Privacy Policy

Last updated 18 March 2019

Here we tell you what we do with the personal data you supply us with. The regulation that dictates our actions regarding your data is called the European Union General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR. We are subject to this regulation through its implementation by the Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK. This is a subject not easy to summarise in plain terms but here’s our attempt: Personal data, stuff linked to you as a unique human being, has become a valuable resource. Because of constantly increasing computing power and our ever closer integration with it through the internet via pcs and mobile devices; governments and corporate organisations have been able to collect and store a vast mount of information about you (or “data subjects”). For the human “data subject” supplying lots of personal information can result in convenience and “free” services or products. “Free” in that your personal data was the actual cost. For the organisations gathering the data, the benefits are profit or more control or influence over the you. The GDPR is an attempt to make the data practices of organisations subservient to you, by enforcing transparency and regulating abuse or mismanagment of your personal information.

Digital Souk Ltd through its Services lets guests book accommodation that we market on behalf of accommodation suppliers (aka hosts). This document describes how we obtain and use your personal information when you use our Services.

Digital Souk Ltd (also “we”, “us” or “our”) is a UK based company and is the Data Controller.

Our Services include our websites: accommodationdaddy.com, rentalscapetown.com and our payment processing website accommodationpayments.com.

Accommodation suppliers include private owners as well as marketing and management companies of accommodation properties. If you an accommodation supplier acting in the capacity of a natural person then this policy applies to you too

1. What information do we get and why do we need it?

What you give us:

Once you enquire or start to make a booking we need to be able to reply to you by getting your name and contact details (email, phone number/s). As you proceed we’ll need more: payment information and the details of the people that will also be staying. Please bear in mind that it is your responsibility to make your fellow guests aware that their personal information has also been shared with us. Under certain circumstances we may obtain and store your passport or government ID number, date of birth and address: this can be to confirm the identity of a credit card holder or comply with state regulations.

What we automatically collect:

Our server logs IP addresses, browser type, operating system, time and pages visited but this information alone doesn’t identify you. We use cookies in order for our Services to function correctly. Please see our Cookie Policy for full details.

Why we need it and how it is used:

We collect the minimum amount of your personal information required in order to ensure a smooth and enjoyable stay for all guests whilst allowing for efficient communications, planning and administration for the accommodation suppliers. Automatically collected information by our server is useful for us to understand what visitors to our website are interested in and what countries they come from and what kind of devices they are using. This allows us to evaluate and adapt our products and services. It is also essential in order for us to counteract fraud and abuse of our system. The legal basis for collection of the abovementioned data (name, email, phone number/s, payment details, address) is to fulfil our contract of allowing guests to book accommodation from accommodation suppliers. Where applicable obtaining passport/government ID numbers and date of birth are legally based on the regulations of certain states and fraud prevention requirements.

Do note that your provision of this information is voluntary yet would prevent us from being able to fulfil our services without it.

How else will we use your personal information?

We’ll use email, messaging to your mobile device or phone calls to send occasional information about offers, new services and blog posts.

2. Data sharing with third parties

      • Accommodation Suppliers:

In order to make the booking happen personal information has to be supplied to the accommodation supplier: the person or company whose home or property you will be staying in. The names and contact details of you and all the other people staying will be provided in order to schedule and arrange the check-in and other hospitality functions. Your address/es, payement details, passport/ID number/s and age/s may also be shared or requested by the accommodation supplier before or upon your arrival at the accommodation. We’ll also provide the guest with details of the accommodation supplier, such as accommodation address and their name, for the booking to proceed properly.

      • Distribution Channels:

Distribution channels or just channels is industry jargon for other companies we use to obtain bookings for accommodation suppliers. An example would be Airbnb: we have an agreement with them that enables guests to book the properties of our accommodation suppliers via Airbnb’s services. We make this situation clear to people using our services via these channels and they will make you aware of their own privacy policy.

      • Channel Managers:

Because we have multiple channels we need some clever system to keep track of our bookings streaming in from various booking platforms (like Airbnb). That’s where the channel manager comes in, syncing reservation calendars and guest booking information from all the channels. This provides an up to date availability picture for new guests and is how we share your contact information and booking details with the accommodation supplier.

      • Payment Services:

Used to process guest credit card payments therefore obtaining your credit card details. In the event of payment disputes or chargeback we may need to provide them with the personal information we have collected and other details regarding your booking and stay.

      • State/government authorities

Only where legally compelled to do so or where it is imperative in preventing damage, loss or harm to people or property, or obtaining recourse for such acts, will we share personal data with government departments or law enforcement.

3. Cross border transmission of personal data

Personal data may have to be transferred to countries that do not have the levels of data protection required by UK and EU regulations. If other appropriate safeguards are not available you must be aware of the fact that these regulations do not view the national measures in place as adequate. Which means a higher possibility of risk in the context of the regulation.

This will be the case for guests booking accommodation in South Africa where personal information essential to the working of your stay has to be provided to the accommodation supplier.

4. Security of data

The minimum amount of personal data required to get the job done is requested from you. Physical, technical and administrative measures are employed to keep it safe.

5. Retention of personal information

We will retain your personal information in order to fulfil our contractual and legal obligations. An example of this is providing details of source of revenue to tax authorities.

6. What about data relating to children?

Our services are intended for people over the age of 18. Guests under this age may only accompany the guest making the booking and personal information requested will be through the primary guest. This will be limited to name, age and passport/ID number depending on national regulations.

7. Your rights regarding your personal information

  • You can ask us for a copy of the the personal inforamation we hold.
  • You can request we correct, update or rectify any personal information we hold.
  • You can tell us to delete your personal information.
  • You can withdraw your consent to the use of of your persona data at any time, subject to applicable law.

Where we are using your personal data for correspondence not directly related to your booking transaction or marketing you may opt out at any time. If this is not possible within the method used to communicate with you you may use the contact method shown at the end of this document.

You have the right to lodge a complaint of any objections you have to our processing of your personal data with the ICO or your local data processing authority.

We may request you verify your identity before we can proceed with your request.

8. Contact

Digital Souk Ltd, the data controller of personal information referred to in this privacy policy, is a private company limited by shares and incorporated in England. Its registered office is:

Unit 4, The Cottages,

Deva Centre, Trinity Way

Manchester

M3 7BE

If you have questions, complaints or want to excercise any of your rights with regards to our processing, storing or using of your personal information please contact us at: privacyanddata at digitalso DOT uk replacing “at” with “@” and “DOT uk” with “.uk”