2 communication
2.1 customer privacy
2.2 communication with you
2.3 bank disclosure
2.1 customer privacy
- We have a strict duty to protect the confidentiality
of all our Customers and former Customers’ affairs. We are also obliged
in our dealings with our personal Customers to observe and comply with
the Privacy Act 1993.
- When you are dealing with us we may ask you to prove
your identity. This helps us protect your property and information.
- We will endeavour to ensure that your information
that we hold is accurate. Prompt advice of any changes in your personal
contact details such as residential or email address, or telephone or facsimile
numbers will help us to do this. This is very important because we will
then be able to communicate with you and send you information on your accounts
and other relevant matters.
- We will only use the information we hold about you
for the promotion of other products or services if you have consented to
this. If you do not wish to receive promotional material from us at any
time, tell us and we will not send it.
- We require all of our employees, contractors and agents
to sign a confidentiality agreement.
- You can help us to protect your confidential information
by keeping all information regarding your accounts, products and services
in a safe place.
- When you are dealing with us by telephone, your conversation
with us may be recorded for verification or training purposes.
- Certain laws require us to disclose your confidential
information, for example, under the Tax Administration Act 1994 the Inland
Revenue Department may request certain information from us. Section 11.2
of this Code lists examples of some additional laws that may require us
to disclose your confidential information.
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2.2 communication with you
- We will provide information to you from time to time
using plain language where we can. This may include advising you of changes
that may affect your business with us. We will communicate with you in
at least one of the following ways:-
- by direct communication
with you (e.g. by letter, by email, by fax or by telephone);
- by displaying information
at Branches; or
- by statements in
the media, including public notices.
- In addition, where such information is on our website,
changes will be noted there.
- When informing you of the terms and conditions of
any banking service, we will also inform you that when there is a variation
to our terms and conditions, including changes to fees and charges, we
will:-
- give at least 14
days notice of such variation; and
- communicate such
changes, either:-
- by direct communication; or
- by display in all Branches and/or by notice
in the media (including public notices).
- In addition, where terms and conditions are displayed
on our website, changes will be noted there.
- Prior notice is not required for interest rate changes
and other variations that are subject to market fluctuations.
- You are responsible for informing us of any change
of your name or address.
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2.3 bank disclosure
- You may request a copy of our current quarterly Disclosure
Statement. The Key Information Summary in that document will be displayed
in each of our Branches and on our website.
- In addition to any other disclosure required by law,
we will make available to you, the terms and conditions of the product
or service you have, both at the time you take that product or service
and upon request by you at a later stage.
- At the time you open an account, we will inform you
of the details of standard fees and charges payable for the normal operation
of the account. We will advise charges for other products and services
on request or at the time the product or service is offered.
- We will make sure our advertising and promotional
material is not deceptive or misleading and that it complies with all relevant
legislation.
- We will inform you of our non-standard fees and charges
before payment is due. There may be charges from other parties (including
overseas banks) of which we have no knowledge or control. If legal charges
are to be passed on to you, you will be told the amount due before we pay
the account (provided your contact details are up to date). Your right
to apply for a review of the costs you have been charged will then be preserved
under the Law Practitioners Act 1982 or the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act
2006.
- Any advertisement that includes a deposit interest
rate will state that full details of the terms and conditions will be available
on request and will also include any other disclosure required by law.
If you request it, we will provide you with the following information:-
- the rate of interest,
and whether it may change over the period of the deposit, how the
interest is calculated and when interest will be credited to your
account;
- any fees and charges
you must pay;
- any government charges
and taxes you must pay, including Resident Withholding Tax, Non-Resident
Withholding Tax and Approved Issuer Levy; and
- other information,
such as the consequences of withdrawing deposits early or in part.