Last updated: August 28, 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose and protect personal information in connection with our website, enquiries, host registration forms, screening and vetting, host profiles, student placements, student welfare and supervision, payments, complaints, incidents, compliance activities and related homestay services. It applies to hosts and host applicants, students, parents and guardians, household members, regular visitors, referees, education providers, schools, agents, emergency contacts and any other person whose personal information we handle.
1. Personal information we collect
The personal information we collect may include:
(a) identity and contact information, including name, preferred name, date of birth, gender, address, email address, phone number and identity documents;
(b) host, household and home information, including household composition, people living in or regularly visiting the home, occupation or study details, languages, routines, hosting preferences, supervision capacity, home facilities, rooms, pets, smoking status, safety, suitability and inspection information;
(c) student and placement information, including placement details, travel details, school or education provider information, agent information, emergency contacts, supervision requirements and information relevant to student care, safety and welfare;
(d) health, dietary and support information, including dietary, allergy, medical, disability, wellbeing, cultural, religious, language, learning or other support-related information relevant to a placement;
(e) screening and compliance information, including declarations, referee information, Police vetting status, safety check information, background check information and other information required for child safety, suitability or compliance purposes;
(f) photos and profile information, including photographs, videos or descriptions of the home, student room, facilities, host family and host profile information;
(g) payment and financial information, including bank account, payment, tax, invoicing, refund, reimbursement, damage-related information and information about direct payment or private arrangement concerns; and
(h) communications and records, including records of enquiries, interviews, home visits, placement decisions, support, complaints, incidents, accidents, welfare concerns, disputes, property damage and compliance matters.
We only collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for our business operations, including our homestay services, host registration and suitability processes, placement and welfare support, payment administration, complaint and incident management, risk management and other related business operations.
2. How we collect personal information directly
We may collect personal information when you:
(a) submit a host family registration form or update through our website, by email or in another form we provide;
(b) make an enquiry through our website, email, phone, message or social media;
(c) communicate with our staff or representatives;
(d) provide documents, identification, consents, declarations, bank details, photos, host profile content or other supporting information;
(e) participate in interviews, home visits, inspections, screening, Police vetting or safety check processes;
(f) receive or provide homestay services, report an incident, make a complaint, raise a welfare or safety concern, request support or participate in a review or compliance process
3. Indirect collection from other people
(a) We may collect personal information about you from other people or organisations where this is reasonably necessary for our homestay services, safety, welfare, screening, compliance or business purposes. This may include information from hosts, students, parents or guardians, household members, regular visitors, schools, education providers, agents, referees, Police vetting or safety check providers, medical or emergency contacts, insurers, advisers, regulators, public authorities, complainants, witnesses or other people involved in a placement, incident, payment, damage, welfare, safety or compliance matter.
(b) If we collect personal information about you from someone else, we will take reasonable steps to notify you in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020, including Information Privacy Principle 3A, unless an exception applies. We may not notify you where, for example, you have already been made aware of the relevant matters, notification would prejudice the purpose of collection or endanger someone’s safety, notification is impracticable or disproportionate, notification would breach another law or court order, or another lawful exception applies.
4. Why we use personal information
We use personal information for purposes including:
(a) assessing and processing host family registrations;
(b) conducting interviews, home visits, screening, Police vetting, safety checks, referee checks and background checks;
(c) matching students with suitable host families, taking into account age, welfare, supervision, dietary, medical, cultural, religious, language and other relevant needs;
(d) preparing host family profiles and placement information;
(e) arranging and managing homestay placements, orientation, transport, communication, ongoing monitoring and placement changes;
(f) communicating with hosts, host applicants, students, parents or guardians, household members, regular visitors, schools, education providers, education agents, referees and service providers;
(g) providing support before, during and after a homestay placement, including support for students under 18 and escalation of welfare or supervision concerns;
(h) managing emergencies, medical or wellbeing matters, welfare concerns, safety issues, complaints, incidents, accidents, damage, direct payment concerns, private arrangement concerns and disputes;
(i) processing host family payments, reimbursements, refunds, invoices and related accounting or tax records;
(j) managing complaints, incidents, feedback or disputes;
(k) meeting our legal, regulatory, contractual, education sector, child safety, safeguarding, insurance and record-keeping obligations;
(l) improving our services, training, quality assurance, policies, risk management and internal operations
We will not use your personal information for unrelated purposes unless you have authorised us to do so, the use is directly related to the purpose for which we collected it, or we are required or permitted by law.
5. Disclosure of personal information
We may disclose personal information where reasonably necessary for our homestay services and related operations, where you have authorised the disclosure, or where disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.
