Privacy Policy

To provide our full range of dealership products and services, we need to collect and process certain information about you. This policy describes how Bloomsbury Investment Cars CC (registration number 2009/050379/23), trading as Bloomsbury Investment Cars (“Bloomsbury”, “we”, “us”), collects, stores, uses and protects information that can identify you (“personal information”), in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA).

Introduction

We respect your privacy and take the protection of personal information seriously — your trust is our most important asset. This policy should be read together with our Terms & Conditions.

Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to you if you are a visitor to our website or apps; a customer who has ordered a product or requested a service from us; or anyone contacting us by phone, SMS, email, letter or in person.

Personal information we collect

Personal information includes information we collect automatically when you visit our website, information collected on submission of a form, and optional information you provide voluntarily — such as your first name, last name, phone number and email address. It excludes anonymised information, de-identified information that cannot be traced back to you, non-personal statistical information, and information you have voluntarily shared in a public forum.

Acceptance

By accessing this website to order a product or request our services, you accept the terms of this policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use the website to order a product or request a service. You may not access the website, order a product or request a service if you are younger than 18 or otherwise lack the legal capacity to conclude a binding contract. By accepting this policy, you are deemed to have read, understood and agreed to be bound by its terms. You may only send us the personal information of another person where you have their permission to do so.

Changes to this policy

We may change the terms of this policy at any time; changes will be posted on this website and, unless stated otherwise, the current version supersedes all previous versions. If you continue using the website or our services after a change is posted, you will be deemed to have accepted the updated terms.

How we collect and use your information

We collect and process personal information for product/service purposes (such as fulfilling enquiries), marketing purposes, business purposes (such as analytics and business planning), and legal purposes (such as complying with regulations). Specific examples include:

Vehicle enquiries (contact the Dealer about a listing)

To respond to an enquiry about a vehicle, we ask for your first name, surname, email address and telephone number.

Vehicle finance applications

To submit a finance application on your behalf, we ask for a completed finance application form, your driver’s licence, your most recent three months’ payslips, three months’ bank statements, and proof of residence. This information is shared with our finance partners and relevant banks so they can assess and respond to your application; each partner processes your information under its own privacy policy.

Communicating with us

When you contact us by phone, you may be asked for your name, email address and contact details so we can resolve your query.

Messages and updates

We may send administrative messages about the website, and — only if you have opted in — promotional messages about new vehicles, offers or services.

Browser and usage information

We automatically receive standard internet usage information from your browser via our server logs, such as IP address, browsing activity, device and browser type, and pages visited.

Cookies

We may place small text files (“cookies”) on your device to remember your preferences and improve your experience on our website. You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings.

Recording calls

We may monitor and record calls you make to us, unless you specifically ask us not to.

Sharing and disclosure

We may share your personal information with our finance and service partners under contract (banks, finance houses, vehicle history/verification providers) strictly for the purpose of fulfilling your request; as required by law, regulation, subpoena or court order; to protect the safety of any person or the public; or with our employees who need it to do their jobs (management, administration, compliance). We do not sell your personal information. If we undergo a change of ownership, merger or sale of assets, your information may transfer to the successor entity, and we will disclose this on the website.

Security

Information you share with us is stored on secure servers, and we apply technical and organisational measures designed to protect it against accidental or unlawful loss, access or disclosure. No transfer of data over the internet is ever completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Accuracy, retention and cross-border transfer

We try to keep the personal information we hold accurate and up to date; you can ask us to review or correct it by emailing or phoning us (we will verify your identity first). We retain personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this policy, unless a longer period is required by law or you have consented to further retention. We will not transfer your personal information across a South African border without your prior written consent.

Removing your information

You may ask us to remove personal information you have submitted, by contacting us using the details below. We will request proof of identity before doing so.

Third-party links

This website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for, and make no warranties regarding, the privacy practices of those sites.

Information Officer & enquiries

If you have any questions or concerns about this privacy policy, or how we handle your personal information, please contact our Information Officer:

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe your personal information has been processed unlawfully.