Last updated: May 04, 2021

At Home Ownership Providing Energy Inc. (HOPE), we take the protection of your personal information very seriously. We treat your personal information as confidential and will handle it in accordance with data protection legislation as well as with the terms of this statement.

What personal data do we collect?
The personal data HOPE collects are limited to information regarding our relationship with you. This includes contact information, such as name, telephone number, address, email address, as well as information relating to home ownership projects, events and to your use of HOPE‘s website.

Information that cannot be linked to your identity (e.g. statistical information, such as the number of users of our online services) is not considered to be personal data.

How do we collect personal data?
In general, we collect personal data in the following cases:

• When you register and apply for a home through HOPE‘s website
• When you communicate with HOPE directly
• When you register for an event
• When you participate in a survey or
• When you provide personal data for other purposes.

In all cases, we process your data solely for a specific purpose, and that purpose is known to you.

Do we pass your data on to third parties?
As a matter of principle, HOPE passes your personal data on to third parties only if HOPE is authorized by law to do so or if you have given your consent. This is the case, for example, when we are pre-qualifying your application and need to engage our project partners i.e. the lending institutions, insurance and legal firms to conduct external evaluations in agreement with you. We comply with the relevant legal provisions (guaranteeing appropriate protection).

External service providers that process data on HOPE‘s behalf are contractually obliged to comply fully with the Data Protection Act. HOPE makes sure that such external service providers are capable of safeguarding data. HOPE‘s prior consent is required before they are permitted to transfer responsibility for processing personal data to a third party.

How long do we retain your personal data?
HOPE retains your data as long as is necessary for our business relationship with you, or as long as HOPE has a legitimate interest in continuing to store the information. HOPE deletes your personal data in all other cases, except when continued storage is required under the law (for example, HOPE is legally obligated to retain documents such as contracts and invoices for a period of 10 years).

Privacy
Every effort, inclusive of the encryption of data and limiting of access to data to select employees, is part of the privacy protocols adopted by HOPE as it relates to your personal data.  HOPE does not guarantee the reliability of the online network through which information, messages or instructions are transmitted to and from HOPE. HOPE does continuously monitor its systems to ensure that sound management and security procedures are in place to safeguard your data.  Business Partners are solely responsible for their systems.

Cookies
This site uses cookies. Cookies do not cause any damage to your computer and do not contain viruses. Cookies help us to provide you with a safer, more user-friendly and effective service. Cookies are small text files that are downloaded to your computer and saved in your browser.
Most of the cookies we use are so-called “session cookies”, which are automatically deleted at the end of your visit. Other cookies will remain on your device until you delete them. These cookies enable us to recognise your browser the next time you visit us and allows you to save your form progress for later.

It is open to you to adjust your browser settings to notify you when cookies are installed and to require your agreement to the installation of cookies on a case-by-case basis, to refuse cookies in specific cases or in general, and to automatically delete cookies when you close your browser. Please note that deactivating cookies may lead to some loss of functionality e.g. the inability to save your application progress for later.

Google Analytics Disclaimer
This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics also uses “cookies” as described above, which help the website analyse how visitors use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States . Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google’s behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. 

By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above. You can prevent Google’s collection and use of data (cookies and IP address) by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available under tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. Please note that this website initializes Google Analytics with the setting anonymizeIp. This guarantees anonymized data collection by masking the last part of your IP address.

Minor’s Privacy
Our Service does not address anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 18. If you are a parent or guardian and you are aware that your child has provided us with Personal Data, please contact us. If HOPE becomes aware that we have collected Personal Data from anyone under the age of 18 without verification of parental consent, HOPE will take steps to remove that information from our servers.

Changes to this Data Protection Policy
HOPE may update the Data Protection Policy from time to time. HOPE will notify you of any changes by posting the new Data Protection Policy on this page.

HOPE will let you know via email and/or a prominent notice on our website, prior to the change becoming effective and update the “Last updated” date at the top of this Data Protection Policy.

You are advised to review this Data Protection Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Data Protection Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.