags, scripts, local storage objects, or other similar technologies to collect and store information about your use of the Website and the Services. These technologies are embedded in web pages, emails, or online advertisements and allow us to track your actions, such as when you open an email, click on a link, or view a web page. We use these technologies to measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns and to deliver relevant advertising to you.
We and our service providers may also use third-party analytics services, such as Google Analytics, to collect and process information about your use of the Website and the Services. These services use cookies and other technologies to help us understand how visitors interact with the Website and the Services, such as what pages they visit, how long they stay, what devices they use, and where they come from. We use this information to improve the Website and the Services and to provide you with more personalized content and advertising. You can learn more about Google Analytics and how to opt out of it at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
7. How do we handle interest-based advertising?
We and our service providers may use cookies and other technologies to collect information about your online activities over time and across different websites and devices in order to deliver interest-based advertising to you. Interest-based advertising is advertising that is tailored to your interests, preferences, or behaviours based on your browsing history, search history, purchase history, or other online activity.
You may see interest-based advertising on the Website, the Services, or other websites or applications that you visit or use. You may also receive interest-based advertising from us or our affiliates via email, text message, or other communication channels.
You can opt out of receiving interest-based advertising from us or our affiliates by following the instructions in our marketing communications or contacting us at contact@FirstBlockProperties.com. Please note that opting out does not mean that you will stop receiving advertising, but that the advertising you receive will not be based on your interests.
8. How do we handle social features and third-party plug-ins?
The Website and the Services may include social features, such as buttons, widgets, or plug-ins that allow you to share content or interact with other users on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
These features may collect information about your use of the Website and the Services, such as what pages you visit, what content you share, or what actions you take.
These features may also set cookies or other technologies on your device that enable them to recognize you and track your online activity across different websites and devices.
The information collected by these features is governed by the privacy policies of the social media platforms that provide them.
We encourage you to review their privacy policies before using these features.
9. How do we handle international transfers of personal information?
Your personal information may be transferred to, stored in, or processed in countries other than Trinidad and Tobago where we or our agents, brokers, third-party providers, affiliates, or subsidiaries operate.
These countries may have different data protection laws than Trinidad and Tobago and may not provide the same level of protection for your personal information.
By using the Website or the Services or providing us with your personal information, you consent to such transfers, storage, and processing of your personal information.
We will take reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable laws when it is transferred to, stored in, or processed in other countries.
10. How can you access and update your personal information?
You can access and update your personal information by logging into your account on the Website or contacting us at contact@FirstBlockProperties.com.
You can also request that we correct or delete your personal information if it is inaccurate or incomplete or if you no longer want us to process it. However, we may not be able to accommodate your request if we are required by law or have a legitimate interest to retain or process your personal information.
We will respond to your request within a reasonable time frame and in accordance with applicable laws.
11. How can you contact us?
If you have any questions, comments, feedback, complaints, or suggestions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:
First Block Properties Ltd.
15 Ethel Street
St. James
Trinidad and Tobago
Phone: +1 (868) 622-0862
Email: contact@FirstBlockProperties.com