In this Data Protection Privacy Notice the words "Scottish Hostels", wherever used, shall be deemed to be a reference to the Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in Scotland under number SC271335 and having its registered office at William's & Co Accounting Services Ltd, Marden, Lochgair, Argyll PA31 8SD. 

Introduction

Scottish Hostels is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.

This Privacy Notice sets out the basis on which any personal data we collect from you, or that you provide to us, will be processed by us. Please read the following carefully to understand our views and practices regarding your personal data and how we will treat it.

The rules on processing of personal data are set out in the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”).

Scottish Hostels represents independently run hostels in Scotland. Hostels upload their own data onto our website and also run independent websites and social media channels.

1. Who we are

Scottish Hostels is the data controller. This means we decide how your personal data is processed and for what purposes. For all data matters contact:

Address: Scottish Hostels, c/o Williams & Co Accountancy Services Ltd, Marden, Lochgair, Argyll PA31 8SD

Email: membership@scottish-hostels.com
 
2. The purpose(s) of holding your personal information

You may give us information about yourself by filling in forms on our site or by corresponding with us by email or otherwise. This includes information you provide when you use our site, contact us for hostel recommendations, participate in social media functions on our site, enter a promotion or survey, and when you report a problem with our site.

The purpose for which we hold and may use your information:

Customer services: for the provision of our services to you.

Marketing: to send you marketing communications; in you making initial consent Scottish Hostels shall maintain a marketing dialogue with you until you unsubscribe (which you can do at any stage). These communications include our newsletter containing news from our hostels including special offers.

Other communications: we may send you online surveys relating to our hostels and our services. We may need to respond in relation to a query or complaint you may raise with us and to check on the level of service our member hostels provide.

Accommodation Search: if you fill in our enquiry form, we will use this data to help match you with a suitable hostel. All hostels in your search area will have the ability to respond to your request, via email.

3. The source of the information we hold about you:

The information which we may hold about you:

- For our email newsletter, we hold your email address and name on our 'Campaign Manager' database. This is secure, cloud based software.  You can unsubscribe from the email list at any time.

- For our accommodation search, we hold the information you add to the enquiry form. All Scottish Hostels' members in your search area will receive these details so they can respond to your request.  These details will not be used for any other purpose.

- Details of your visits to our website, including but not limited to personally identifying information like Internet Protocol (IP) addresses

- Information you provide regarding your marketing and communication preferences: customer rate and review responses, special offers information, surveys, contests

4. The information which we may hold about you

- Information submitted to us through the Scottish Hostels website, accommodation search and hostel reviews.

- Information provided by you to us whilst attending/visiting a Scottish Hostels stall or event.

- Information collected automatically when visiting the Scottish Hostels website (see Cookies section for more information).

- Third-party cookies - we work with third-party suppliers who may also set cookies on our website, for example Facebook, Twitter and Google Analytics. These third-party suppliers are responsible for the cookies they set on our website. If you want further information, please go to the website of the relevant third party.

Please note when you submit your personal information and any necessary information relating to other people, you’re confirming that you have permission to do so and have read and agreed the terms and conditions of this privacy notice.

5. What is our legal basis for processing your personal data

Personal data (article 6 of GDPR). Our lawful basis for processing your general personal data are:

- the consent of the data subject to continuing to receive communication on Scottish Hostels and updates from Scottish Hostels

and

- the legitimate interest of Scottish Hostels or relevant 3rd parties

More information on lawful processing can be found on the website of the Information Commissioner's Office.

 

6. Sharing your personal data

Your personal data will be treated as strictly confidential.

In order to deliver services, there may be occasions where we have to pass your information on to a partner organisation such as:

- Email provider organisation responsible for the electronic distribution of our newsletter including special offers - you will only receive these communications if you have already given your consent to do so and you can choose to opt out of this at any time.

 - For analysis - we may work with a third party specialist organisation to analyse web site user data to develop a greater understanding of our customers in order to shape and improve the product and services we offer.

 - From time to time we may work use a third party provider to manage our social media; we will only share/ transfer your personal information with third parties who have contractual arrangements with us and on the understanding that they are GDPR compliant and has adequate measures in place to protect the information and will not pass it to any other party and that they will not use your information for their own business purposes.

- Scottish Hostels may also disclose of such information (including personal information) to competent authorities (including law enforcement agencies) and other relevant organisations to protect our legitimate interests, as we feel is reasonably necessary or as required by law.

Third-party links outside of our control

This website may include links to third-party websites, plug-ins and applications. Clicking on those links or enabling those connections may allow third parties to collect or share data about you. We do not control these third-party websites and are not responsible for their privacy statements. When you leave our website, we encourage you to read the privacy notice of every website you visit.

7. How long do we keep your personal data?

We keep your personal data for no longer than reasonably necessary. We only retain your data for our email newsletter and always offer you the option to unsubscribe.

8. Your rights and your personal data

Unless subject to an exemption under GDPR, you have the following rights with respect to your personal data:

- The right to request a copy of the personal data which we hold about you.

- The right to request that we correct any personal data if it is found to be inaccurate or out of date.

- The right to request your personal data is erased where it is no longer necessary to retain such data.

- The right to withdraw your consent to the processing at any time, where consent was your lawful basis for processing the data.

- The right to request that we provide you with your personal data and where possible, to transmit that data directly to another data controller, (known as the right to data portability), (where applicable i.e. where the processing is based on consent or is necessary for the performance of a contract with the data subject and where the data controller processes the data by automated means).

- The right, where there is a dispute in relation to the accuracy or processing of your personal data, to request a restriction is placed on further processing.

- The right to object to the processing of personal data, (where applicable i.e. where processing is based on legitimate interests (or the performance of a task in the public interest/exercise of official authority); direct marketing and processing for the purposes of scientific / historical research and statistics).
 

9. Transfer of Data Abroad

We do not transfer personal data outside the EEA.

10. Cookies

We use a third party service, Google Analytics, to analyse the use of the Scottish Hostels website. Google Analytics generates statistical and other information about website use by means of cookies, which are stored on users' computers. The information generated relating to our website is used to create reports about the use of the website however only processed in a way which does not identify any individual. Google will store this information however we do not make, and do not allow Google to make, any attempts to find out the identities of those visiting our website. Google's privacy policy is available here.

11. Changes to our privacy policy

Any changes we may make to this Privacy Notice in the future will be posted on this page. Please check back frequently to see any updates or changes.

If we wish to use your personal data for a new purpose, not covered by this Privacy Notice, then we will provide you with a new Privacy Notice explaining this new use prior to commencing the processing and setting out the relevant purposes and processing conditions.

12. How to make a complaint

To exercise all relevant rights, queries or complaints please in the first instance contact membership@scottish-hostels.com.

If this does not resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office on 03031231113 or via email or at the Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, England.