This may include disclosure to:
(a) students, parents or guardians, hosts, host applicants, household members and regular visitors, where relevant to a placement, safety, welfare, host profile, complaint, incident or compliance matter;
(b) schools, education providers, education agents and other organisations involved in arranging, monitoring or supporting a student’s education, accommodation, welfare or travel;
(c) Police, government agencies, public authorities, regulators, background checking providers and safety check providers for Police vetting, safety checks, safeguarding, compliance, legal or welfare purposes;
(d) banks, payment providers, accounting service providers and tax or finance advisers for payment, refund, reimbursement, invoicing, damage or accounting purposes;
(e) IT, cloud storage, website hosting, communications, administration, document management, analytics, form processing and other business support service providers;
(f) professional advisers, insurers, insurance brokers, legal representatives, dispute resolution providers or debt recovery providers;
(g) emergency services, medical providers, emergency contacts, relevant authorities or other appropriate people where required or appropriate for safety, welfare, medical, emergency, child protection or legal reasons
We only disclose personal information to the extent reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose. Where practicable, we limit sensitive information such as medical, welfare, Police vetting, safety check, complaint, incident or damage information to people who need it for a legitimate homestay, safety, welfare, payment, compliance or legal purpose.
Some students, parents or guardians, education agents, schools, education providers, emergency contacts, insurers or service providers may be located outside New Zealand. Where we disclose personal information outside New Zealand, including to support an overseas student’s placement, communicate with overseas parents or agents, arrange travel or manage an incident, welfare concern, payment or complaint, we will take reasonable steps to ensure the information is protected in a way that is consistent with the requirements of the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020, unless the disclosure is otherwise authorised by law or by the individual concerned.
We do not sell personal information.
6. Storage and protection of personal information
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration or destruction.
These steps may include:
(a) storing information on secure systems, approved cloud services and servers with appropriate safeguards;
(b) limiting access to authorised staff, contractors and service providers who need the information for legitimate business, homestay, safety, welfare or compliance purposes;
(c) using password protection and access controls;
(d) maintaining internal procedures for handling personal information, including sensitive host, student, Police vetting, safety check, medical, welfare, complaint, incident and payment information; and
(e) securely deleting, destroying or de-identifying information when it is no longer required
While we take reasonable steps to protect personal information, no method of electronic storage or transmission is completely secure.
7. Retention of personal information
(a) We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including providing homestay services, maintaining host registration and suitability records, supporting current and former placements, managing student welfare and safety records, administering payments, handling complaints, incidents, damage claims or disputes, and meeting legal, regulatory, insurance, accounting, child safety and record-keeping obligations.
(b) When personal information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to securely delete, destroy or de-identify it. We may retain some records after a placement ends where this is needed for safeguarding, complaint handling, dispute resolution, audit, insurance, tax, accounting or legal compliance purposes.
8. Access, correction and deletion requests
(a) You may request access to the personal information we hold about you under the Privacy Act 2020.
(b) You may also request that we correct personal information if you believe it is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date or misleading.
(c) You may request that we delete personal information where it is no longer required for the purpose for which it was collected, subject to any legal, safety, safeguarding, welfare, record-keeping, insurance, accounting, payment, complaint, incident, damage or dispute-related reasons that may require us to retain it.
To make a request, please contact us using the details below. We may need to verify your identity and, where the request relates to a child or young person, your authority to act for that person before responding. We will respond to access and correction requests within the timeframes required by the Privacy Act 2020, unless an extension or lawful refusal ground applies.
9. Privacy breaches and notifiable privacy breaches
If we become aware of a privacy breach, we will take appropriate steps to contain, assess and manage the breach. A privacy breach may include unauthorised or accidental access to, disclosure, alteration, loss or destruction of personal information, or an action that prevents us from accessing information on a temporary or permanent basis. If a privacy breach has caused, or is likely to cause, serious harm, we will treat it as a notifiable privacy breach and notify affected individuals and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner as required by the Privacy Act 2020, unless a lawful exception applies.
10. Website and cookies
Our website may collect limited technical information, such as browser type, device information, IP address and website usage data. This information may be collected through cookies, online forms or analytics tools to help us receive enquiries and host registration information, maintain, improve and secure our website, understand website use and support our business operations.
You can adjust your browser settings to disable cookies, although some parts of our website may not function properly.
11. Complaints and contact us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information, or wish to make a privacy complaint, please contact our Privacy Officer:
Good Homestay Limited
Privacy Officer: Hiroaki MIYATA
Email: info@good-homestay.com
Phone: +64 22 417 3216
Address: Glenfield, Auckland, New Zealand, 0629
We will consider and respond to privacy complaints within a reasonable time. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner in New Zealand at www.privacy.org.nz.
12. Updates to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our services, business operations, technology, legal obligations or privacy practices. The updated policy will apply from the date it is published or otherwise notified, and the “Last updated” date will be amended when appropriate.